The Welsh Settlement in Patagonia: Aspects of Language and Culture

Abstract

The article provides a brief outline of cultural and linguistic aspects of the Welsh settlement in Patagonia, Argentina. Established in 1865, for several decades the Colony (Y Wladfa) remained an economically thriving, Welsh-speaking community, which other Welsh emigration projects had failed to achieve. At the turn of the 20^th century the growing pressure from the Argentinian government to integrate the Colony into the state’s administrative system and to introduce education in Spanish resulted in a rapid hispanisation of the Welsh population. Nevertheless, Y Wladfa has managed to preserve its distinct national and cultural identity. The Welsh language is spoken by several thousand people and many Welsh traditions such as the festivals of literature, music and performance (‘eisteddfodau’) are still held annually in Trelew, Gaiman and Trefelin. The current revival of Welsh language and culture in Chubut Province is supported by organisations and institutions in Wales and stimulated by the lively contacts between the Colony and the mother country and official funding from Wales.