Pampa gathering spotlights legacy of José Francisco Vergara Nitrates Office
SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition held the inaugural Tertulia Pampina 2024 to revive, preserve and disseminate social, work, sports and cultural aspects of the former nitrates office’s residents. A book on Pampa experiences was also released at the event.
This first gathering was designed for 80+ special guests to share stories and experiences, and to spotlight the legacy of the former José Francisco Vergara nitrates office with a photo exhibit on social life, sports and culture at the facility.
“Many individuals helped make this photography exhibit possible. We were interested in capturing life at the Vergara office from a historical perspective, but from the start when construction began. The exhibit aims to convey this knowledge to those who did not have the opportunity to experience a Pampa lifestyle,” commented José Arce, a representative for the José Francisco Vergara Social Center.
The gathering included a conversation among former Vergara inhabitants, who nostalgically shared experiences and the lifestyle that marked their childhood and youth. Several guests contributed anecdotes from their past, generating emotional dialogue.
Historias Desconocidas de la Pampa Nueva
At the meeting, a new literary work by professor, writer and historian Mauricio Camus, Historias Desconocidas de la Pampa Nueva (Unknown Stories of the New Pampa), was released. With support from SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, this book tells several stories connected to the region’s origins, thus strengthening the Pampa identity and collective memory.
The author noted: “This compilation of historical and fictional stories first arose out of oral testimony from several Pampa residents from Maria Elena or the former Pedro de Valdivia, Vergara or Coya Sur nitrates offices, etc., and then pampa people living in various parts of the country.”
All guests at the gathering received a copy of the book. The mayor of María Elena, Omar Norambuena, remarked: “Today is a special day for Mauricio Camus, a professor and historian we have known for years. He acknowledges our history through his writings, and now, with this book, he is delivering our past to current and future generations.”
Leonor González, head of Pampa Community Relations at SQM Iodine Plant Nutrition, explained, “Today we held the first Tertulia Pampina, a space for dialogue to bring the memory of local intangible cultural heritage to the present, to bring it to life through these spaces for conversation. But we also launched this publication by one of the most renowned, nationally recognized writers. We are pleased to spotlight our past through initiatives co-created with the community.
This is only the first version; new gatherings will be organized soon to highlight other nitrates offices.
