In mid-April, our second excursion took us through regions of Northern Argentina, exploring the provinces of Santa Fe, Salta, and Jujuy. We visited the cities of Rosario and Salta, and I found their energy to be mildly reminiscent of Buenos Aires. Rosario, Argentina’s third-largest city, boasts a significant industrial hub and population. Due to safety concerns, our program opted to stay in Funes, a quaint pueblo just outside Rosario.
While in Buenos Aires with my host family, it is customary to tune in to the evening news during dinnertime, where reports frequently highlighted incidents of crime in Rosario and its alarming homicide rates. As one of Argentina’s primary ports, Rosario has unfortunately become a stronghold for narco-criminal activities. However, the portrayal of Rosario in the media, largely influenced by the politics of Buenos Aires, does not always accurately reflect the daily reality experienced by its residents. We learned so much about the history of social movements and it was so fascinating to put them into conversation with larger social movements in Argentina. While Buenos Aires may serve as a prominent epicenter for social movements in Argentina, activism extends far beyond its borders. Cities like Rosario, Cordoba, and Mendoza, among others, have their own histories of social mobilization and political engagement that have worked to expand discourse around social justice and political reform.
Jujuy felt like an entirely different country. We stayed in the small town of Tilcara which was nestled in a valley and surrounded by towering mountains. Due to the altitude (8,000 ft above sea level), we were given a free day to acclimate in the instance that anyone came down with altitude sickness. Luckily for me, I have experienced higher altitudes in my life and had no trouble adjusting, though it was evident that the oxygen was much thinner when I discovered that walking up a few flights of stairs had me breathing hard. A common cure for altitude sickness in the north is to chew hojas de coca (which is what cocaine is derived from). The leaves are not cocaine, and function more as a stimulant. Many local vendors sold packets of hojas de coca or sweet coca candies that looked like cough drops. Though I did not try any myself, my friends who used them said it did help combat their headaches and trouble with respiration.
All of the towns in the region contained vast multitudes of stray dogs who roamed around the streets, well-mannered but more than happy to accept spare scraps of food. I miss my dogs quite a bit, so it was lovely to have some canine companionship whenever I stepped out the door. Most appeared as some mutt variety, but there was no consistency in dog breeds as the dogs came in all shapes, sizes, and coloring. Nothing made me happier than to walk down the street and see dogs napping on doorsteps or walking around the roads.
The landscapes in Jujuy were truly like nothing I have ever experienced in my life. During our free day, my friends and I took a little day trip to the neighboring town of Purmamarca. We hiked through the Paseo de los Colorados trail which showcased breathtaking views of the Seven Colored mountains. The next day, we drove a few hours to the Salinas Grandes. Comprised of an expanse of salt flats and salinization pools, the Salinas Grandes were an incredibly vast white desert of seemingly endless salt. Lithium deposits are widespread around the region which has led to the installation of numerous (often international) lithium mining companies. Lithium is a key component in the production of batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems, making it a valuable commodity for growing markets of “green” technology, though the impact on local indigenous communities is anything but sustainable. Lithium mining in Salinas Grandes involves extracting lithium from brine pools beneath the salt flats. Companies drill wells into these pools, pump the brine to the surface, and process it in evaporation ponds to concentrate lithium and other minerals through solar evaporation. Once concentrated, lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide, essential for lithium-ion batteries, is extracted. These compounds are then refined into battery-grade materials.
Lithium extraction from brine requires significant amounts of water, which greatly affects the availability of water for local communities, agriculture, and wildlife. Indigenous communities that rely on water sources in the region face competition for water resources, leading to conflicts and challenges in maintaining their traditional way of life. We had the opportunity to talk to Verónica Chávez, the president of a local indigenous community, who illustrated the complex relationship local communities have with the mining companies. The companies are protected and supported by the governments of Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, who all see lithium mining as a substantive economic boon. While certain indigenous communities endorse mining operations due to the job opportunities and foreign investment they bring, others perceive them as a significant threat to water resources. These communities find themselves in a struggle against the formidable alliance of governments and corporations.
It was so lovely to get away from the city for a while and experience a completely distinct mode of existence in these remote small towns, far from people and surrounded by mountains, cacti, and sunshine. I have a about month left in Argentina and am so excited for our ISP period where we will have no classes and time for our independent study projects. Until next time, adiós!