The Solitary Life
Arcadio Marín Casola (affectionately called Tío “uncle” Marín ) was an original member of an agriculture and livestock society near Torres del Paine. He grew up in many of the isolated puestos (small huts) used by the early livestock industry which aimed to expand the grazing of cattle in the region.
More than 20 years ago, Marín decided he didn’t need to make the half-day journey to the town of Puerto Natales and since then has been living a solitary life. Many would call him a “hermit,” but the connotation of this word seems to contradict a man who is engaged, thoughtful, and inquisitive. While he may get his news by radio, he is actively aware of the world he lives in, both his immediate surroundings and global happenings. His small house, accessible only by water, is situated within the boundaries of Bernardo O’Higgins National Park where he lives off the land and the offspring of his original livestock. He makes beef jerky by salting and smoking his meat; to supplement this, he also keeps a small garden where he grows potatoes, garlic, rhubarb, and strawberries. While on occasion people will send him bags of rice, pasta, and cooking oil, if you ever ask him if he needs anything from town, he only requests yerba mate tea and salt for his beef.
His decision to remain isolated is a choice whose true reason only belongs to him. Tio Marin holds a tremendous wealth of knowledge regarding the region’s history, people, and early ranching practices. Arcadio Marín Casola is a talkative and cheerful individual who has simply made a life choice that few people could actually carry out.