New Englander Americans in Patagonia
The New Englander Americans in Patagonia, often referred to as Rionegrine New Englanders and also known as Pine Yankees (both alluding to "Yankee", a derogatory nickname for Americans by the British, and the eastern white pine on the flag of New England) are a cultural and ethnic sub-group in Patagonia. They are the descendants of Americans from New England who fled to British Patagonia with their families during and after the American Revolutionary War, enticed by offers of cheap land from Governor-General John Joseph Elizalde, who had hoped to gain expertise in the lumber trade.
It is estimated that up to 20,000 Americans emigrated to British Patagonia from the New England region of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Initially, most settled in Rio Negro, particularly in St. Anthony, where they founded the city of New Boston, which was once part of the neighboring city of New Bournemouth. The descendants of other American settlers from New England would later be found throughout Southern Rio Negro and the Valdes Peninsula as well as in the Chonos Archipelago.
The descendants still foster a connection with their history through Rionegrine Americans United, a descendant organization dedicated to preserving the unique mixed culture. The Rionegrine New Englanders also have an annual festival, called the Lobster Festival, which is used to fund the United States Embassy in Patagonia. The festival is marked by New England flags, traditional costumes, New England cuisine with a Patagonian flair, and dances and music popular in New England during the American Revolution.
History
American settlers from New England, New York and Pennsylvania (but particularly from New England) were the first American peoples of European descent to settle what is now the area along the San Matias Gulf. Their colonies of New America (also commonly called Little America) encompassed what today are the cities of New Bournemouth, St. Anthony, and other towns along the San Matias Gulf, all in southeastern Rio Negro.
Culture
Currently the amount of New Englander descendants in Patagonia is 30,231 as of 2020 (not counting expatriates from the US). Most New Englanders still have descendants in Rio Negro, especially in Viedma, the state's capital city, although they are surpassed in numbers by the Chilote Mestizo, African-American and Burgundian populations. Smaller communities are concentrated in Patagonia's largest city Meliepully, where there are slightly lesser numbers of Chilote Mestizos, and in smaller cities like the capital Port Byron, along with Coyhaique and Valdivia.
The culture of the Southeastern Coast is not dissimilar from the regional culture of Rio Negro, although stronger American influence is prevalent in cuisine, music and culture. In St. Anthony, New Bournemouth and nearby cities, seafood restaurants are common and primarily emphasized on New England-style seafood. Lobster also appears as restaurant fare in Rionegrine seafood restaurants. The Southeastern Coast sub-dialect of Rionegrine English has noticeable New Englander and American influence, with R's being sometimes pronounced the same way as in American English.