Gorosito: A Symbol of the Oil Past

Caleta Olivia boasts a fruitful past that started with the discovery of oil in the region back in 1944. The trade that developed after the first oil layer was found gave way to a project named Cuenca del Golfo de San Jorge, one of the oldest and most prolific in the country.

The Gorosito statue was created years later to pay tribute to such activity in the area and to each of the workers that came along from distant places in search of a better future. It is located in the center of the city, at the intersection of Güemes, Independencia and San Martín Avenues.

We went to see the Gorosito and the local guide told us that it was inaugurated twice in 1969. On the first inauguration, the statue had a large concrete base and the lower part of the human figure, from the waist down. On the second event, the sculpture was completed and the entire town attended the birth of an image that has represented the local denizens ever since.

According to the guide, the attitude of the figure may have different interpretations. The strong feet on the ground, the bare thorax and the tense muscles represent the effort implied by this task. Its look heading north suggests that Patagonia gave its energetic richness to the rest of Argentina. In turn, the face of the worker shows the pride of belonging to a labor union that made the city rich. The opening of the valve indicates the launching of production.

We went all around it and discovered the commemoration plates fixed on its pedestal as homages. It was a way of "weaving" the history of the city and its main cultural attraction. The origin of the name “Gorosito” also has a reason and the locals gave us various versions that we failed to confirm.

Both the square and the space around the sculpture are used for mass encounters of the local dwellers. Festivals, commemorations and even demonstrations take place by the Gorosito, the representative of local oil industry.