Land of their fathers
150 years ago saw the first Welsh settlers reach Patagonia in southern Argentina, founding the area’s first permanent town, Tre-Rawson.
Now known simply as Rawson, the town is the capital of Argentinian Province of Chubut and since last year it has been officially twinned with Ffestiniog.
Among the nearly 200 settlers who sailed south on the Mimosa in 1865, there were at least five from Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Now, to help re-establish the historic link, the descendants of two of the original settlers visited Ffestiniog last week. Historian Patricia Alejandra Lorenzo Harris from Rawson, President of the commission promoting the twinning of the town with Ffestiniog, was accompanied on her visit by her friend Marisa Conde.
In visiting North Wales, they got the chance to see an area now recognised by the Lonely Planet guide as one of the ten best places in the world to visit.
They arrived in Ffestiniog on Wednesday, November 2, and stayed until Saturday, taking the opportunity to meet as many local people as possible, and to bring greetings from descendants of those Welsh people who settled in Patagonia all those years ago.
Their visit included a ride on the Welsh Highland Railway, a tour of the Llechwedd Slate Caverns, visiting Ysgol Maenofferen and listening to Côr y Brythoniaid during one of their regular practice sessions.
Patricia Alejandra Lorenzo Harris said: “It’s been my dream to come to Wales and see the country. When I was young, I spent a lot of time speaking to my grandfather and he told me about how his father had travelled from Wales with his family.
“I also feel a great responsibility, to bring greetings from the whole of the community in Rawson and to re-establish the link between between Rawson and Ffestiniog.”
Cllr Anwen Daniels, Chair of the Ffestiniog Town Council, which organised the twinning from the Welsh side, added: “We’ve been looking forward to meeting our visitors from Patagonia. I’m delighted that the link has been established between Ffestiniog and Rawson, and on behalf of the Town Council, I’d like to thank all the people and organisations who have helped plan this visit.”
As part of the twinning arrangements between Rawson and Ffestiniog, the Ffestiniog Town Council has established a bursary to allow one young person from Ffestiniog to visit Rawson.
Next year, Maia Jones from Ffestiniog will visit Rawson and Patagonia making use of this year’s bursary. She will travel to Argentina in March with her friend Gwennan Mair Jones from Llan Ffestiniog, where the two will undertake a Theatre Project with young people. ● Next year, there will be an opportunity for another young person to apply.