The Welsh in Argentina

Tucking into Welsh tea and cakes at Gaiman


What country are we in?


Welsh architecture at Gaiman in Argentina

In the 1860s a group of Welsh settlers who were tired of English meddling in Welsh affairs and wanted to preserve Welsh traditions were attracted to Argentina by the promise of land by the Argentinian Government. They arrived at the coast near Puerto Madryn and eventually established settlements in the valley of the nearby Chubut river. Up to about 1910 they continued to arrive. The village of Gaiman is now a tourist attraction with its Tea Houses and Welsh architecture.

We did the tourist thing and visited Gaiman to have tea and gorge ourselves on cakes and pastries. They spoke spanish but held on to these Welsh traditions. It was all a bit strange and seemed so out of place.