The image you just clicked is a photo of Faustino Barrientos, a man who lived as a hermit for 40 years.
In 2011, Vice News released a documentary with Barrientos as their main subject. He was 81 years old at the time. They travelled to his residence and interviewed him along with his relatives and other eyewitnesses of his life. It took them several days to get from New York to his cabin in Patagonia, Chile. It took a flight, a five-hour truck ride, and a ferry ride. When they arrived at the shore of Faustino's property, the crew were simply told to walk towards the mountains and they'd reach the cabin in a little more than a mile.
In 2011, Faustino had lived alone in his cabin for 46 years. He moved into his land on 1965. He arrived by horseback and by a boat. Parts of his cabin and much of his storage shed is made up of a scrapped boat.
In the 60s, the Chilean government was making moves to settle Patagonia, which runs along the west coast of South America. The government was giving land claims to any settler that could clear 120 acres. Many of these settlers were known as "gouchos," which can be roughly compared to the American cowboy. In the documentary, Faustino is called one of the last true gauchos of Chile. His lifestyle apparently preserves "the he way of life of the origional grouchos," which has fallen somewhat into antiquity.
Quote from Faustino: "It has to be by your own will...I'm still working. When they take you to the nursing home it's because you're useless. I am stayiing here until the end."
The closest town to Faustino's land is called "Villa O'Higgins." It has a population of 460 people and is called "The Last Frontier of Chilean Pantagonia." Some of Faustino's relatives still live there, including his brother and nephew.
Faustino had a bit of a bad reputation in Villa O'Higgins. This was because he shot his nephew when his nephew entered his land. When asked about this, Faustino said he only shot his nephew because his nephew and other men had been sneaking onto his land, stealing his livestock, and selling the meat in town.
In his interview, Faustino's brother explained how they had both grown up under military discipline. Faustino and his brother also lived through a military regime and an economic crisis. At some point, Faustino lived and worked in Argentina to get away from this regime. The work he did in Argentina helped him learn construction, which was how he was able to make his cabin.
Faustino's brother said that Faustino had always enjoyed being alone and "making his own money." He didn't like conversation either. When the crew interviewed Faustino's nephew, he had this to say: "He might have his own way of life and he is used to it. But he doesn't have problems with anyone, only with me...That's why I'd be afraid to live alone, because it might drive me to do things I regret."
Faustino made the goggles you see in the photo from scratch. He got the leather from his livestock and the glass from an old flashlight. He uses them when he uses his chainsaw.
He uses a calander to keep track of time and a radio to inform him about local politics. He also orders newpapers once or twice a year. To demonstate, he showed the crew a newspaper detailing the events of 9/11 and another reporting the discovery of a new planet.
There are several dogs, cats, cows, and sheep on Faustino's land, and at least one horse. He orders large stocks of food and wine, and the boat delivers them to his shore. The documentary never said how he got the money to make these orders. My best guess is that he sells his livestock or cares for livestock like a true cowboy.
Faustino: "I'd rather let years and weeks go by...Another year on my shoulders and I'll live it without fear...I don't need money. I have enough to eat and drink wine...I live alone wherever I go. Life seems to be better when you're alone."
Despite his isolated lifestyle, Faustino is still aware and is affected by climate change. He reports that the seasons have changed, that the spring comes earlier, that the flowers bloom sooner, and some leaves grow faster. Faustino: "But that's none of my business. That's for engineers and sientists that specialize in that."
Faustino learned to write by himself. He taught himself by reading novels. He told the crew that he planned on writing about them once they were gone. He wasn't sure whether or not he'd call them "visitors" or "tourists" when he wrote about them.
When the crew arrived in 2011, a man had been living with Faustino for ten months. His name was Marco Lancaster. He helps care for the sheep and cattle. He will likely inherit the land after Faustino passes away. Lancaster has a family in O'Higgins and plans to move them onto the land once he inherits it. Lancaster: "He's [Faustino] a social person. He likes to talk. He has told me all his story."
Faustino, Lancaster, and the crew rode on horseback for six hours to get to the Green Lake, which was where Faustino originally lived for three years before he moved to the cabin he'd been in for more than 40 years. To prepare, Lancaster and Faustino shear a lamb and kill it for its meat. They slit its throat, skin it, empty its insides, and feed the insides to Faustino's dogs. The reporter seemed a little upset by this, but she continued asking questions.
Faustino says that the animals on his land were the most important thing for his survival. Faustino: "People think you can just live off the land...Well, without animals it would be very difficult...People can only live off their livestock. They don't have other resources."
Faustino told the crew that he had learned how to slaughter lifestock by himself. "Life itself teaches you how to do it."
Faustino (laughing): "If you don't want to know what fear is, you must make sure you have your balls in place every morning."
Faustino told the camera crew that he killed a man years before he lived alone. The man was a "murderer." He shot the man on his horse in the middle of the road.
Closing statement of the documentary: "It's impossible to understand who Faustino really is when, like his nephew and brother, we have a very limited view of the life of a man who has spent most of his time on Earth alone. He shared some stories with us, but who knows what he's chosen to keep to himself, and it's difficult to say whether or not we would've liked to meet him 30 years ago when he was very different."
Closing statement (continued): "Here's an 81 year old man that is kind and welcoming, and it might seem natural to see him living alone. But he makes it look so simple when the few days we've been here have proven that we couldn't have survived without him."
