Patagonia Trip Inspires Exhibition Andrea Derome'sjourney to Patagonia, Argentina, Has Resulted in an Exhibition at Ceredigion Museum
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A view of Patagonia; as seen by Andrea from a local bus;_ inset: Andrea DeRome vj_siting the first house built in the Gaiman, Patagonia Patagonia trip inspires exhibition Andrea DeRome'sjourney to Patagonia, Argentina, has resulted in an exhibition at Ceredigion Museum A TRIP to Patagonia has had a lasting effect Andrea. on Ceredigion Museum's Andrea DeRome. Noting the difference between her 21st The journey to Argentina earlier this year century journey to Patagonia, Andrea said: has resulted in an exhibition currently on "I board a plane at London Gatwick. At this display in Aberystwyth . point, I have travelled for eight hours from The exhibition 'Because it's there' examines Aberystwyth to London. Fourteen hours later, human exploration: the desire to go beyond flying among the stars for 6,910 miles, I land the horizon, climb the mountain, venture in Argentina. When I arrive at my destination, out across the ocean, fly among the stars, I encounter the infrastructure the pioneers to discover something because it's there, or forged, the 430 miles from Puerto Madryn rumoured to be there. to Trevelin, an enormous land of beautiful, It features the tools and machinery that varied terrain. made things possible and uncover the stories "I set foot inside the first house, in the town of the brave people who took bold risks in of Gaiman, built from stone and mud in 1874. their pursuit of new discoveries. "I meet spirited, proud people who respect Andrea, who works as a collections access Welsh culture and language, who consider officer at Ceredigion Museum, travelled to the pioneers 'to be the wheels of Patagonia, Patagonia to research pioneering voyages for they got this area moving', and I discover the exhibition, and the journey was made by communities, chapels and schools working support from the !COM UK - British Council together to keep it all alive. I appreciate the Travel Grant Scheme 2018-19. continuing impact of our county's history on Andrea, who is fascinated by the ocean, was the world." keen to take the trip. Ceredigion Museum has an excellent "Lured by tales about maritime wanderers seafaring collection that salutes history, when I imagined voyages at sea, praying to survive carts struggled along muddy trails and the a maelstrom, waiting for calmer winds and iron steam dragon on tracks was still the stuff clearer skies. I became curious about the tools of imagination; all commerce, journeys and of celestial navigation and exploration, and in intrepid escapes were made west by boat. awe of those who went to sea." The collection, and Andrea's journey to One pioneering voyage Andrea learnt more Patagonia, have come together to create Above: about began on 28 May 1865, when the anchor 'Because it's There' which opened on The Welsh was raised on the sailing ship 'Mimosa' as it Saturday, 20, July and will run until Saturday, Space left for Patagonia in Argentina. · 12 October. Campaign, It took 60 days for the ship to arrive at its Carrie Canham, curator at Ceredigion desiqned destination. At the mercy of the wind and Museum said: "Support from the !COM UK - by Hefin waves, there were four deaths, two childbirths British Council Travel Grant Scheme 2018- Jones, and one wedding along the way. 19 has given us, a rural Welsh museum, an forms part On board were about 153 resolute Welsh• international perspective that will benefit both of the speaking famili es seeking to create a Welsh• staff and visitors. Aberystwyth lies at the end 'Because speaking utopia. of the rail network, a seemingly dead end, but it's There' They had grown concerned that amongst we are now better able to interpret our_locality exhibition the many changes of the Industrial Revolution as the launch site to far-flung destinations in their homeland, their language and values for intrepid emigrants undeterred by the were being eroded and lost. unknown." Left: Early "When they finally land there is nothing, navigation they have arrived on this continent in winter. equipment It is not the fertile land they were passionately Right: Ship model at the Disembarkation in the promised; they shape their first dwelling in Museum, Puerto Madryn. Puerto Madryn is 'Because a cave and survive through the kindness and where the first Welsh settlers disembarked it's There' forgiveness of the indigenous people," said from the clipper 'Mimosa', in 1865 exhlbltion - - - - - - .