Gauchos, the South American equivalent to cowboys, do not only exist in Argentina. Which is not that surprising when you consider that the cattle drovers in former years, or rather centuries cared very little about the borders between Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.

Like their southern relatives, Brazilian gaúchos – the emphasis is on the ‘ú’, distinguish themselves by their independence, their pride and their strong preference for meat and leather goods.* A combination of all three sparked up therevolução Farroupilha which defines the identity of this most Southern Brazilian state until today. The revolução Farroupilha comes from the word farrapen – in English roughly translated as rags – and started because the gaúchos felt that they would be better of without a federal government bothering them & their business. For ten years an army of volunteers fought thus for the independence of Rio Grande do Sul under a…