History of ‘Y Wladfa’ (The Welsh Settlement)
In 1865, over a hundred and fifty Welsh people – men, women and children – sailed from Liverpool to a new life in a barren area of southern Argentina in South America. This was part of the great Welsh migration pattern of the nineteenth century brought about by the desire to avoid poverty and landlord oppression in addition to the determination to have the freedom to live, worship and educate in their mother-tongue – Welsh. These original settlers were hardy and determined people who sailed on the tea clipper, Mimosa and although they arrived in a wasteland, with no dwelling or ready society for them, through their determined hard labour they managed to create a new Welsh life for themselves there. They turned the barren ground into productive land which has been passed on to their descendants who, to this day, live in that part of Argentina known as Patagonia.
Porth Madryn was established in New Bay, Argentina by the Welsh settlers; Rawson, Gaiman, Trelew and Dolavon in the Chubut Valley; and Trevelin and Esquel in the Andes. Many of their descendants also live in Comodoro Rivadavia (the largest city of the province); in Colonia Sarmiento – and many other provinces throughout Argentina. They created thriving Welsh communities, where the Welsh language was prominent; in cooperation with the Argentine government, living at peace with the natives – the only example of nonviolent foreign settlement in the history of the American continent.
The Welsh Government, supported by British Council (Cymru), Cymdeithas Cymru-Ariannin, Cardiff University’s School of Welsh, Mudiad Meithrin and the National Centre for Learning Welsh sponsors the ‘Welsh Language Project, Chubut’, sending teachers to teach Welsh as well as to train the local Welsh tutors. There is a vibrant link between Wales and Argentina today with people travelling between both countries for pure pleasure as well as on scholarships to increase their skills – not only linguistic but many others such as artistic, educational, rural and culturally related skills e.g. musical, theatrical and dance. The link between Wales and Patagonia remains strong.
Today, ‘Gŵyl y Glaniad’ (Celebration of The Landing) is celebrated the length of breadth of Patagonia and beyond on July 28th every year to commemorate the date the Welsh settlers landed in Porth Madryn in 1865. A region-wide Eisteddfod (‘Eisteddfod Y Wladfa’) is held in Trelew annually (in October) and features people of all ages and backgrounds competing in singing, recital and dancing competitions as well as a host of other competitions. This large Eisteddfod is not the only one in the region today. During the year a number of small and large eisteddfodau are held in different areas of Chubut.
In 2015, there were cultural events and celebrations such as concerts, documentaries and theatre performances on both sides of the Atlantic to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Y Wladfa – a unique chapter in the history of both Wales and Argentina. Since the celebrations there has been more interest than ever in the Welsh language and culture in Patagonia and, with the establishment of three hugely popular Spanish-Welsh bilingual primary schools, the continuation of secondary school Welsh provision at Coleg Camwy in Gaiman and Ysgol Uwchradd Y Cwm in Trevelin (a bilingual Spanish-Welsh secondary school) currently being established, a new generation will ensure the continuity of the Welsh language in Patagonia.
Emigrants to Patagonia
People emigrated to the Welsh Colony in Patagonia from several Welsh counties. The pdf documents below give details of some of them.
