Our Native Land

Our Native Lane (La tierra natal), Juana Manuela Gorriti's last major work, published in 1889, relates a physical journey through northern Argentina as well as a voyage back through her memories of the people and events she had known and experienced along the way.

Juana Manuela Gorriti was one of the major literary figures in nineteenth century Latin America but her work remains almost unknown outside a narrow academic circle. Born into a wealthy family in Salta, Argentina, in 1818, she married Manuel Isidro Belzú, who was later to become president of Bolivia. Her principal works include collections of short stories and several novellas.