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Gaiman is a town in the Chubut Province of Patagonia in Argentina. It has a population of 6,627 as per the 2010 census [INDEC]. It is located in the River Chubut's lower valley (called Dyffryn Camwy in Welsh), about 15 kilometres (9 mi) west of Trelew. Gaiman is a cultural and demographic centre of the main region of the Welsh settlement in Argentina, known in Welsh as Y Wladfa Gymreig.
Gaiman | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Gaiman Location of Gaiman in Argentina | |
| Coordinates: 43°17′S 65°29′W / 43.283°S 65.483°W | |
| Country |  Argentina |
| Province |  Chubut |
| Department | Gaiman |
| Founded by | David D. Roberts |
| Government | |
| • Major | Darío James (Radical Civic Union) |
| Elevation | 27 m (89 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 6,627 |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (ART) |
| CPA base | U9105 |
| Dialing code | +54 280 |
| Climate | BWk |
The town was founded in 1874 by David D. Roberts and acquired municipal rights in 1885. The Central Chubut Railway arrived in 1908 connecting Gaiman to Trelew. The Gaiman Train Tunnel was built in 1914, when the railway extended to Las Plumas (Welsh: Dôl y Plu).
Many people in the region have maintained the use of Welsh alongside Spanish.[1] The annual youth Eisteddfod, a Welsh cultural festival, is held every September.[2] The Museo Histórico Regional (Regional Historical Museum) in the former station house commemorates the history of the Welsh community in the region.[3] The town is also known for its multiple teahouses, which maintain a traditional Welsh tea ritual and offer Welsh cakes.[3][4] There are a number of Welsh Protestant chapels, of which the largest is Capel Bethel.
The town's name originates in an indigenous Tehuelche place-name meaning "rocky point or whetstone."[3][1] Just 10 km (6 mi) to the south of Gaiman is the Bryn Gwyn Paleontological Park.
Gallery
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First House (Y tŷ cyntaf) -
Welsh school, shares motto with Aberystwyth University -
Old train tunnel entrance -
Roman church
References
edit- ^ a b Di Filippo, Carlos. "Descendants of Welsh settlers mark 156 years in Patagonia | Buenos Aires Times". Buenos Aires Times. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ Trotter, Lucy Ellen (September 2020). "Performing Welshness in the Chubut Province of Patagonia, Argentina" (PDF). The London School of Economics and Political Science. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c Etchevers, Pablo. "Gaiman, a Welsh Town". Welcome Argentina. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ Messenger, Steffan (2015-07-28). "Patagonia's Welsh tearooms 'very important' for tourism". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
External links
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- Project-Hiraeth – Documents the stories of the Welsh colony in Patagonia, Argentina through film, text and illustration.
- (in Spanish) Municipality of Gaiman Official website Archived 2016-09-23 at the Wayback Machine
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