Gwladfa Patagonia - The Welsh Colony in Patagonia 1865-2000
Patagonia in Southern Argentina is the only place outside Britain
where there is a sizeable Welsh-speaking community.
It's existance dates from 1865 when a sailing ship called the {Mimosa}
sailed from Wales carrying 162 passengers who were escaping poverty
and religious persecution.
They were not the first to escape Wales, but unlike those who went
to America earlier they carried with them the hope of finding a safe
haven, but also somewhere where they could preserve their own way of
life and above all speak their own language. It was a time when it was
a punishable offence to be caught speaking Welsh in school.
The book describes the horrendous voyage of the {Mimosa} and others
which followed. The conditions which met them on arrival are impossible
for us to imagine today.
The early settlers needed land to cultivate, and for that they needed to
explore.
Death through thirst and hunger was a constant threat, and they percieved
themselves to be under threat from the Indians. Some expeditions were
saved from starvation and thirst by coincidences which seem little short
of miraculous.
The threat from the Indians ended up being more perceived than real.
The Indians were at times pursecuted by the Spanish, and a friendly
coexistance evolved between the colonists and most tribes.
Other white adventurers were more of a problem, and scenes of cuelty toward
the Welsh which provoked cruel revenge are described. When the colony
is confronted by American outlaws the narrative takes on the character of
a "Western£".
The latter years are characterised by gradual assimulation. The Argentinian
Government achieved the ends of getting the colonists to speak Spanish
and getting young men to accept military training, not through oppression
but through agreeing to finance their schools.
Clearly today the descendence of the {Mimosa} consider themselves Argentinians
first and Welsh second. They do, however, maintain tradtions which Welsh
people would instantly recognise, the {Eisteddfod}, the literary circle and
the {Papur Bro}.
The book is trilingual - Welsh, Spanish and English.
{Gwladfa Patagonia - La Colonia Galesa de Patagonia - The Welsh Colony
in Patagonia 1865-200} by R. Bryn Williams is published by Gwasg Carreg
Gwalch - see
Book Publishers in Wales
{Eddy Hunt}
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This page was last updated on 1 February 2001 __________
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