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The Land Of Fire; The End of the World. This Story by the creators of The Buenos Aires Toy Museum. How The story begins ..........Throughout the greater part of the 16th-18th centuries, while the full discovery of the lowest paths between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans were being fully expedition, there was one particular ethnic group that had called upon the attention of the explorers and visitors. These were the “Onas”. What had mainly called upon the attention of the voyagers was firstly the fact that these people lived at what had been described as the End of the World. Onas is the name we “westerners” use to refer to the Selknam people of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Last year, on September 2004, Argentinean news papers from all provinces published an article on the death of the last Ona –direct blood 100% Ona- Enriqueta Gastilumendi who at that time was 91 years old. After reading such unfortunate story we decided to write some kind of homage to the last descendant to this ethnic group we have so much interest on. However, soon after that incident, there was one other article published, specially written by Dr. Eulogio Frites member of the Indigenous Jurists Comisión and spokesmen to the Selk'nam people Community "Rafaela Ishton" from Rio Grande –Big River- called upon the attention of the way these news were being portrayed and what’s the deep and true meaning Selk’nam people have of their community and history. Mockingly quoting the past few years’ news on the Last Ona’s death he said, in 1999 the last Ona to die was Virginia Choinquitel, in 1995 Don Segundo Arteaga and in 1988 doña Rafaela Ishton was the last Ona… Indeed –he adds- each Ona to die is the last Ona that has died”. If one takes a careful look at what Mr. Frites is stating, it’s hard to ignore that this has social and cultural connotations that have been neglected. The Onas would not be dead as long as their history and culture continues to live within its people, the people of Selk’nam. To talk about blood purity in these cases is quite confusing, for societies have never been Tupperware communities, without any cultural and social bond with other ethnic groups, they’ve merged, married, traded etc. And to this matter there’s no doubt that the Onas and Selk’nam people have not died yet… and they are not soon to do it, they did fight back when certain people wanted them exterminate, and won. Today according to the National Statistics Department there are over 57 families and around 450 selk’nam members, all deeply involved in their ancestral traditions and culture and have a clear use of their indigenous language. Video Comic by The Buenos Aires Toy Museum. CAST OF CHARACTERS: The Wondera, a strange enigmatic man: He was sent by one of the Onas divinities to help the lost group find the necessary elements in order to be able to open the Times’ Door. However he’s human, and features limited powers. His large cane is his main and most powerful weapon shooting rays and lightings. In major confrontations with the enemies he’s the key factor in culminate moments. He’s the wisest of all 6 characters; even more, he’s the one who explains Lucio, the narrator, the because of each situation they go through. This mysterious and enlightened character has another ability which is –at precise and determined moments- to abstract himself and the whole group as observers of parallel realities that have past or are to occur; though this can be done for short periods of time for it withdraws too much of his lively energy. The Great Ona. She’s the last selk’nam ethnia survivor, hence the only one who has the knowledge needed to use the keys to the Times’ Door. The encounter between this character and Lucio the narrator who, guided by the Strange man’s teachings and hints finds her, is a turning point within the story. It’s the precise moment in which the journey and quest begins. The Ona guided by the need of retuning to the past to warn her ancestors and tribe members about the calamity that’s about to take place, in order to take the matter in their hands as to avoid it. She’s an extremely wise woman, strong and agile; and would become the head of the group. She has information very important information about the location of the hints to the keys for the Times’ Door. Her weak spot is her back. The Ant: Just a short while alter the troop goes on the quest; the Great Ona suffers a planned attack. The enemies, in an attempt to neutralizing her bond with the Ona’s teachings and her ancestors, transform her into the Ant. But due to the fact that the spell wasn’t pronounced correctly she became a humanized insect and did not loose her main asset, being that the precise information and location of the keys and the main spell needed to open the Time’s door; but with a restriction, she only speaks ant language now, and the only one who can understand her is the Wonderer-strange Man… who thanks to his super power cane is able to help her mutate into the Great Ona for brief moments in which they’ll both try to find a spell to revert the conjure made by the enemies. This is a dangerous task because after each time both the Great Ona Ant and the Wonderer Strange Man are exhausted and much more vulnerable to enemies. The Princess: Way into the store in one of the long and tiring journeys Lucio saves a helpless young lady who was being mistreated by two drunken ruffians. Once healed and recuperated from the beating she tells the group her story. She’s not an orphan who never met nor her mother nor her father because she was abandoned… Her “adoption” as a slavery transaction the orphanage had with a group of misfits. As soon as she’s old and strong enough to live on her own she runs away. She joins the group; a great input and strength at the moment of combats. She and Lucio will share a special relationship…At the same time ties close bonds with the Ona. Later in the story the reader will find out that the Ona is actually her mother, and that as soon she was born she had been kidnapped by her white father who –ashamed of having had a daughter with an indigenous woman gives her away. When they do find the Times’ Door key she’ll face a dilemma: whether to go back to the Ona’s tribe with her mother and lead her tribe to the "Promised Land", or to return to the future with Lucio, by know an old man, withered away into … The Gaucho: He’s the fourth member of the group. He joins them after an incident that takes place between himself and Lucio at a road side tavern. The Strange Man would be often working as mediator between them for their equally sharp temper makes their personality’s crash, though latter on they would befriend and be inseparable onwards. The Gaucho’s main skill is his ability with a special kind of knife of the Argentine Pampas. His braveness and domain of knife made him appealing to the group, and the “strange man” invites him to come along with them. The Gaucho’s motives are much similar to the Great Ona’s, for he also wants to return to the past with his ancestors. But unlike the Ona he thinks not about the future, but about a glorious past he wishes to recreate while going to the 19th century, when his kind was free and lived happy without restrains in the broad pampas. He’s abilities come very handy often for his survival skills are what keeps the group fed and safe from wild animals. The Boxer: He first makes an appearance when the four-member group confronts with the enemy for the first time. At the precise moment when the Gaucho and Lucio are being defeated by a group of monster looking creatures, he jumps in and saves both Gaucho and Lucio’s life. His first understanding of the group’s quest makes him believe they are hunting a treasure, and therefore joins them hoping to get a big cut in the end. When he finally understands the objective and meaning of the Doors and keys, upset with the whole bunch he fights them all and abandons them as rapidly as he had joined them. The boxer would periodically join and leave the group without any clear explanation… What is really happening is that this lowlife thief is interested in finding the keys and robbing them in order to sell them to a mobster group that’s after him for a huge debt he has with them. However as time goes by he will bond deeply with the group and it will appear clearly his in a huge dilemma regarding the present and future. We don’t know what his final choice is. The Story: The Land Of Fire; The story on the End of the World. The story begins a day like today, with no apparent significance.