Falkland Islanders (fictional)

Falkland Islanders, also called Falklanders and nicknamed Kelpers or Felkies, are the people of the Patagonian state of the Falklands. While not an official demographic used or recognized by the Patagonian Census Bureau, Falkland Islanders, due to various factors, have developed their own distinct culture within larger social groupings. Included are their own dialect, music, folklore, and cuisine. The Falkland Islanders are often compared to the Appalachian people within the United States due to being a distinct cultural group.

"Kelpers" is a nickname given to Falkland Islanders because the islands are surrounded by large seaweeds called kelp. This term is no longer used as commonly as it once was (largely because it is considered racist and insulting by some islanders when used by people from mainland Patagonia).

Ancestry
About 60% of the 35,317 inhabitants of the Falklands are of British, primarily Scottish and Welsh, descent. The native-born inhabitants call themselves "Islanders"; the term "Kelpers", from the kelp which grows profusely around the islands, is still used in the Islands. Another term is "felkie", referencing both the Falklands and selkies, creatures from Celtic and Scandinavian mythology capable of changing from seal to human form by shedding their skin. This is due to the elephant seals that live along the Falklandic coast. People from the mainland who have moved to the Falklands are known locally as belongers.

20% of Islanders have ancestry from the Italian sub-region of Carnia, and speak either Italian, Friulian or Bavarian German as their primary language for communication in the home. A few Islanders are of French, Gibraltarian, Portuguese, American, and Scandinavian descent. Some are the descendants of whalers who reached the Islands during the last two centuries. There is also a small minority of South American, mainly Chilean and Argentine origin, and in more recent times many people from Canada have also come to work and live in the Islands.

Diaspora
Most Falklanders have chosen to move out of the islands to settle in the mainland. During the 19th century, around 1,500 Falklanders settled in the city of Gallegos, then part of the Southern Territory, to work there as sailors. Another 1,000 settled in Port Byron, Chubut, and around 2,000 settled in Meliepully. Today, the Falklandic diaspora in mainland Patagonia is widespread across the country. However, the largest Falklandic diaspora populations are concentrated in Gallegos, Meliepully, Port Byron and Bariloche.