Portraits of Chile’s solitary puesteros reveal a fading heritage marked by loneliness

A new documentary photography project titled Coirón offers an intimate look at the puesteros, or gauchos, of Chile’s Magallanes region. Photographed by Pie Aerts over a six-year period, the series captures men who spend months living and working in complete isolation across vast private ranches. Published by GOST, the images move beyond the traditional symbolism of strength and resilience to expose hidden narratives of loneliness, alcoholism, and a vanishing way of life.

The puesteros typically reside in ‘puestos,’ originally simple shelters built for nomadic farmers. Now worn down by harsh winds, snow, and rain, these decaying structures have become emblems of endurance for the men who live in them. However, their existence is fraught with hardship; they work the land without owning it and face significant insecurity once their physical abilities decline.

Many of these men spend their entire lives in locations they do not own. When they are no longer physically capable of working, they are often forced to relocate to urban areas, entering a society they have never known. This sudden transition is described as a breeding ground for mental health issues, compounded by a lack of retirement provisions, a shifting climate, and backbreaking labor. These factors have fueled rates of alcoholism and suicide within the community.

The project highlights individual stories that illustrate these broader trends. Luis, who has lived alone for over 40 years, rarely speaks to anyone besides his dogs and recently survived a severe horseback fall that nearly left him disabled. Santana lost his job after 18 years due to excessive drinking and, having passed retirement age, moved to a big city where he struggles to fit in and deepen his addiction. Oscar was photographed in a neighbor’s home in 2022 after a stove fire destroyed his own puesto.

There is also a growing openness regarding mental health among the group. After decades of silence, some puesteros are beginning to discuss the psychological toll of their lifestyle, breaking the stigma associated with the stoic character of the traditional gaucho. Hugo, for instance, maintains a daily routine of calling his 95-year-old mother, while Danilo faces an uncertain future after a failed surgery left him in a coma and unable to continue horseback work.

The generational cycle of farm life is also being broken. The younger generation, influenced by a more connected world, often prefers big city ambitions or ‘gaucho tourism’ over the rigorous life on the land. Photographer Pie Aerts noted that working on the project shifted his own perspective on solitude. ‘As long as I can remember, I’ve always feared being alone… Spending time in the presence of these puesteros, while seeing them sit through a life of silence, hardship and endurance, I started to open up to a different perspective,’ Aerts said.

Alberto Harambour, an associate professor at the Universidad Austral de Chile, remarked on the atmospheric quality of the work, noting how the photographs capture the essence of the region’s breeze and the dignity with which these men face the erosion of their culture.