The Adventures China Iron

by Gabriela Camara · 2020

The Adventures of China Iron, a feminist re‑imagining of José Hernández’s Argentine epic Martín Fierro, follows China, a young woman once reduced to a derogatory label, as she seizes her name and agency. After her husband is conscripted, China joins Liz, a cultured Scotswoman searching for her own lost spouse, and together they traverse the pampas with an outlaw gaucho, Rosario, and his cattle. Their journey is a vivid, sensual trek across the Argentine plains, marked by armadillo stew, Scottish whisky, and a deep communion with the land. Through encounters with diverse cultures and the harsh yet beautiful environment, China discovers a new sense of self, freedom, and desire, challenging patriarchal myths and colonial narratives while celebrating the transformative power of travel and sisterhood.