EL CALCHAQUI
“De San Carlos soy señores/ y de la quebrada más hermosa/ donde canta el ruiseñor/ y enlarva la mariposa.”
Bagualas de Salta.
Al oeste de la provincia de Salta, los valles Calchaquíes esconden secretos. Este espectáculo que la naturaleza preparó durante siglos, recorre 300 kilómetros desde su punto naciente en la ladera sur del Nevado del Acay hasta pisar el norte de las provincias de Tucumán y noroeste de Catamarca, con una altura de1500 a 3500 metros sobre el nivel del mar.
Las precipitaciones escasas se reflejan en el paisaje caracterizado por una adusta e imponente aridez, lo que hace pensar en su inhabitabilidad. Sin embargo, en el seno de las quebradas, en el regazo de los faldeos y en todo lugar donde haya agua, la aridez se transforma en vergel.
Regados por el generoso río Calchaquí y sus afluentes, los fértiles valles calchaquíes son unas manchas de verdor, unos oasis escondidos aquí y allá, presididos por un diáfano cielo. Colosales formaciones rocosas que mudan de colores, los custodian como un testimonio inmune al paso del tiempo. La mirada se pierde en la inmensidad, y el viento, el sol y el silencio acarician y estremecen el alma.
El milagro del agua fertilizadora hizo posible que estas tierras fueran habitadas por el hombre desde hace 12.000 años. Primero por grupos nómades de cazadores y recolectores y, finalmente, por comunidades sedentarias agroalfareras y pastoras.
Hasta el siglo XV, sus dueños indiscutidos eran los Tolombones, Pulares, Chicoanas, Quilmes, Luracataos y Cachis entre otros. Eran pueblos que pertenecían a un tronco común: la cultura Diaguita o Calchaquí, la que alcanzó gran dispersión territorial y el más alto desarrollo cultural en el noroeste argentino.
Para algunos autores “calchaquí” significa “indios fieros, alzados”, para otros “rincón donde se cosecha o amontona”. Ambas referencias hablan de la riqueza agrícola de la zona y de la belicosidad de sus habitantes.
Los calchaquíes debían defender su fértil suelo de la codicia de otros pueblos, razón por la cual las guerras les eran habituales. Tenían dos lugares para habitar: el pueblo que era su morada en tiempos de paz y que se establecía en una zona baja, y el “pucará” donde se mudaban en tiempos de guerra. Para la construcción de esta fortaleza aprovechaban una parte alta y escarpada del cerro desde donde controlaban todo el valle.
Eran guerreros muy hábiles en el aprovechamiento de los accidentes del terreno. Las quebradas, los peñones y las hondonadas eran puestos de avanzada o escondites desde los cuales se arrojaban sorpresivamente sobre el enemigo.
La agricultura era la actividad comunitaria más importante, construían terrazas en las laderas de las montañas donde cultivaban maíz, papa, zapallo, poroto, quinoa. Y compensaban la aridez del terreno con el riego a través de canales y acequias.
De los bosques de algarrobos, mistoles y chañar que cubrían la cuenca del río, extraían frutos y madera. El algarrobo tenía un valor sagrado, de él obtenían la vaina de cuyas semillas hacían harina y la bebida alcohólica llamada chicha.
Poseían grandes rebaños de llamas que llevaban a apacentar a las alturas de los cerros, de ellas obtenían carne, lana y cuero.
Excelentes alfareros, elaboraban bellas piezas tanto de uso diario como religioso o ceremonial, con motivos geométricos y figuras estilizadas en colores negro, rojo y blanco. También eran amantes de la música, especialmente del canto con percusión.
Con la invasión Inca en suelo argentino, su territorio se anexó al Collasuyo, región sur del Imperio. Aun hoy se cuestiona si los Incas dominaron totalmente a estos reinos. Los calchaquíes aborrecían el dominio extranjero, confederándose cuando se temía alguna irrupción externa. Lo cierto es que su lengua, el “cacán”, fue reemplazada por el quechua, que se impusieron las divinidades extranjeras y su culto; y que hubo una completa transformación en su modo de vida, forma de trabajar y costumbres.
Al producirse la conquista española cae el poderoso imperio Inca. A mediados del siglo XVI, los primeros incursionan los valles y son ferozmente rechazados por los calchaquíes.
Un jesuita los describe: “su aspecto y hábito es tan fiero que espantan, llevan los cabellos largos y sin trenzar, revueltos a la espalda y un cordón de lana hilada alrededor de la cabeza en la cual meten varias plumas coloradas; tiñense la frente hasta los ojos, lo demás del rostro lo pintan de mil colores; son corpulentos y de temible aspecto; desde las cejas hasta la cintura le penden dos cordones de lana caprina de color escarlata.”
Mucho de lo que es peculiar a la montaña estuvo presente en el carácter de los calchaquíes: altivez, virilidad, superstición, misterio, concentración, astucia, orgullo, constancia. En su espíritu se reflejaba algo de dureza del granito, de la fragosidad de la cumbre, de lo inaccesible del abismo.
Les llevó casi un siglo a los españoles conquistar a los habitantes de los valles y de las montañas, donde su imaginación ubicaba riquísimos yacimientos. Protegidos por la geografía, los calchaquíes se resistieron con feroces rebeliones. Finalmente derrotados, fueron desarraigados y repartidos entre los encomenderos.
En la actualidad, el ambiente diario del hombre de los valles transcurre entre el rancho de piedra y adobe, techado con paja; su quinta generalmente con higueras, membrillos, nogales y parras; su corral con algunas ovejas y cabras; y su sembradío siempre con maizales. Por tradición familiar y comunitaria es un gran artesano en telar, cerámica, platería, soguería, y piezas talladas en madera.
Aunque profundamente católico, se encomienda a sus deidades paganas. Respeta a “Coquena”, guardián de las majadas, tropero de las nubes, duende de abras y bosques, tata de los cerros, músico de arroyos y ríos. Es quien castiga a los cazadores que depredan y premia a los buenos pastores.
En su hogar, en el mes de agosto, celebra a la Pachamama. Abre un pequeño pozo y da de comer a la Madre Tierra, coca, cigarrillos y alcohol.
En sus rituales sagrados y festivos sabe cantar bagualas y vidalas que acompaña con la caja. Sagrados en épocas de siembra, cosecha y marcación del ganado donde se ruega la abundancia y el “multiplicado de la hacienda”. Festivos y desmesurados en sus carnavales.
También se viste de gaucho, luciendo con orgullo el poncho colorado, sombrero negro, bombacha, y guardamontes en su caballo con arneses de plata.
A través del tiempo, capas de civilización se fueron amontonando y amalgamando en el espíritu de los calchaquíes. El legado de sus ancestros cacanes e incas se mestizó con el aporte hispano, y esta rica mixtura forma parte de la cultura popular del noroeste argentino.
“I am from San Carlos, gentlemen/and from the most beautiful ravine/where the nightingale sings/and the chrysalis turns into a butterfly.”
Bagualas (popular songs) of Salta
In the west of the province of Salta, the Calchaquí valleys hide secrets. This extraordinary spectacle which Nature prepared for centuries extends across 300 kilometres from its starting point on the south side of the snow-capped Acay mountain to the north of Tucumán and northwest of Catamarca, and it is located between 1500 and 3000 metres above sea level.
Scarce rainfalls reflect a landscape characterised by its harsh imposing aridity, which makes us think about an uninhabitable quality. However, in the heart of its ravines, in the mountain slopes and in any place where water can be found, this aridity turns into an orchard.
The fertile Calchaquí valleys, which are irrigated by the river Calchaquí and its tributaries, are spots of green, oases hidden here and there, under a diaphanous sky. Colossal rock formations which change colour are the valleys’ custodians, motionless witnesses immune to the passing of time. The gaze wanders in the valleys’ vastness, and the wind, the sun and the silence caress the soul and make it shiver.
Around 12,000 years ago, the miracle of fertilising water made it possible for these lands to be inhabited by men. Firstly, there were nomad groups of hunters and gatherers and later, sedentary communities which cultivated the soil, herded animals and made artefacts with clay settled in the area.
Up until the 15th century, the land was owned by different nations such as the Tolombones, Pulares, Chicoanas, Quilmes, Luracataos and Cachis amongst others. These peoples belonged to the same racial and linguistic stock: the Diaguita or Calchaquí culture, which had great geographic dispersion and reached the highest level of cultural development in the northwest of Argentina.
For some authors, the word “calchaquí” means “fierce, wild Indian”; for others, it means “place for harvesting or piling”. Both meanings refer to the agricultural richness of the area and the warlike spirit of its dwellers.
The Calchaqui people had to defend their fertile land from the covetousness of other nations, which explains why wars were so habitual. The Calchaquí communities inhabited two different places: the village where they lived in times of peace and which was located on low ground, and the “pucará” where they moved to in times of war. This fortress was built on high ground, usually on top of a steep hill, from which they could control the valley below.
These warriors had great skill in making the most out of the terrain unevenness. Ravines, crags and gullies served as outposts or hiding places, from which they launched sudden attacks on their enemies.
Agriculture was the most important activity within the community. The Calchaquíes terraced mountain slopes where they cultivated maize, potatoes, pumpkins, beans and “quinoa” (a type of Andean goosefoot with edible seeds). Besides, they made up for soil aridity with a system of irrigation channels and ditches.
They got fruit and timber from the forests of carobs, “mistoles” (a spiniferous tree) and “chañares” (a wild spiny shrub). The carob tree was sacred: from its pod they obtained seeds which they used to make flour and also to prepare an alcoholic drink called “chicha”.
The Calchaquíes had large llama herds which they grazed in the high mountains and which they used for their meat, wool and leather.
They were skilled potters and made beautiful pieces for daily use or for special religious events or ceremonies. They decorated them with geometric patterns and stylised figures painted in black, red and white. They were also music lovers and specially liked to sing songs accompanied only by percussion.
When the Incas invaded this part of the territory, the Calchaquí lands were annexed to the southern province of the Inca Empire called Kollasuyo. Even nowadays, historians still wonder whether the Incas really conquered and dominated these kingdoms. The Calchaquíes loathed foreign dominion and they formed alliances when they feared external invasions. However, it is a fact that their mother tongue “cacán” was replaced by “quechua”, that foreign gods and their worship were imposed and that there was a complete change in their lifestyle, way of working and customs.
When the Spanish conquered America, the powerful Inca Empire was defeated. Towards the middle of the 16th century, the first Spaniards made raids into the valleys, but were fiercely repelled by the Calchaquíes.
At that time, a Jesuit priest wrote this description of the Calchaquíes: “their looks and clothes are so fierce that they frighten people away. They have long unplaited hair, which they tangle up on their backs. A string of spun wool goes round their heads and in it they stick several red feathers. They dye their foreheads up to their eyes and they paint the rest of their face a thousand colours. They are heavily-built and have a frightful appearance. From their eyebrows to their waist hang two scarlet strings of goat’s wool.”
Many of the peculiarities which we may associate with mountains were present in the character of the Calchaquí nation: haughtiness, virility, superstition, mystery, concentration, astuteness, pride, perseverance. Their spirit reflected some of the hardness of granite, the roughness of summits and the inaccessibility of the abyss.
It took the Spanish almost a whole century to conquer the inhabitants of these valleys and mountains, which in the conquerors’ imagination hid rich mineral deposits. Protected by geography, the Calchaquíes resisted with fierce rebellions. They were eventually defeated, uprooted and scattered in different “encomiendas” (a labour system used by the Spanish crown).
Nowadays, the daily life of the man of the valleys alternates between his stone-and-adobe hut with thatched roof and his small orchard planted with figs, quinces, walnut trees and grapevines; between his sheep and goat pen and his maize field. He has a long family and community tradition of great craftsmanship. Thus, he is a great artisan and creates exquisite crafts in the loom, with pottery, working silver, weaving rope and carving wood.
Despite his profound Catholicism, he also worships pagan deities. Amongst them, he has great respect for “Coquena”, keeper of the pens, drover of clouds, gnome of clearings and forests, father of mountains, musician of streams and rivers. “Coquena” punishes pillaging hunters and rewards good shepherds.
In August, the man of the Calchaquí valleys honours Pachamama or Mother Nature. He digs a hole at home and fills it with coca leaves, cigarettes and alcohol to feed her.
During his sacred rituals and festivities, he sings “bagualas” and “vidalas” (typical rhythms of the north of Argentina) and accompanies his songs with the sound of the “caja” or drum. Music has a sacred quality in times of sowing, harvesting and cattle branding, when he begs for abundance and the “multiplication of his stock”. However, the same music becomes festive and even insolent in times of carnival.
Sometimes, the man of the valleys can also be seen in gaucho attire. Then, he proudly wears the red poncho, black hat and loose trousers; and his horse also sports protective rawhide wings attached to the saddle and a silver harness.
Throughout time, layers of civilisation have accumulated and blended in the spirit of the Calchaquíes. The legacy of their Cacán and Inca ancestors combined with some Spanish characteristics; this rich mixture is now part of the popular culture of the northwest of Argentina.
