All photos © Luis Fabini. Above: 2010 Vaqueiros / Brazil. The vaqueiros wear the handmade uniform of protective leather clothing necessary for roping cows amidst lethal thorns throughout the bush caatinga.

“Horsemen of the Americas”, is a personal study of a breed of man whose culture and relationship to its natural habitat has continued to adapt and evolve over 400 years. These working horsemen, though seldom recognized, have been a pillar of the economy and the history of the Americas since the time of the Conquest. In the United States and Canada these horsemen are called cowboys, in Mexico they are known as charros, in Ecuador as chagras, in Colombia and Venezuela as llaneros, in Peru as chalanes and qorilazos, in Chile they are called the huasos, Brazil has its pantaneiros and vaqueiros, and  Uruguay and Argentina’s the gauchos.

“Man and horse is the most formidable partnership ever forged between two living beings. Through an intrinsic bond with the land, a philosophy of masculinity, freedom and courage, these magnificent centaurs invented a new way of life, and continue today, though their number has dwindled. A way of life is surely disappearing: their traditions, their languages, and their particular legacy is being lost forever”, Fabini says.  Fabini started working on this project in 2004, and has spent an average of eight months a year on the road since then. He will be looking for a book publisher and exhibition opportunity over the next year as he concludes the 8 year project. To see more of  Luis Fabini’s work click here.
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© João Canziani.

At the Inca Trail on the way to Machu Picchu, Perú. To see more of João’s work from Peru click here.