La historia de la comunidad galesa en la Patagonia que perdura tras 150 años

There has been a small slice of Wales in Argentina for more than 150 years.

About 160 Welsh emigrants sailed to Patagonia in 1865 to create a new settlement, 'Y Wladfa', where their language, culture and religion could flourish free from English influence and dominance.

The language is still actively spoken there, while more than 50,000 Patagonians can claim Welsh ancestry.

James was born and raised in Trelew, a city founded in 1886 by Welsh settlers in the Chubut province.

Its name translates from Welsh to 'Town of Lewis' in honour of its founder, Lewis Jones.

"I'm part of a Welsh family, a Welsh colony that settled in southern Argentina, specifically in Chubut, " James told BBC Sport Wales.

"Five generations of my family were born in Trelew, and I'm part of the the fifth generation.

"Over the years my family settled in Chubut and that's where my story, my family, and all my ancestors come from. "

After the first journey across the Atlantic Ocean from Wales to Patagonia in 1865, more followed over the next few years.

Many Welsh immigrants in 19th-Century North America later joined the South American settlement to help sustain the Welsh-speaking community.

After the initial settlement in the Chubut Valley proved difficult, additional groups arrived not only from Wales, but also from established Welsh farming communities in the United States.

"Looking into my family's history, the first member to travel to Patagonia was William James on a ship from the United States, " added Jeremias.

"David Stephen James was the first member of the family born in Argentina, and that would be my great-great-grandfather.

"Then came my great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father, and me. All born in Trelew.

"The land in Chubut was granted to Welsh settlers, and my family still live there today. That land belongs to us. "

Beyond his Welsh heritage, James has a powerful personal story.