Contribution of "cultural brokers" in shaping border landscapes of northern Patagonia, late eighteenth century

Abstract

By late eighteen century the Spanish Crown sent expedition to recognize north Patagonia, a territory dominated by indigenous groups but also of strategic importance to the Hispanic-Creole population. River Plate Viceroyalty officials in charge of the above-mentioned explorations registered their impressions in travel diaries that are thoroughly analyzed in order to discover the ways this landscape of north Patagoniawas symbolically constructed. We think this mestizo landscape was the result of struggles maintained between Hispanic-Creoles and natives searching to convey meaning to the territory. Moreover, we state that in this context, the actors who served as interpreters developed a key role in the territorial configuration, given the ambiguity of their position as intermediaries of interethnic relations. intermediaries of interethnic relations.