How did the lifestyles of the Tehuelche and the Diaguita differ before European settlement?

Before European settlement, the lifestyles of the Tehuelche and the Diaguita differed significantly based on their subsistence strategies and social organization.

The Tehuelche of Patagonia were primarily nomadic hunters and gatherers. They relied on hunting animals such as guanaco and rhea and did not practice agriculture. Their social structure was organized into bands, and while little is known of their pre-horse culture, they were historically characterized by their mobility across the Patagonian plains.123

In contrast, the Diaguita of northwestern Argentina developed a sedentary lifestyle centered on agriculture. They farmed terraced fields, utilized irrigation canals, and maintained herds of llama. Their technological skills were advanced, including loom weaving, basket making, metallurgy, and an elaborate ceramic industry. Furthermore, the Diaguita built stone fortifications, reflecting a more settled and strategically organized society compared to the nomadic Tehuelche.124