SETTLER COLONIALISM AND WELSH PATAGONIA: WHY WE NEED A MORE COMPLEX VIEW

This article aims to encourage a more complex interpretation of a well-worn story, that of the Welsh colony in Patagonia, Y Wladfa. It applies insights from settler colonial theory and Indigenous scholarship to ask fresh questions, focusing on two dimensions: Welsh relationships to the Indigenous Peoples of Patagonia; and Welsh embedment in the dominant colonial, racial and capitalist dynamics which shaped global relations in the nineteenth century – and continue to impact today. It draws on archival evidence to explore critically Welsh-Indigenous relations, and Welsh relationships with the Argentine government and its settler colonial strategy. The article does not seek to condemn the Welsh settlers for their colonial actions – they simply reflected the conventions of their time – but argues that we can and should reappraise how we tell the story of Y Wladfa today in order to challenge stereotypes and build a more meaningful multicultural Wales tomorrow.

or to access all content on this site, join today

For £35 a year you can access all lectures and articles on this site, attend lectures and receive our yearly Transactions

join today

If you are an existing member, you can access this lecture by logging in

login