NEUQUEN PROVINCE
A LITTLE HISTORY

Dividing of the Fort Our Lady of the Carmen, and based on recognition and exploration it arrived at the Confluence in 1783, Basilio Villarino, later to incursionar several scientific expeditions to position, among others of: Francisco Moreno, Martin Guerrico, Forced Erasmo, and Eduardo Or' CoNOL. Basilio Villarino overcame the rivers Negro and Limay, and we must remember that from 1862 numerous legal alternatives followed one another on this region. In the 1830, when the relation with the original natives, settlers, became very complicated, Governor-general Don Juan M.de Pink, it determined a military expedition that with General Angel Pacheco at the top it took troops to the Confluence in 1833. In 1862 national law 28 of the 13 of October, had the nationalization the territories that were not included/understood by the already existing provinces. Five years passed and law 215 established the South border in the North shore of the rivers Neuquén and Negro from the mountain range to the ocean, but this could be efectivizado just through law 947 of the 4 of October of 1878 and of Conquista of the Desert. He himself year and by law 954 the Interior of the Patagonia was created, whose capital had seat in Mercedes de Patagones (today Viedma). For soon, by law 1,265 of the 24 of October of 1882, the Gobemación divided in the territories of Pampas and the Patagonia, being the limit between both the courses of the rivers Bitter, Neuquén and Negro. Again in 1879 the central Government charge to General Julio A. Rock, the one that soon I denominate the “Campaign to the Desert” having like primary target the submission of the natives and the definitive annexation from these territories to the central government. Arriving Rock in June of 1879 First Division founds the Bunker, on the South margin of the river Neuquén today Cipolletti. This establishment gave rise to that little by little pioneers and new settlers in the zone will settle, until in 1899 with the arrival of the Railroad they gave strong impulse to the region. The present neuquino territory was this way sectioned, until law 1,532 of the 1 of October of 1884 established the definitive limits. In May of 1902 with the conclusion of works of the railroad bridge on the Neuquén river inagura also the Neuquén station. At that time the crossing on the river was made in Raft. At that time the capital of the Territory of Neuquén was located in the city of Chos Malal. The Governor Carlos Bouquet Roldán decides in 1904 to change the capital from the territory to the Confluence and is so the mighty history of the city like capital begins.

CULTURE AND TRADITION
MEANING OF NAME NEUQUÉN

Neuquén “the audacious one” - so it is the meaning of its name in mapuche- is one of the mightiest cities of the country. In the last years it shaped its character of administrative, commercial and cultural center of the Patagonia.

Celebrations

In January one honors San Sebastián; in February they are developed the “Contest of It fishes Sport and the “Cultural Encounter Neuquino”; in March the “National Celebration of the Apple” is made; in April the “Fair of the Production is organized, the Crafts and Tourism”.In the occasion of the anniversary of the city, the 12 of September,it carries out a civic-military parade, in addition to cultural and sport activities. He himself month the “Patagónico Encounter de Artesanos” proposes exhibition and sale of works and dance spectacles, puppets, juggling, theater, tango and folclore.
Gastronomy
food neuquina is related to the preparation of the pieces of hunting and fishing that offer the wooded and lacustrine regions of the province. Own red deer, wild boar, trouts or salmons are manjares of it cooks native, as well as the cassis cakes . The meats find in emitted smoke the typically local flavor.

TYPICAL MEALS

Cheeses: in its great majority they are of bovine milk of firm body and flavorful, with its square and rectangular form usually they weigh between half kilo to three kilos or but, its manufacture is made in months of October, November and December at time of summer.
Muday of wheat (chicha): this preparing is made generally before a rogativa or Nguillatun (religious ceremony) since it happens to be the appraised drink but of the same one. It is elaborated with and boiled crushed, bare wheat that is let ferment until a point in its own juice in containers of wood and plastic at the present time.
Chicha of apple: it is obtained to grind and to press with homemade methods very substantial the wild apples that are of small size but.
Ñaco: it is obtained from the toasted and ground wheat to two processes before turning it flour, its great nutritious value and flavor cause that it is the delight of all the family. It is possible to be taken with milk, water, sugar, with salt, water and onion “Turkey”, with wines or beers and sugar “chupilca”, with chicharrones, salt and hot water etc.
Charqui: salty meats and dried that is consumed in winter.
Pancutra: done flour light and cut mass in small pieces boiled in water, fat or oil and salt (type soup).

Crafts

They distinguish by the rescue of the cultural patrimony mapuche. The artisan expressions of this town emphasize their narrow relation with the earth in their reasons and materials. They stand out orfebrería, the musical instruments, the wood work and weaves of ewe wool.

Music

music also anchor its origins in roots folkloric mapuches. The characteristic rates are the “loncomeo”, the “cordillerana”, the “chorrillero” and “kaani”. They are interpreted by solistas, pairs or sets and they do not have choreographies. The used instrument more is the guitar, to which “kultrún” is added, a conical box to which it is made sound by means of a small stick.

LEGEND NEUQUINA
LEGEND OF THE NEUQUEN AND THE LIMAY

It counts the legend that Neuquén and Limay was children of two tribal caciques who had their kingdoms one to the north and another one to the south.They were great friends and nothing disturbed its loyal camaraderie, until a day, in which they hunted together, they heard a sweet voice that sang between frondas of arrayanes.Going towards the place, they found to borders from a lake to a beautiful young person mapuche of long braids, black eyes and fragile figure esbelto and, Raihué call (New Flower). In both young trip of return they noticed that something had been introduced in its souls, that interposed in their total and old camaraderie. Passed moons and consulted the “Machi” (Fortune teller) by both families, they included/understood which was the cause of the spacing of those young people who before were like brothers, reason why dicidieron to put under them a test, so that the destiny decided. They asked to him Raihué what was what more it wished in the world which answered “to have a conch so that it says to me as it is the rumor of the sea ". The then young people would have to arrive until the sea and to bring a conch, the one that first arrived would have the love of the young one like prize.Consulted the Gods, they agreed that fastest to arrive at the sea it would be to turn to the young people rivers. Thus they did it and they left from its respective kingdoms. The Spirit of the displaced and jealous wind feeling began to intrigue to Raihué, whispering to him to the ear by the nights, that Neuquén and Limay would never return more, because the stars that fall to the sea turn beautiful women and enchanted which they catch the men and they chain them in the bottom of the sea…Raihué, distressed began to marchitar of pain and pain, while the young people seguian their race saving numerous obstacles, and porfía the wind that urged them to return. Four times four moons happened since mapuches left and still the sea was far. Raihué, mustia, withered almost with a life thread, doing a effort crawled until the lake where it knew the Love and raising the arms to Nguenechén (God) it offered his life to him in exchange for the salvation of the young people. As it said their feet became roots that penetrated slowly in the Earth, their waist was sharpened in green stem, its bust was scattered in tender small branches and its mouth was opened in red flower. The wind wanting to enjoy the pain the young people was sent to notify to them blowing with as much fury that turned aside the course of both until joining them. When finding out that Raihué had died of love by them, they only hit upon to embrace itself brotherly and thus, united in a hug that never will finish, they continued its way towards the sea, crying the mourning of Raihué. Thus it was born, when joining both its margins, the Negro river.

DEPORTES

Combined tests of adventure and races
The adventure races are already famous, where different disciplines like canotaje are combined, mountain biking and running. The K-42 is developed in Villa the Narrowness and in each edition it surpasses the amount of public and participants of the previous one. Another event of this type is Desafío of the Dinosaurios, that it is run in the environs of Villa the Chocón.

Montañismo

To scale, to promote or to do rappel in mountains of Neuquén are one of the most extreme sports of the zone.Considered of high risk, in this sport the physical strength of arms and legs with the technical skill of the climber is combined. To nascent them recomenda not to begin ascents in natural, but artificial walls and low the advising of a professional guide. By reasons for security, he is preferable that the ascents are not made individually.
In order to practice this sport, the use of the suitable indumentaria is essential, that consists basically of a harness of waist, lugs of security and the specific footwear of great adhesion, in addition to the magnesium resin that it avoids that the hands sweat and lose takes hold.

Cavalcades

To walk Neuquén to horse is a good form to know his more recondite landscapes. It allows to go into in the forests, to stop in its rivers or to arrive until a natural thermal water source. Those that wishes to live a little while different can choose a stroll to horse and cross mountains, forests, beaches or streams with all the family enjoying beautiful moments.The ideal is to make this activity by means of cavalcades guided with baqueanos of the zone in docile Creole horses.The cavalcades do not present/display considerable degrees of difficulty, nor restrictions of sex, age or physical training conditions. Desire are only due to have to contemplate the landscape of a different way.

Trekking

Several areas of the province count on ideal mountain footpaths to practice Trekking, such well are signalized, the circuits cross viewpoints, lakes and landscapes of great beauty. Near the footpaths localities with very good infrastructure, hotel profession and regional gastronomy are located, where the tourists can rest after a day crossing the incomparable places that Neuquén offers. Trekking or long walk is an activity that practices in all type of lands and it does not have restrictions of age, sex or physical training conditions .
Diverse degrees of difficulty exist, and it is possible to be raising gradually as it is acquired experience. The routes are divided in four types of difficulty: weigh, average, moderate and difficult.This specialty presents/displays variants like trekking of ascent, that it requires of previous a physical training and to know certain rules basic security.In order to make trekking, it is good that one considers to adapt the level to the one capacities and to use noticeable lands.

Nautical activities

The beauty of the lakes nailed in the province of the Neuquén offers the ideal frame for the practice of nautical sports.Surf is a very complete sport. It forces to train. He is intriguing, exhausting and it breaks with the activities that can be done in earth.Windsurfes the perfect combination between surf and the boats of candle. In the last years, this sport has given to a great turn, taking the specialty to the end, when the windsurfistas take advantage of the speed that gives the wind them to use the waves like inclines and to carry out all type of jumps.

Rafting and Kayak

The Rafting practices mainly in the Runner of the Lakes, specially in I aluminated (Aluminé river), and San Martin of Andes, in the rivers Hua Hum and Caleufú. Rivers like the Pulmarí, Quillen and Litrán also present/display very good conditions for the practice of Kayak, as well as also the easts of the rivers of the river basin of the Neuquén, that in spring are excellent.In rafting, the difficulty degree classifies according to the rivers, that vary of 1 to 6 degrees, being 1 the easiest and only 6 for experts. The rivers of difficulty 6 are absolutely dangerous and they are in the navigability limit.The companies that offer this class of excursions provide to each passenger all the accessories necessary to enjoy the adventure to the maximum. Oars, helmet, life jacket, dry jacket and I even brought humid of neopreno that isolates of the cold comprise of kit.

Diving

Through diving, the man could cross the bottom of the sea, to know a world subaqueous, to caress fish and to visit legendary shipwrecks.In order to develop this activity, it is not required to have a great physical state, nor a defined style of swimming. It is only enough with learning the technical aspects of the diving well to make a calm and placentera immersion.Before taking a course from diving, we recommended that a “previous baptism” is made in open or closed waters, to be totally safe that it is desired to learn to dive.
This sport helps to leave the daily thing, to fight stress and to know everything a universe that escapes within reach of the senses.Neuquén presents/displays manifold scenes to make this activity. For this reason, the hour arrived to at heart make reality the dreams of the sea or some lake.

Aerial activities

Between the aerial activities of tourism it ventures, stands out the practice of parapente, wing delta and the flights in gliders.These sports or pastimes have since purpose of making reality the ancestral dream fly.The parapente and aladelta practice when taking off of a mountain, taking advantage of the wind currents that raise by their slopes to glide and to ascend, obtaining flights long play.For the landing, a relatively small space, thanks to the loss or I are required morning call speed of these flights.