In the history of emigration from Europe to America there are successes and failures. There were many reasons to make the hazardous Atlantic crossing – often with no expectation of return. Some were fleeing persecution, or poverty, or political adversity; some were pursuing adventure; some were hoping to make their fortunes. Many emigrants were happy just to be in a land of opportunity and freedom – at least, compared with their experiences in Europe. Although they held on to the rudiments of their culture, they quickly tended to an American “mean”. Then, as now, they knew themselves as Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Americans of many origins, but all Americans.

As the British colonies in North America developed into the United States, expanding at the cost of Spanish-, French- and Dutch-held areas, the unifying factors included the English language. Immigrants found that they fit in better by speaking English, and as they assimilated into the American way of life their own languages became less useful and less used. Nonetheless, some settlers tried to maintain their unique culture and language. There were Welsh-speaking areas in the United States, though the small number of Welsh settlers made it harder to keep them separate.

A Place of Meadows and Tall Trees describes a Welsh emigration with a difference – not to North America, but to the growing state of Argentina in the South. The Spanish colonization of most of South America led to a number of new states that grew outward from areas initially settled. New settlements were seen as outposts of the colonizing state, which would then claim possession of the surrounding area. (The indigenous population did not count in this “land grab”.) Argentina and Chile were competing for as yet unclaimed land in the south of the continent, and the Argentine government offered incentives to new settlers who would move in and lay claim to this land. Inspired by a Welsh church minister, Michael Jones, 153 Welsh settlers made the initial journey to Patagonia to found “Y Wladfa”. Professor Jones had called for the establishment of “a little Wales beyond Wales” as a way of preserving the Welsh language and culture in the New World. Whether the settlers shared his vision is unclear; the prospect of a new life in what was promoted as a semi-paradise must have been a strong incentive.

The colony was not initially a success. The terrain was unfavourable; the colonists were misled into expecting a lush environment, when the reality was an alternately parched and flooded plain. There were not many farmers; transport and equipment were scarce. After many setbacks the settlers developed an irrigation system that eventually resulted in excellent wheat yields, but the novel ends before this has been realized. There are hints of hope and future prosperity; also of the growing influence of the Argentine government and military. The native tribes who helped the settlers establish themselves were later pushed back into marginal areas, and in some cases killed, by the military.

The story pulls no punches. The settlers struggle against disease and disaster; Silas loses his wife and two of three children, later remarrying a much younger girl. Houses and fields are washed away; seed is sown but the crops wither; precious livestock is lost. And on top of that, the human condition is never far from the surface. The Meistr – whose exaggerated description was the spur for the colonists – seems to have a hold on them; the minister is convinced that God’s will is seen in adversity; the conditions of life put a huge strain on relationships.

When writing fiction based on historical events, the author may seek to show them in a particular light, to promote a particular view of those events. History tends to be written by the victors; this is one way of presenting an alternative view, which may or may not be right. Clare Dudman successfully avoids using her novel to compare the honest and hard-working Welsh with the English oppressors. These colonists may be driven by a noble vision, but they are human; the leaders are men with their own agendas, not above deceit and manipulation.

Dudman also avoids the sin of projecting today’s morals and motives onto the people of yesterday. The women in her story are strong, but they are not ahead of their time – they speak and act as we would expect. Maybe there is some liberality with the Tehuelche spirit world, with the way the shaman saves Silas through his mystical powers, but it’s a small part of a larger story.

A Place of Meadows and Tall Trees is well written, interesting, and very readable. The story of the colonists’ struggle to survive is told alongside the personal thoughts and feelings of the main characters, and you find yourself willing them to succeed on all levels. Though the focus is very much on the Welsh aspects, its appeal will be much wider.

Bookmark to