Punta del Diablo: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Uruguay's first inhabitants were the Charrúa Indians, a hunter-gather people who fished extensively along the coastline including the area that is now Punta del Diablo. Hostile to outsiders, they discouraged settlement for more than a century. In the 17th century, the Charrúa acquired horses for the first time and started herding wild cattle, eventually even trading with the Spanish. Once the big cattle farmers moved in, the Charrúa were pushed out to a few isolated pockets around the Brazilian border.

Modern History

In the 1930s, Punta del Diablo was settled by fishermen and their families looking to export to an Asian market. The maintenance and building of small fishing boats and nets became the community's central preoccupation and the start of a growing industry. Commercial fishing expanded considerably in the 70s and 80s with about half the catch being exported.

The construction of basic shacks made of straw and reeds were later updated with modern building materials. Still noticable is the absence of high-rises - the architectural structure and planning of the town characterized instead by wooden cabins and winding dirt streets.

Recent History

An anti-Punta del Este, this small coastal village relies primarily on the natural environment for its attractions. Only a small percentage of Uruguay is forested, with most of the trees growing in narrow tracts along waterways. The ombu , the dominant species and Uruguay's national tree, supports a distinct animal and bird population, preserved through a network of parks around Punta del Diablo and other parts of Rocha.

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