Etifeddiaeth y Steddfod / The Legacy of the Eisteddfod
Reflection — By Barry Taylor on August 8, 2010 7:00 am
The tide may be high this week, but there's no danger: come in, the water's nice and warm
CEFAIS FY magu ym Mlaenau Gwent mewn teulu a oedd wedi bod yn ddi-gymraeg ers dwy genhedlaeth. Roedd pawb yn siarad Saesneg yn ein pentref ni, ac er bod rhai pobl – fel y dysgais wedyn – yn gallu siarad Cymraeg, doedd dim Cymraeg i’w clywed ar y strydoedd nac yn y siopau.
Ar y cyd â cholli’r iaith Gymraeg, collwyd unrhyw wybodaeth o’r diwylliant Cymraeg hefyd. Mewn gwersi Hanes yn yr ysgol, prin iawn oedd unrhyw sôn am hanes Cymru. Aeth traddodiadau cyfoethog llenyddiaeth Cymraeg o Went yn angof. Diflannodd ein tafodiaith unigryw o’r Gymraeg oddi ar wyneb y ddaear heb fawr o alaru yn ei sgil.
Er bod pethau wedi newid yn y blynyddoedd diweddar, mae llawer o bobl yng Ngwent yn tueddu ystyried y Gymraeg yn iaith farw. Nid syndod mawr yw hynny, o ystyried y diffyg Cymraeg ar strydoedd pentrefi a threfi Gwent. Er bod tua deg y cant o’r boblogaeth yma yn siarad Cymraeg, y tueddiad yw iddynt siarad Saesneg ac eithrio pan nad ydynt yng nghwmni pobl uniaith Saesneg, felly i’r person cyffredin ar y stryd mae’r iaith yn farw yng Ngwent i bob pwrpas.
Ac yna daeth yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol i Lyn Ebwy.
Roedd y syniad o ddosbarthu ugain mil o docynnau am ddim i bobl leol yn ysbrydoledig. Daeth miloedd o bobl uniaith Saesneg i’r Maes ddydd Sul, y rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn ymweld â’r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol am y tro cyntaf. Roedd y Gymraeg ymhob man, ac i’w chlywed ymhob man; ar yr arwyddion, yn y Pafiliwn, ar y Maes, yn y siopau, ar fwydlenni’r caffis. Dangosodd yr Eisteddfod yn glir i filoedd o bobl leol fod yr iaith a’r diwylliant Cymraeg yn bell o fod yn farw, yn llawn egni ac yn fywiog iawn. Efallai am y tro cyntaf yn eu bywyd, roedd miloedd o bobl Gwent yng nghanol digwyddiad mawr ble’r oedd y Gymraeg yn brif iaith, iaith y mwyafrif. Mawr obeithiaf y bydd agweddau llawer o bobl tuag at y Gymraeg yn newid o’i herwydd.
Rwy’n disgwyl i’r galw am wersi Cymraeg gynyddu’n fawr yng Ngwent yn sgil yr Eisteddfod. Gobeithiaf y bydd llawer o’r dysgwyr newydd yn parhau i ddysgu’r iaith i ruglder, ac yn defnyddio’r iaith y tu allan i’w gwersi. Rwy’n si?r y bydd hyn yn rhoi hwb i’r Mentrau Iaith lleol, gyda mwy o bobl yn dod i’w digwyddiadau. Gobeithiaf hefyd wrth gwrs, fel aelod o Gymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, y bydd mwy o siaradwyr Cymraeg lleol wedi cael eu hysbrydoli i ymuno â ni i helpu gyda’r frwydr am hawliau a statws llawn i’r iaith Gymraeg drwy Gymru gyfan – yn cynnwys Blaenau Gwent.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i’r Eisteddfod am ddod i Went eleni. Byddwn ni’n edrych ymlaen at eich ymweliad nesaf.
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I WAS raised in a family in Blaenau Gwent which had been without Welsh for two generations. Everyone spoke English in my village, and even though some people – as I learned subsequently – could speak Welsh, there was none to be heard in the streets or the shops.
Alongside losing the language came the loss of any knowledge of Welsh culture, too. In history lessons at school there was little mention of Welsh history. The rich traditions of Welsh literature in Gwent disappeared. Our particular dialect of Welsh disappeared from the face of the earth with little concern voiced.
Even though things have changed in recent years, many people in Gwent still look on Welsh as a dead language. This is no great surprise bearing in mind the absence of Welsh from the streets and villages of the county. Some 10% of the population here can speak Welsh, but the tendency is for them to speak English expect in circumstances where there are no English speakers present, so that as a community language in Gwent Welsh could be seen as virtually dead.
And then the National Eisteddfod came to Blaenau Gwent.
The decision to distribute 20,000 Eisteddfod tickets to local people for free was inspired. On Sunday thousands who cannot speak Welsh came to the Maes, many of them visiting the National Eisteddfod for the first time. Welsh was everywhere and could be heard by everyone – on the signs, in the Pafiliwn, on the Maes, in the shops, on the menus in the cafes. The Eisteddfod showed clearly to thousands of local people that Welsh language and culture is far from dead, full of energy, and full of life. Perhaps for the first time in their lives thousands of people from Gwent were at the centre of a major event where Welsh was the main language, the language of the majority. I really hope that the attitudes of many change in the light of this experience.
I’d also expect the demand for Welsh lessons to grow across the county in the wake of the Eisteddfod, too. My hope is that many new learners will embrace the language to fluency and use it outside their formal lessons. It’ll also boost the local Mentrau Iaith, with more people coming to events. I hope also, as a member of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, that membership of our organisation will grow and that people will be inspired to join the fight for rights and full status for the Welsh Language through the whole of Wales – including Blaenau Gwent.
Many thanks to the Eisteddfod for coming to Blaenau Gwent this year. We look forward with anticipation to the next visit.
Tags: Blaenau Gwent, Eisteddfod, Welsh Language
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4 Comments
Nice one Barry. You’re right. There is a lot of talk of “regeneration” surrounding this Eisteddfod. Whether it happens or not is pie in the sky to most people, dependent on grants and business contracts and private sector investment and other esoteric occult stuff.
But the regeneration of the language – that is something that IS do-able. Everyone can take part in that – doesn’t cost anything! Lets hope the local Mentrau see lots of uptake. We already know that demand for primary Welsh education far exceeds demand – lets see that passion extend to the adult sector too.
And if any English speakers went there this week, but are too shy/nervous about signing up to a class/group, then they can start in the privacy of their own homes with a free audio course like http://www.saysomethinginwelsh.com *cough*plug*cough*
Al, if you’re involved in Saysomethinginwelsh, we would be more than happy to run a piece from you/them about it.
This is what it’s all about. Gaining Ground.
When forefathers/mothers promoted ysgolion meithrin in Cardiff and comprehensive schools “Hywel Teifi like” across Wales in the 70′s they were despised and considered ” immigrants “from West or North Wales or “odd” with very little social awareness – “that to get on you spoke English ” in whatever class circles.
Apparently, 83 languages with “global” influence are spoken and written by 80 percent of the world population. Most of the others face extinction at a rate, the researchers say, that exceeds that of birds, mammals, fish and plants. Not welsh as Wales stands for a deeper heritage. Real Wales values what is beyond measurement.
Linguist Ken Hale put it more bluntly in his well known quote :”When you lose a language, you lose a culture, intellectual wealth, a work of art. It’s like dropping a bomb on a museum, the Louvre.”
We have a come a long way.We have gained much ground.
Those who want a “Jordan -tanning shop ” type civilisation can ponder one day on how it happened and pervaded society- why nobody said to young girls and boys -there are people who are fake and have a deluded talent but consider and look at the alternative those who have talent and have a capacity to love something that benefits us -everyone.The Eisteddfod promotes this without reservation.No call for tanning shops yet on the “Maes” even in the welsh rain!
The Eisteddfod shows the way – talent is on show which makes Cowell’s commercilaisation look rather amateur – and I am a fan of his for being positive and getting people thinking…at least.
This week- Tudur Hallam from Carmarthenshire, who won for his poetry on the theme “Ennill Tir” (“gaining ground”). Only Boys Aloud! Cordydd – Bois y Castell (Llandeilo), Maesteg Gleemen, Blaenporth (Ceredigion), Cor Meibion Caerdydd (Cor Taf Caerdydd (Cardiff) Llangwn and Ddwylan (North Wales) -only some of the great examples.
Some however prefer the superficial -what do we do- we must continue to prefer to learn and be smart and enjoy the intelligence that our language gives us.To be intelligent is what each teacher wants from a pupil.Same for us as a society -promoting learning is not easy and should not be placed on the shoulders of a few teachers (under paid and under valued).
Any “cost accounting” in relation to the welsh language will never take into account the intangible, but nonetheless very real benefits inherent in cultural and civil diversity, cross-cultural communication and the human language bank. The emotional and psychological benefits of the Eisteddod will continue the vision that Wales will be an intelligent nation and the language continues as part of our cultural cornerstone.
The resourceful and hard working Eisteddfod chief executive Elfed Roberts in and interview on Radio Cymru at 6 o’clock last night (with the remarkable and excellent Beti George) was very pleased -he should be -although numbers are down -S4C and BBC carried great coverage.Stop measuring Wales -start believing-this was a gaining ground Eisteddfod.
What a great Eisteddfod.
Sometimes it’s not about the big picture and grand economic plans; sometimes it’s about individuals making contact, having a different experience, perhaps reflecting on their earlier pre-conceived ideas. This is how change begins.
I met an Argentinian who spoke no English, but perfect Welsh, learned as an adult. She has no Welsh ancestors, but having grown up in Gaiman she was inspired by the culture around her and wanted to take part in it (they have an annual Eisteddfod too). She’s not typical, clearly, but our culture is fragile: if there is one other person like her in Glyn Ebwy as a result of this visit, fantastic.
I had never been to Blaenau Gwent before. I visited the superb heritage centre in Blaenafon and learned loads about the history of the area. I want to go back to see the bits I didn’t have time for, and will spend money there again. Am I the only one? Doubt it.
I heard a lot more English than at an Eisteddfod in, say, Bala. Great. A few, perhaps many, people will have gone to the festival with low expectations & come away with a different perception of their own country.
I marvelled at the scale of the regeneration area where the Maes was situated. It’s a big and costly bet on whether a Heads of the Valleys community can be inspired by great facilities, rather than being trapped in inexorable decline. I very much hope they succeed.