‘Pilgrim through this barren land’ Maintaining Welsh Connections and Culture in Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Hames, Marilyn P.A. (2020) ‘Pilgrim through this barren land’ Maintaining Welsh Connections and Culture in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Masters thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

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Abstract

Once considered a last outpost of the British Empire, what is unique about British Columbia, is that being so remote, it was beyond the reach of the earliest waves of Welsh emigrants seeking freedom from poverty or religious oppression. Instead, explorers, gold-miners and entrepreneurs paved the way for economic migrants who continue to seek better opportunities in Vancouver where the diaspora, represented by the Vancouver Welsh Society, gathers in their Cambrian Hall. Besides celebrating Welsh traditions and language, members tell stories of the Welsh who helped found the Province, played key roles in developing Vancouver, and continue to contribute to the business, professional and cultural life of the city. Canadians are encouraged to integrate while retaining their ethnic customs, but what defines Welshness? Why and how have Welsh migrants or their descendants in Vancouver, tried to maintain their culture, language and connections? Can anything satisfy hiraeth, or bridge time and space to fully belong in the hyphenated worlds of Welsh-Canadians? Those were the questions I set out to answer, documenting the results in this thesis. Chapter One outlines my motivation, purpose and the scope of this study. Chapter Two, based on a literature and archive search, describes the context of Welsh immigration to B.C., notions of Welshness and identity, and the role of the VWS. Chapter Three summarizes the results of surveying and interviewing members of the VWS. By comparing their responses with historic situations and experiences, recurring themes provide a framework for identifying enduring versus evolving attitudes and values. Chapter Four discusses why Welsh culture is maintained in Vancouver, while Chapter Five explains how it is kept alive by a small minority group. The Conclusion highlights how a sense of Welsh identity, heritage and hiraeth inspire the diaspora to keep their traditions alive while adapting to today’s multicultural societies.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain F History United States, Canada, Latin America > F1001 Canada (General) P Language and Literature > PB Modern European Languages > PB1501 Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic, Erse)
Divisions:	Theses and Dissertations > Masters Dissertations
Depositing User:	Victoria Hankinson
Date Deposited:	05 Jun 2025 12:35
Last Modified:	05 Jun 2025 12:41
URI:	https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/3760

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