Vestiges and showcases: memories of the military campaigns of the 19th century of Patagonia spatialized in Valcheta, Río Negro, Argentina.

Abstract

Juan Manuel de Rosas, Leandro Ibáñez, Lino Oris de Roa and Julio Argentino Roca -Argentine military men- took part and carried out at different times the so-called "Rosas' Campaign to the Desert" in 1833 and the "Desert Campaign" in 1878, which marked the definitive entry of the Argentine national State into indigenous territories. These campaigns crossed the town of Valcheta, located in the southeast of the Patagonian province of Río Negro. In the last mentioned campaign, commanded by Roca, a concentration camp for indigenous people was built in that town, which operated from 1883 to 1890 approximately, where indigenous people who had been captured in the tours of the columns commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Roa were confined. A set of memories and historical stories, materialized in monuments located in the locality, glorified the four named soldiers. Thus, this article analyzes the dialogues established between spaces, desmonumentalizations and memories linked to these military campaigns of the nineteenth century that were located in the town. Through the ethnographic work carried out, we analyze the dispositions and displacements of the monuments and plaques of the four military men in the central square. Finally, we reflect on the indigenous concentration camp and its place in this space of memories and disputes.