Gauchito Gil

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A mural with a traditional depiction of the Gauchito Gil in a suburb of Rosario.

The Gauchito Gil (literally "Little Gaucho Gil") is a legendary character of Argentina's popular culture. His full name was Antonio Mamerto Gil Núñez and he was allegedly born in the area of Pay Ubre, nowadays Mercedes, Corrientes, possibly in the 1840s, and died on 8 January 1878.

[edit] The legend

Popular accounts vary, but in broad terms the legend tells that Antonio Gil was a farmworker and that a wealthy widow fell in love, or had an affair, with him. When her brothers and the head of the police (who was also in love with the widow) knew about their relationship, accused him of robbery and tried to kill him. He enlisted in the army to escape from them. In the army, he fought against the Paraguayan army. Finally, He could come back to his village as a hero.

But, when arrived at his village he was forced to come back to the army to fight in the Argentine Civil War. It was a brother versus brother war and "Gauchito" Gil was tired of fighting. Therefore, he decided to desert.

Traditional roadside shrine to Gauchito Gil in Santiago del Estero Province.

In the end the policemen caught him in the forest. They tortured him and hung from his feet on an algarrobo tree. When a policeman was going to kill him, "Gauchito" Gil said to him: "Your son is very ill. If you pray and ask me to save your son, he will live. If not, he will die". Then the policeman killed "Gauchito" Gil by cutting his throat. That was January 8th, 1978.

When the policemen came back to his village, the policeman who had killed "Gauchito" Gil knew that his son was in fact very ill. Very frightened, the policeman prayed to "Gauchito" Gil for his son. And afterwards, his son got right. Legend has it that "Gauchito" Gil had healed his murderer's son.

Very thankfully, he gave Gil's body a proper burial, and made a sanctuary for "Gauchito". Moreover, he tried everybody to know about the miracle.

[edit] Current veneration

"Gauchito" Gil is thought to be a saint for many people of the provinces of Formosa, Corrientes, Chaco, the north of Santa Fe and even the province of Buenos Aires. You can spot smaller shrines of Gauchito Gil on roadsides throughout Argentina. Great pilgrimages are organised to the sanctuary (located about 8 km from the city of Mercedes) to ask to the saint for favours.

Moreover, each January 8th (date of Gil's death), there is a celebration honouring "Gauchito" Gil. There, the people dance, sing and drink, and also play folklorical sports as tanning horses, bulls and others animals.

The catholic church hasn't declared "Gauchito" Gil a saint, but many Argentine people are promoting him.