Mitos y Leyendas: The Legend of Cerro Punta Negra

• Genny de Bernardo shares the legend of the creation of Cerro Punta Negra.
• The Huarpes, indigenous people of the Uco Valley, suffered violent attacks and destruction of their villages by indigenous groups from the west.
• A man led the construction of a wall to protect the tribe from attackers in a narrow gorge.

The Huarpes lived in the northern part of the territory of the current province of Mendoza in Argentina. Some of them lived near the Tumy River, where the legend known as the Punta Negra legend emerged.

The Huarpes, who were indigenous hunter-gatherers and sometimes farmers, lived in the Uco Valley, along the Tunuyán River and the numerous streams that crossed those beautiful lands from west to east.

They lived peacefully until indigenous groups from the west fiercely attacked them on the other side of the mountain range.

The Huarpes’ villages were repeatedly looted, their crops burned, their houses destroyed, and their women and children kidnapped, while the men were killed at work.

The Wall of Punta Negra

Cauén, the proud son of a Huarpe chief, tired of so much violence and injustice, decided to lead a group to face the threat lurking for his people.

Although they did not find the attackers, they discovered the trails they left after their raids and located the passage they used to enter Cuyún and then escape.

They decided to build a wall at a narrow point in the gorge to block the passage. They worked tirelessly, placing stone upon stone with clay and water.

Together, they worked until nightfall. Exhausted, the warriors finally stopped.

The Land Rises

However, Cauén, determined and motivated by the safety of his tribe, continued to work tirelessly in the darkness and cold.

Dawn revealed a new wall: a mountain that seemed to be Cauén himself. The Huarpes of the caravan saw this and recognized Cauén in the figure of the hill.

Cauén did not live to see it, as he disappeared with the moon. He became the new Cerro Punta Negra, which since then protected the Huarpes from the attackers crossing from the other side of the mountain range.

Since then, Cerro Punta Negra, resembling Cauén’s black hair, dominated the high region and blocked the passage of the murderous invaders. Mitos y Leyendas bids you farewell and hopes you enjoyed the Legend of Cerro Punta Negra. See you next time!