Having been together for more than half a century does not always mean having to share a house. Juan, 72, and Antolina, 74, know this well, a couple who lives high in the Calchaquí Valleys, in the Argentine province of Salta, and who has maintained a quite particular way of life throughout their relationship.
Both live at about 3,500 meters above sea level, but each sleeps in their own stone ranch. As the Brazilian station has said Super Radio Tupithis separation has never been a problem for them. Each one already had their space before they met and they decided to keep it. Of course, being separated by the mountains does not mean leading independent lives.
Walk up to half an hour every morning to meet Antolina
Juan’s routine starts early. Accompanied by his dog, he walks between 20 and 30 minutes until he reaches the Antolina ranch. Once there, they both take their goats and sheep out to graze and spend a good part of the day together. Before nightfall, Juan returns to his own mountain again.
Their two ranches are also completely far from urban life. To get to Cafayate, the best-known town in the area, you have to walk for around five hours. The couple has three children. One of them, Clemente, lives with Antolina, while the other two visit them occasionally. Their life revolves fundamentally around livestock, small crops and what the mountains offer.
Spring water, wood stove and small gardens
At that altitude, practically everything works in a very different way than in a city. The water comes from springs, the stove runs on wood and they grow potatoes, corn and pumpkins in small gardens protected by stone walls.
They also have to live with dangers that are part of the environment. One of them is the puma, which poses a constant threat to livestock, so losing an animal can mean a significant blow to your economy.
A study cited by Tupi FM on 35 families from Payogasta describes precisely this model as an extensive family livestock farm, with herds of about 80 goats on average that remain loose during the day and are collected at nightfall.
Plus there is the altitude. At 3,500 meters there is less oxygen and headaches, dizziness, nausea or problems sleeping may occur. For Juan and Antolina, however, walking through these mountains every day is part of a life they have known since they were born.
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After more than 50 years together, they have managed to maintain something that has never been incompatible for them: sharing practically an entire life and, when the day is over, each one returning to their own home.