Official history has maintained a void for almost two centuries regarding the true identity of the first Argentinian born in the archipelago. New documentary records not only correct the name and origin of that first inhabitant, but also strengthen the Argentinian argument regarding the effective and civilian occupation of the islands before the British usurpation of 1833.

For decades, the name Malvina Vernet (daughter of Political and Military Commander Luis Vernet) was the symbol of Argentine roots in our islands. However, history—that often selective construct—has begun to reveal its deeper layers. According to a recent investigation broadcast by Canal 26 , the first recorded Argentine birth in the Malvina Islands does not belong to the Vernet family, but to an Afro-Argentine child named Daniel .

A diverse and established society

On December 10, 1829, just a few months after the creation of the Political and Military Command of the Malvina Islands, Port Soledad witnessed a milestone: the birth of Daniel. His mother, Francisca , was an Afro-Rioplatense woman who arrived in the archipelago as a freed slave in search of a future in the new colony.

This fact, gleaned from censuses and administrative records of the time, is undeniably politically significant. It demonstrates that the Malvina Islands were not simply a military garrison or a temporary outpost; they were a pluralistic, civilian, and growing society . Gauchos, sailors, European women, and River Plate workers of African descent lived together there, all under the jurisdiction of the United Provinces.

The impact on the sovereignty claim

Why is it vital to rescue the figure of Daniel and his family for the Malvinas cause?

1.    Demographic Continuity: Births are irrefutable proof of a permanent life project. Daniel's birth, prior to Malvina Vernet's, extends the timeline for Argentine civil settlement.

2.    True Identity: Argentina didn't just claim sovereignty from offices in Buenos Aires; it did so through the work and lives of its humblest people. The presence of the Afro-Rioplatense community in the islands confirms that the archipelago was an integral part of the social fabric of the nation in formation.

3.    Diplomatic Truth: In international forums, Argentina maintains that there was a stable population forcibly expelled in 1833. Incorporating Daniel into the official narrative dismantles the British narrative that tends to minimize the complexity of pre-existing Argentine society.

"The recovery of this information does not diminish the merit of the Vernet family, but it completes the picture of the real Argentina that inhabited the archipelago: a diverse and deeply rooted community."

Displacing myth to embrace history

Daniel's near-200-year invisibility reflects a historical tendency to "whitewash" national milestones, prioritizing illustrious names over the working class. However, in the 21st century, sovereignty is also defended through historical justice .

Recognizing this Afro-descendant child as the first born in our islands is an act of intellectual honesty that strengthens our position before the world: Malvinas was, is and will be part of the identity of all the Argentine people, without distinctions of origin or class.

Fountain:

Channel 26 - Research on historical records of Puerto Soledad.