It was on 28 July in 1865 when over 150 Welsh settlers aboard The Mimosa arrived at Puerto Madryn in Southern Argentina. The intention? To establish Y Wladfa (the Welsh Colony in Patagonia).
By 19 April 1866, the Welsh settlers within Patagonia made their first recorded contact with the Tehuelche people.
The Tehuelche are an indigenous people hailing from the southern pampas (Quechuan for "plains") regions of Argentina and Chile. A hunter-gatherer nomadic people, they have inhabited this area for more than 14,000 years - they have witnessed the rise and fall of many empires, all while maintaining their way of life. An example of this is their belief system, which includes an Earth diverse in spirits; overseen by a supreme deity who created the world but chooses not to interfere in its running.
In the early years of the Welsh settlers' survival in the Chubut Province of Patagonia, where they founded Y Wladfa, it was the Tehuelche who assisted them in surviving the harsh climates, mountain terrain and so forth. The settlers were taught how to navigate the land; how to tame and ride the wild horses; how to farm in the desert-like climate and, most importantly, how to gather food and water.
Michael D. Jones, the founder of Y Wlada, had a great respect for the Tehuelche people - ensuring that they were treated as they should be as the rightful owners of the land. This was a stark contrast to the treatment of Native Americans during this same time period.
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