Friends travel from Patagonia to volunteer at Eisteddfod

Three friends from Patagonia have travelled to Wales to volunteer at the National Eisteddfod.

Meleri Pinciroli, 18, Kiara Ace, and Santiago Pires, both 17 years old, greeted visitors as they walked over the bridge from Pontypridd to the Maes in Parc Ynysangharad.

The three youngsters from Gaiman also spent periods volunteering in the Cymdeithas Cymru-Ariannin Association tent on the Maes.

“Shwmae”

Their job was to say ‘hello’ as people walked across the bridge and to ask if they needed help.

All three said they had enjoyed the experience of volunteering and the opportunity to meet so many people.

Kiara shared: “We had maps to share and people were asking where places were. Luckily there was a steward nearby to help but we learned quickly.”

Y Wladfa was founded by Welsh emigrants to Patagonia from 1865.

The Welsh-Argentine community is centred on Gaiman, Dolavon, Trelew, and Trevelin and it is believed there are still around 5,000 Patagonian Welsh speakers.

Meleri’s mother speaks Welsh and members of Kiara’s family also speak the language but Santiago has no direct connection. They are all eager to learn Welsh, however, and it was their dream to come to Wales.

Tour

The three arrived in Wales at the end of June and for the past two months they visited the Urdd Camps in Llangrannog and Glanllyn near Bala. They have also visited Caernarfon and Aberystwyth and they took part in the Tafwyl musical festivals in Cardiff and Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau and Maes B at the Eisteddfod.

They will be returning to Argentina soon and all three are looking forward to going to University in Buenos Aires next year. But they are determined to come back to Wales soon.

Kiara added: “It’s strange to say that I want to come back while I’m still here but that’s how I feel. I love hearing Welsh being spoken naturally on the street.”

There was an enthusiastic response to their volunteering at the Eisteddfod.

One Eisteddfodwr said: “If they can travel 6,000 miles to volunteer on the Maes, at least we who live in Wales can do the same. Their Welsh is very good.”