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COMPETITION ON AMERICYMU: AMERICAN WELSH TOUR OF NORTH WALES

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Wales Ireland Design - An Interview With Peter Lewis

AmeriCymru:  Hi Peter and many thanks for agreeing to talk to AmeriCymru. Many of our members and readers are fans of your original artwork for Wales Ireland Design. Can you tell us how the project got started?

Peter:  Hi Ceri, thanks for having me here.  The positive response to the designs in my store has been gratifying. I began Wales Ireland Design as one outlet for my design skills, apart from the commercial work I do as a living. I trained as a fine artist and work as a commercial artist, and the two are sometimes in conflict. In particular I wanted a place where I was the client, where I decided whether something was good and was worth doing. I actually run two stores, with another called Ragged Beggar Designs.  This second store encompasses everything that doesn't have a Celtic element. So far I have concentrated on creating graphic designs that are suitable for printing on a variety of products. Soon I expect to begin creating more fine art drawn from celtic myth as I find ways to approach the classic tales of Wales in an abstract fashion, not literal illustration, which is, I think, a modern approach to an age-old theme.

Wales and Ireland are two parts of my family heritage, but few in my family were interested in family history. I had to spend quite some time in tracing my genealogy to get a sense of how these countries figured in my own history.  How did things conspire to place me in CT in the 20th century?  It's a personal search of interest to some and not to others.  I was inspired by my childhood readings of Celtic myths and of stories inspired by Welsh myth, especially the books of Lloyd Alexander. His six book series for children, drawn from Welsh myth, features an Oracular Pig and a hero named Taran and another character, a bard, Fflewddur Fflamand and, of course, a princess Eilonwy. In his stories, I was thrilled to recognize variations my own name. For the first time I realized I had a history, and it was connected to Wales. The stories of the Ulster cycle and Cuchulain were also a big influence.  I read works by James Campbell, particularly "The Hero With A thousand Faces" and was very struck with the universality of much myth. Also influencing me was "The White Goddess" by Robert Graves, which is an attempt to understand the mystery religion aspects of Taliesan's poetry and decode the meaning of the mysterious poem "The Battle of the Trees".  It is an attempt to understand creation as an act of poetry, which I saw as a view at the heart of Celtic spirituality. After decades as an artist I am only now coming to a point where I would consider painting that poem, in an abstract fashion, and tackling other Welsh myths in a modern painterly style, not so much as an illustration of a scene.

While traditional celtic design motifs are the starting point for many of my designs, I also realize that Wales and Ireland are modern countries that have modern identities. As time goes on I hope to produce more designs leaning towards a modern perspective. I am fascinated by history though and have tried designs based on such things as Pibgorns and The Coracle Man, but perhaps the general public isn't as intrigued as I by coracles! I've tried my hand at building a pibgorn (difficult to tune) and a coracle is to come. 

AmeriCymru: In particular AmeriCymru members will be familiar with your recent St David's Day card design. What inspired it? Are we talking Austin Powers here?

Peter: That card was a lot of fun. I was playing around with a humorous approach to that ubiquitous symbol of Wales and ideas that might be useful for next years Eisteddfod, and realized I needed to think in a more modern and fun direction.  LA, land of fun cars, shades, and hedonism, was the obvious inspiration.  I'm a fan of sports cars and had been looking for a bug eye Sprite or similar for a restoration project. (I only have 9 hobbies and clearly needed a 10th). This drawing was very different from my usual approach and I hope it will prove useful in keeping things modern and humorous.  I'm a big believer in keeping the past and present firmly in touch. As Utah Phillips (and Faulkner) said, "the past didn't go anywhere, the past is right here".  And in Wales, awareness of the past seems to greatly inform the present, unlike LA.  I like the idea of an age-old symbol put in modern dress. 

AmeriCymru: What part do the ancient Celtic myths and legends play in your creative inspiration?

Peter: There is an edition of the Tain Bo Cuailnge (the great Irish story cycle) that has illustrations by Louis le Brocquy. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_le_Brocquy_T%C3%A1in_illustrations and http://www.anne-madden.com/LeBPages/lebrocquy.html ) I saw these drawings as a young man and they captured for me in a visceral way the nature of the stories. The Tain is, over and over again, the story of restrained power that explodes.  Le Brocquy has also illustrated the Goddodin, a sad poem of the battle and death of many ancient British warriors ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_Gododdin and http://www.missgien.net/celtic/gododdin/poem.html ).  In all his brush drawings the ink is aching to explode. I would like to illustrate some tales in a similar expressive way.  I am looking or ways to present Cuchulain's story and the Battle of the Trees in woodblock prints.  I don't work in a very realistic vein, but these stories are themselves fantastical and lend themselves to an expressive treatment. This study for the battle of Cuchulain and Ferdia is one example of my approach.

Here is another example, the approach of the giant Bendigeidfran (Bran the Blessed) and the Ships of the Island of the Mighty as they approach the warriors of Ireland.

For now I work with landscape in a way that similarly brings it alive and exploding. Another concern is the place of landscape in the stories. In Wales especially landscape and the spirit of places plays a large role in folk tales.  Landscape is my preferred subject when I'm painting, drawing or printmaking.  I'm collecting material to help in a series of prints on the landscape of the Welsh mountains and valleys.  In regard to Ireland I often think of the villages, but in regard to Wales I think of the land itself. To be there would be best, but working from pictures and imagination can also give good results.

The place of ancient myth in modern identity is also an issue. I was trained as post-modern artist in a school that stressed social issues. I'm accustomed to think about art in terms of the issues it addresses.  Modern identities are one such issue.  When I work with celtic motifs or Welsh landscape or read Welsh poetry, another great favorite, I am reaffirming my own chosen identification with Wales, and with Ireland. Being an American mutt with numerous family ties, identity is a choice among possibilities, a choice about which history and culture speaks to me inwardly.  In that sense setting up Wales Ireland Design was a means to establish a connection that I wanted to encourage. Whether Wales wants me or not is another question, but the fact that these celtic myths spoke to me as a child tells me that this is a connection I should make an effort to explore and to maintain.  Identity plays a large role in celtic myths, often hidden identities that must be guessed, of the Who Am I variety, and refusals to give one's identity.  The development of these stories into collections with modern names such as the Mabinogion are part of the development of Welsh identity, and my illustration of them becomes part of my identity. Even phrases like "As Long As We Beat The English" play their part in the creation of a cohesive modern identity. Choosing what parts to embrace helps negotiate my own American and Celtic and Welsh identity. (My French ancestors from Montenegro or my Russian ancestors from Poland and Latvia might disagree with my choices!)

In some Welsh folktales the faerie world and the real world exist next to each other, indeed occupy the same space at the same time. There is the story of the farmer whose back door is opening onto a faerie town and is getting in their way, even though he can't see it.  So the sense of place and the spirit of a place are of utmost importance.  These feelings inform my approach to painting a living landscape where even the rocks live. See this example below.

AmeriCymru: Is there a large market for Welsh design motifs in the US?

Peter: In America, at least, the Irish seem to own the idea of Celticism. I've found that few people actually know much about Wales. I'd like to help reclaim that Celtic identity for the Welsh in the popular imagination, and put them on the same footing as the Irish in terms of popular appeal and knowledge.  Of course I'm also proud of my Irish heritage, which was my mother's, but they haven't cornered the market on all things Celtic.  The largest market, in general, is for Irish merchandise, much of it in the "Kiss Me I'm Irish" variety. I'm trying to do something a bit more sophisticated than that. I'd like people to come to understand that Irish music, dance, etc. has Welsh counterparts, and the Celtic aspects of modern Ireland are echoed in similar Welsh aspects. Irish and Welsh folktales are echoes of each other. So raising awareness of Welsh Celticism is an important part of my own marketing.  

I also have to try to find what people are drawn to. And in Wales it is often rugby.  With the Wales-France game about to start as I write, rugby shirts are popular.  Popular events such as the West Coast Eisteddfod can help raise awareness of the sheer fun aspects of Welshness, and having fun is an important part of any marketing. It's not all hymn singing.  Whiskey, poetry and fighting have their place, just as they do for the Irish.  Luckily I can sell all over the world through an internet store, and the Welsh have set roots in many countries.  Expanding the idea of what a welsh motif is is part of the challenge. It has to go beyond tall hats and sheep to extend it's reach to a wider audience. At my local gym I wear a Welsh shirt to exercise as there are already five guys wearing Irish shirts. Show the colors as it were.

AmeriCymru: If you could visit Wales tomorrow where would you like to go and why?

Peter: Send me to Snowden, and the Preseli hills. I would love to hike and sketch in the high country. Being a musician, I would have to check out the Cardiff music scene, both for modern rock and traditional music, wherever I find it.  I've been trying (with small success) to learn some Welsh, so I'd want to spend some time in a Welsh course. Having an interest in boatbuilding I'd like to visit a folklife center and see a coracle being built, and visit Evans Boatworks in Pembrokeshire where they build wooden boats. I'd also like to tour the healing wells around the country, waterfalls (a favorite for drawing) and such historical sights as the castles, Hedd Wyn's home, and Dylan Thomas' home.

AmeriCymru: Where should people go online to find your work?

Peter: Here are URLS for my webs stores: http://www.zazzle.com/walesirelanddesign : http://www.zazzle.com/raggedbeggar/gifts and finally to see some of my painting and sculpture try https://picasaweb.google.com/106090339085071141153/PaintingAndSculpture and https://picasaweb.google.com/106090339085071141153/Photocompositions

AmeriCymru: What's next for Peter Lewis?

Peter: This summer I will be building a small studio in the backyard. I haven't had a dedicated studio for some time. This will greatly help me spend more time on the fine art aspects of my work, the printmaking and drawing and painting, as opposed to the design work which is done mostly on a computer in my office. I plan some woodcut prints of waterfalls, and also some landscape etchings, both locally and perhaps of Snowdon drawn from photographs. My own New England landscape is a great favorite for landscape paintings. But aside from landscape I want to work on images drawn from stories, such as the Children of Llyr cycle.  I continually add new products to my web store. I just added a Ddraig Goch pillow and some tea towels. More to come!

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Peter: My thanks for the continuing support of Americymru members. Keep supporting all the cultural elements that uniquely say Wales. And proudly wear your Wales t shirt to your local Irish festivals. We're fighting cousins after all, and can probably outdrink them (except for the Methodists who could probably outsing them). (Now I'll have to promise Mom to wear an Irish t shirt sometimes for equal time!) Seriously, raising the cultural awareness of Wales in this country can only help the musicians and poets who can come here and share their skills with us, and help extend the folk culture into modern times.

Interview by Ceri Shaw Home Email

An Interview With Mara Freeman - Celtic Spirit Journeys Announces Wales Tour!

Mara Freeman is from Britain and has been a leading teacher of Celtic spirituality for over twenty years. She is an initiate of the Western Mystery Tradition, an Archdruidess of the Irish Druid Clan of Dana and Honored Bard with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. AmeriCymru spoke to Mara about her life, work and the forthcoming Celtic Spirit Journey Tour of Wales.

AmeriCymru: You have been a leading teacher of Celtic spirituality for more than twenty years. How did you first become involved? 

Mara Freeman: I was obsessed by Celtic music, myth and folk-lore from a very early age. I sang and wrote songs and plays and in the Celtic vein, long before the Celtic culture revival of the 1970s. When I was old enough to stick out a thumb, I hitch-hiked to Ireland, Scotland and Wales as often as I could, spending many days walking the land and talking to people, listening to their stories and their music.

When I moved to California in 1979, I fetched up in a pristine oak forest on a mountain near the sea, living very close to nature. After a while, though, I started longing for the sights and sounds of Britain and Ireland so I went back for a few months and travelled around ancient sites and sacred places with my then-husband, who was a photographer. When I got back to the States, I created a multi-image show of songs, music , poetry, images and live performance called “Between the Earth and Sky,” about the journey as an initiation into Earth Mysteries. Then we travelled around the Western United States putting on the show wherever we could in the communities we visited. I found that, of course, I had to do a bit of talking about a subject that a lot of people were very curious about and which was little known at that time (the mid 80s) so I began giving talks and doing quite a bit of storytelling, and leading simple community rituals on these occasions. One thing led to another, and soon I was giving my first workshops in Celtic spirituality. Around this time I was also writing essays on Celtic sacred ways for Parabola, the journal of myth and traditions, lecturing first at local universities and then nationally, and eventually this all led to being asked to write a book for Harper Collins.

AmeriCymru:  Your book, Kindling the Celtic Spirit has been hailed as the best modern introduction to Celtic spirituality and sacred traditions. Care to tell us a little more about it?

Mara: Well I guess you might call it a compendium of myth, story, and traditional teachings that celebrate the beauty and power of the Celtic earth-based wisdom tradition. Each chapter corresponds to a month of the sacred Celtic year and includes traditional poems, blessings, greetings, toasts, ancient lore, and guided meditations to inspire readers to reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world, and view the sacred as an integral part of every day as our Celtic ancestors did.

I wanted it to be a usable handbook for people to connect with a way of perceiving the Earth as a living, interconnected web of life in which all living beings – plants, animals, and all the many bio-systems – are recognized for their inherent value and not just “resources” for the human race to plunder. Our ancestors from the Celtic countries kept this world-view alive for many centuries despite their cultures being dominated by a hierarchical church system. Until recently, much of this native wisdom remained hidden and unknown to most people in the modern world, and seekers sought for spiritual nourishment in foreign paths – Native American or Tibetan, for instance – which do not necessarily serve the Western spirit, and so Kindling the Celtic Spirit presents a way for many people to reconnect with their own ancestral sacred traditions. Although the book has been out for ten years now, I still get emails and letters from people, mostly Americans, saying that reading it was like “coming home”, so I guess it does what I set out to do.

AmeriCymru:  Celtic Spirit Journeys offers tours of Wales and you have one coming up this year in June. What form do these tours take and where might readers go to find more information?

Mara: Yes indeed! I moved back to Britain in 2007 and chose to settle in West Wales which has been my spiritual home since I first crossed the Severn Bridge now over 40 years ago and wended my way to the magical west – the Preseli Hills and the rocky coastal cliffs of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. The tour is a ten-day journey called Enchanted Wales: Land of Myth and Magic and takes us in a circle from Cardiff to the southwest coast and up to Snowdonia, over to Anglesey and through the Berwyn Mountains before heading down through the Brecon Beacons back to Cardiff. Basically we spend half the time in the south and half in the north. I don’t think I will ever get over how much variety there is in such a small country as Cymru, from snow-capped mountains, misty islands, green hills, beautiful rivers, deep lakes, quiet country lanes and towns that still retain their medieval character. The focus of the tour is on the ancient sacred places from the Neolithic era onwards, so we will be visiting stone circles and dolmens, Celtic hill-forts and settlements, holy wells and medieval churches and abbeys, to name but a few of our destinations. One of the really exciting things about Cymru is the way in which the landscape is so rich in myth and legend, still alive with the stories of the Mabinogi, Myrddin/Merlin and King Arthur in an almost palpable way. Owain Glyndwr and Prince Llewellyn lie buried in the land but their spirits roam the hills because the people keep them alive in their hearts.

I gave this tour last year for the first time and everyone had a fantastic time. One of the interesting things was the way in which Wales inspired so much creativity in our guests. One woman wrote a marvellous poem which encapsulates her experience and may give Americymru members a sense of the deep magical experience Wales affords. (link to Enchanted Wales in Feathers, the poem below.) Another has posted her photo-journal on a website with some marvellous images. (link to http://susa-morgan-black.net/zenphoto/best-of-wales/)

This year’s tour is from June 6th to 16th and we still have a few places left if any Americymru members are interested. You can learn more about the tour at http://celticspiritjourneys.com/mystical-wales.html.

AmeriCymru:  What kind of experience does Celtic Spirit Journeys seek to provide for its patrons?

Mara: The emphasis is on Pilgrimage as a path to the sacred, so we only ever take small groups (up to 12 at the most) and we visit each of the sites as a way to enter into a communion with the spirits of the land, approximating as near as possible the way the ancestors would have approached them, with simple ceremony and offerings. I talk about the history, and tell the local legends and stories of the places, and make sure everyone has plenty of time for reflection and just being present to the Spirit of Place. Many people report profound and transformative experiences on our journeys. We always include some well-known local presenters and entertainers along the way, for instance harpist Delyth Evans, who last summer delighted us with music in the drawing-room of Warpool Court Hotel, St Davids, overlooking the sea, and Earth Mysteries author Robin Heath, who led us on a terrific adventure over the Preselis to give us a first-hand demonstration of his theories in his new book, Bluestone Magic. (Link to Robin: http://www.skyandlandscape.com/) I should probably add that we also have a lot of fun and great food, and stay in beautiful locations, too!

AmeriCymru:  You are also the founder of the Avalon Mystery School. Can you tell us more about its program and mission?

Mara: I founded the Avalon Mystery School after many years of working with the magical current that has its source in the deep river of native Celtic and British spiritual tradition. The work encompasses the wisdom of British and Welsh goddesses, particularly Morgen le Fay and the Nine Sisters, the Mysteries of Myrddin, the Faery Realm and the Sacred Land, the teachings of the Druids and the Quest for the Holy Grail. We offer a comprehensive training program in the sacred magical arts that can be taken at a distance.

The First Grade offers a thorough introduction to the Mysteries of Britain and teaches the groundwork of the magical arts especially how to connect with the faery race, ancestors and goddesses. In the Second Grade, students expand and extend their knowledge and techniques of the magical arts into the Green World (Nature), learning how to open up to and interact with trees, plants, animals and the elemental kingdom. In the Third Grade, serious study and participation in advanced aspects of the Western Magical Tradition including the stellar and angelic realms, teaches the student how to reach higher states of consciousness and to mediate wisdom and healing into the world through working closely with inner contacts.

I believe that now, more than ever, is the time for us to learn how to bring the wisdom, power and beauty of Avalon back into our fragmented world. The Avalonian path is nothing less than the conscious realization of the self as connected with all beings, visible and invisible, on the great Tree of Life, and ultimately with the Divine Source. You can find out more by visiting the Avalon Mystery School website at www.avalonmysteryschool.net

AmeriCymru:  We learn from your bio that you are a practitioner of the ancient Celtic healing art of Anamcara . What is Anamcara and how does it work?

Mara: Anamcara is an old Irish word meaning "soul friend." I use my clairvoyant ability to tune in deeply to the psyche of the person seeking understanding about the nature of their life at the deepest level. My 30 years training as an astrologer and 20 years as a fully-licensed psychotherapist also come into play. I look at the "big picture" of the soul's journey, not only in this lifetime but from past lives too. I also connect with the spirit guides who support us throughout this journey for the growth and evolution of the soul, or essential Self. I give many readings over the phone to people in all parts of the world. You can learn more at http://www.chalicecentre.net/anamcara.htm.

AmeriCymru:  What's next for Mara Freeman?

Mara: At the moment I am finishing writing a book on the mythos of the Holy Grail, from its origins in early Welsh and Irish literature to the later Arthurian cycle and down into modern times. I am trying to get it done this winter, before the garden calls – We grow most of our own food here in our valley and with the short growing season, it can get quite full on! I also have another book about the Mabinogi in the landscape in the works, and I’m looking forward to Springtime when I can get out and have a good excuse to go walking in the wilds again.

AmeriCymru:  Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Mara: The message is: Remember! . . . And I will let Waldo Williams, whose memorial stands tall on the Preseli hills at Mynachlog-ddu, tell you why. Don’t have the original Welsh version, I’m afraid, but here it is in English translation by Vernon Jones, erstwhile schoolmaster of Nevern School:

Cofio by Waldo Williams

(Remembering)

Once small minute before the sun goes to its horizon,
One tender minute before the evening comes to its end,
To remember the forgotten things
lost now in the dust of bygone times,
Like the foam of a wave that breaks on a lonely beach,
Like the song of the wind where there is no ear to hear,
I know they are calling to us in vain,
The old forgotten things of mankind.
The deeds and art of early generations,
Tiny dwelling places and large halls,
The fine legends shattered for centuries,
The gods that no one’s heard of now.
And the little words of disappeared languages,
Lively in the mouths of men they were,

And pretty to the ear in the prattle of tiny children,
But no one’s tongue may summon them again.
O countless generations of the earth,
With their divine dream and fragile divinity,
Does there not stay but silence to the heart,
That once knew joy and sorrow?
Often at nightfall when I’m alone,
There comes a longing to know you, every one,
Does something still hold in the memory and heart,
The old forgotten things of the family of man?

*************************************************************

Enchanted Wales in Feathers (Wales, July 2010) by Alison Sinclair

The feathers tell the winged story.
Birds wheeling, hovering, diving, swooping, hopping,
singing, twittering, hooting, and cawing,
For each sacred site a winged guardian:
Wren shoots out from within the Tinkinswood dolman,
A ray of light from a dark ancestral past;
Doves and swallows fly among the ribs of the Tintern abbey skeleton,
Messengers of hope in the decay of age;
Gulls cry above St. Non’s holy well,
A sweet reminder of life's salty waters;
A downy hawk feather hidden by the Druid’s cave to cradle a sleeping seer,
While a Merlin soars over a seashore shell-like vault
Hidden dolman of the waves-
For the sea mother loves her children, and brings them all back under
When life grows too long above;
Crows guard the fort of Dinas Bran, a place to see the truth and speak it,
While the ravens rise up in the wind over Angelsey Island, last refuge of the druids;
Sky larks hover ecstatic over Mitchell’s Fold stone circle,
In, out and through the grey clouds, where a mandorla frames the sun.
The mythic eagle of Snowdonia, sun glinting off his wings,
We see him not but find him in the Mabinogi tales.
Feathers bring the stories home,
Dropped in a miraculous moment
Discovered in a instant
Of flight, wind and sight.
We learn the language of the birds and don our feathered capes
That we may whisper through their plumes once more,
And preen and stroke, to feel the filaments of their wind-borne dreams.

Interview by Ceri Shaw Email

The Mabinogi by Patrick K. Ford

Patrick Ford has given us a college level version of the Mabinogion with a great many notes explaining the background and hard parts of the translation. A very worthwhile version to have in your library. First, "The Four Branches of the Mabinogi," from which the collective title was derived, consisting of "Pwyll, Prince of Dyved," Branwen Daughter of Llyr," "Manawydan Son of Llyr," and "Math Son of Mathonwy." These begin with a story about the conception and birth of Pwyll's son, Pryderi, whose death is one of the early events in the "Fourth Branch," and concern a variety of heroes, and what are clearly rationalized gods. (Evangeline Walton turned each of the "Four Branches" into a novel; and other writers have done versions of one or another of them.) Second, there are two "native tales," "The Dream of Maxen Wledig" and "The Story of Lludd and Lleuelys," about Roman ("historical") and pre-Roman ("mythical") Britain as imagined by the medieval Welsh. The 'Lludd" text, as we have it, actually belongs to the "Chronicle" tradition launched by Geoffrey of Monmouth's supposed translation from an "ancient British book." (Which, if any part of it ever had any existence, was NOT the "Mabinogion.") The name of Lludd seems to be Welsh variant of a Celtic divine name, "Nuada" in Irish, "Nodens" in old British inscriptions, and "Nudd" in other Welsh sources; the variation seems to be due to assimilation to his epithet, Llaw Eraint, "Silver Hand," which is explained in the Irish tale of how the physician of the Gods made new hand for Nuada Argatlam." (H.P. Lovecraft picked up "Nodens" for the Cthulhu Mythos, a use which is unrelated; but Tolkien, whose hero Beren also lost a hand, actually wrote an early article on the Nodens inscriptions, and the apparent offerings of metal hands.) He may be behind King Lud, the supposed eponym of London. As Ford points out, Lleuellys, usually given as Llevellys, and also modernized as Llefellys, clearly should be read as Lleu-ellys, and recognized as a version of the god Lugh: the name Lleu is also used for a character in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. "Maxen," in which a Roman Emperor seeks as his wife a princess seen in a dream, seems to reflect an even more garbled version of a story known to Geoffrey, compounding several real people, including Helen, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. She was, in a medieval confusion compounding an honest mistake with local patriotism, believed to be British, and identified with "Elen of the Hosts." Ford drops this, as it seems to contain a rather high proportion of medieval hagiography and romance, and a very low proportion of archaic Welsh tradition. Third are two Arthurian stories in native Welsh mode. "Culhwch and Olwen," is an elaborate quest, dragging in, at least by name, most of the gods and heroes traceable in Welsh material, and some of their Irish cousins into the bargain, mostly as part of Arthur's court. "The Dream of Rhonabwy" is a visionary encounter with Arthur and his warriors (and anything else I could say would probably be controversial); a fascinating text, which, after a very grittily realistic opening, almost boasts of its authentically dreamlike obscurity. It breaks off in a manner most modern readers will find unsatisfactory -- and its arbitrary nature may have been part of the point. Ford does not include it; a pity, but it is probably the least readable part of the collection. Fourthly however Ford does not translate the three "Romances," "Owain" (otherwise known as "The Lady of the Fountain"), "Peredur son of Evrawc," and "Gereint the Son of Erbin," the first and last of which are clearly versions of Chretien de Troyes' Old French Arthurian Romances, "Yvain" and "Erec," while the second is related in a more complex manner to his unfinished and problematic "Perceval le Gallois." These seem to illustrate Celtic materials going out into wider European society, and then flowing back into Wales to enrich (and confuse) the native heroic and mythic tradition with ideas of chivalry. The version of "Taliesin," based, as noted earlier, on the text Ford had re-edited from manuscripts, is restored to its two-story version, as "The Tale of Gwion Bach" and "The Tale of Taliesin," and includes reliable versions of the poems attributed to the variously-reborn hero. Again, there was a real Taliesin, a dark-age Bard, according to Welsh tradition; but these poems, like the stories, are pretty much independent of anything he may have actually composed. But they *may* reflect some very archaic ideas about the magical nature of poetry, which were old when the real Taliesin was alive. Ford included as an appendix a translation of the notoriously difficult "Cad Goddeu," or "Battle of the Trees." Ford doesn't claim to understand its "real meaning," if any, only what it actually says, and it is very nice to have it. Paperback: 205 pages Rating: 4 Stars Review by Bill Tillman

Tales From The Mabinogion - Gwyn Thomas / Kevin Crossley-Holland

This could be called an illustrated Readers Digest of the Mabinogion. At 88 pages including illustrations, which are excellent, this is a small work. Some branches of the Mabinogion are done well if briefly, others are lacking. This collection of medieval Welsh tales was selected from the Mabinogion myth cycle. They serve as great examples of the old stories of the Celtic Gods who lived on the Island of the Mighty before the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons came. These gods were pushed into mythic status by the coming of Christianity and they live on in these tales. With vibrant Welsh names like Branwen, Bendigeidfran, and Cigfa, these male and female heroes of yesteryear encounter beautiful enchantresses, powerful kings of the underworld, and the magical cauldron of rebirth. These are powerful tales of an ancient time when giants roamed the earth and magic was afoot. They rely on familiar folk tale archetypes, but have distinctly Celtic elements that make them unique. The book was originally written for adults, and it includes stunning illustrations that include an artistically rendered nude image of a woman, but the tales themselves are accessible to readers and listeners of all ages. This book would be a good addition to any folk tale collection. Purchase here:- Tales From The Mabinogion Paperback: 88 pages Rating: 5 Stars Review by Bill Tillman

Mabinogion Quiz

So you think you know the Mabinogion? Here is a ten question quiz compiled by Americymru's resident Mabinogion meister Bill Tillman to test your knowledge. The Mabinogion is the theme of this year's Left Coast Eisteddfod in Portland Oregon which will include readings from works by the authors of 'Stories From The New Mabinogion' commissioned by leading Welsh publishing house 'Seren'. There will also be a special showing of the 2003 S4C movie 'Y Mabinogi/Otherworld'. Left Coast Eisteddfod Events Night of The Living Bards Last Bard Standing

Calling All Welsh Bands & Musicians - IRFT St David's Day Special

A Message From Sean Owens of IRFT Celtic Radio It is that time of year! We will be running an "All Welsh Artist" St David's Day show again this year, all artists that are interested in participating should have their music to us NO LATER then 2.23.10 I am working on setting up the specifics now. The run time of the show will be based on how much music we have! To be included in this show artists should be FROM Wales, PERFORM music in in the Welsh language, or, Be a Welsh group living abroad! ALL GENRES WILL BE ACCEPTED! If you know of any interested artists, send them our way! Our contact info is as follows: email single or multiple songs to irftradio@gmail.com send entire CD's to: IRFT C/O Sean Owens 21829 Russian River Drive Sonora, Ca, 95370 As of right now the show will run from 2.28.10 (Sunday at noon) through 3.2.10 (Tuesday) at 2 AM (PSDT) EVERY artist that submits music gets played! We are also looking for as many folks as possible to record "Holiday greetings" that we will broadcast during the duration of the show! In Welsh OR English! They can promote their music in this spot as well! They do NOT have to be an artists to do this spot! ANYONE can send in a greeting! Seán Owens IRFT Celtic Radio www.irftradio.comlu.com

'Tramor' - John Good is Back!

Many people were saddened when they heard the news that Oceans Apart had broken up recently. Well...the good news is that John Good is back with a new musical venture and a new website. 'Tramor' can be contacted via the website HERE , and I am sure that you will all join us in wishing John the very best with his new venture. Pob lwc John! From the website:- "Tramor (Overseas) is the new traditional music project of John Good. John is well known through out the West, South, Midwest and in his native Wales as a multi-instrumentalist, Welsh piper, singer/songwriter, composer and poet. Veteran of many Celtic festivals and concerts, including Estes Park, Chicago, San Diego and Denver, he brings the subtly different flavor of traditional Welsh music to the stage. Along with friends like mandolin virtuoso Billy Parker and the classically trained mistress of the harp Mary Bouley, a Tramor show is an event not to be missed." Hear John perform 'Of Dogs and Cats Mice and Men' here:- Of Dogs and Cats Mice and Men.mp3

An Interview With Mike Brooks of Here Be Dragons

Here Be Dragons have released three CDs, "Alcohol & Rain, Celtic Bonding and "Bright New Tomorrow".Their live shows have had crowds dancing and partying in festivals and venues across Europe and in the USA. From 2009 they will also be offering an "Unplugged" set for more acoustic venues.They've played to many thousands of people around the world. Their largest crowd was 30,000 in Bologna. Americymru: Who are Here Be Dragons? Mike: A band who play wild Celtic music from Wales. Mike Brooks Vocals (and various stringed instruments), "Big Willy" Morrsion on drums, Kyle Jones on bass, Helen Blackburn fiddles and Delyth Jones squeezes (Accordion) Americymru: What are the backgrounds of the people in the band and how did you end up together? Mike: I originally formed the band when I was an expat; I was living in London. Lineups have changed over the years but Will has been there since pretty much the beginning. The rest we met as friends of friends. Kyle is from Cardiff like me. A friend from West Wales told me his sister plays accordion in a duo with a fiddler and that's how we met Del and Helen. Americymru: You perform your own version of "Sospan Fach" . This , of course, is a traditional Welsh folk song about a small saucepan. For the benefit of our American readers can you tell us a little about this rather surreal ditty? Mike: Sospan Fach words are silly but the song is more than the words. It's sung pasionately at rugby matches to support Wales or Llanelli (Town in West Wales). It was also sung going to te trenches in the first World War. So it's sort of more about the singing than the song, if that makes any sense. Sospan Fach Americymru: You've played the States before? Can you tell us a bit about that? How did you enjoy the experience? Mike: We've come across twice for Celtic festivals in Florida and Chicago. On our first trip Will kept shouting "Where are we?" and we'd joyfully answer "In America!" it was a big deal, a big trip. The gigs went well and we were well recieved. I wrote the song "One Night Stand" on that trip - enough said! Chicago was great too. A well organised Welsh society, The "Chicago Taffia" met us there, with a limo. In fact both trips we got met at the airport and were given beer to drink on our way back from the airport. Each time I thought "I could like this country!" (Easily bought, eh?) Chicago is a huge and impressive town. The festival was big too, big crowds and a warm reception. It was great standing on stage looking at the Chiacgo skyline behind the crowd in Grant Park. That night we got to meet the locals to which always helps, if you can't do that then why travel? We're still in touch with a people in Chicago. I hope we return before too long. Americymru: OK...now for a dumb question. A lot of your songs are about drinking. How important is that in Welsh culture and in particular in Cardiff? Mike: Anyone who has seen St Mary's Street on a Friday or Saturday night would know. On those nights 50,000 people come into town to get drunk. Hen nights, stag nights, nights out with the lads or girls, birthdays, work nights, you name it. Drink is part of the culture the way food is in France or Italy. In Europe there is a North South divide with drink. Wales along with Irish, Scots amnd Scandinavians drink way more than those in the South. Tonight Cardiff Blues Rugby won a major cup so the fans will get drunk to celebrate. Cardiff City (Soccer) lost six nil so, to drown their sorrows, the fans get drunk. I'm Not Drunk Americymru: You have a song entitled "The Senghenydd Explosion" Care to tell us a little about the background to that? Mike: This is true story about the worst mining disaster in Britsh history. 439 died in an explosion in a mine not that far North of Cardiff. Mining is a big part of the history of South Wales. To anyone who comes here I'd reccomend a visit to Big Pit mining museum where you actually go underground and get a glimpse of what life was like. Mining was and is a horrible job but it binds the community together as every day the miners put their lives in each others hands. Obviously this is true of miners the world over as well as of soldiers and sailors. Americymru: "Auntie Henrietta o Sicago"...any resemblance to any real person alive or dead? Mike: I didn't write this so I can't say if she was real. It's a fun song in Welsh about Chicago so we had to sing it when we went there. It's nice to sing about places you visit. Our accordion player at the time has an Auntie in Chicago so we dedicated it to her. I like to write songs about places we visit often blurring fact and fiction like in a drunken memory. "Celtic Bonding" is like that. I enjoy singing "The Modena Rambler" in Modena (Italy) or about Cardiff in Cardiff. Any Welsh songs about Portland? Auntie Henrietta o Sicago Americymru: Where can people go to hear you play and buy your music? Mike: We're on Silverwolf Records in the USA. If you can't get a CD in your local idependant record store, I'd say go to our Website www.herebedragons.info and we'll sell you one. I'll sign it too if you like. If you're too stingy to buy a CD then you get (different) songs for FREE buy joing the supporters club on the same site. Americymru: What are your future recording and performance plans at the moment? Mike: Well both are work in progress. We have gigs in the pipe line for Italy, Wales and the USA. The Left Coast Eisteddford is on 22nd August in Portland, Oregon. Hopefully we'll get a few other dates around it in the USA. At the moment we're working on three albums:- A "Best of" in English and Welsh translating songs we've done before, an album of songs connected with Welsh rugby and a new album of original material. Americymru: Any further message for the members and readers of "Americymru". Mike: Keep flying the flag, singing the songs and drinking the beer when you can. Also don't keep Welsh culture a secret, let non Welsh friends have a taste too. Hwyl fawr! Mike Here Be Dragons Interview by Ceri Shaw Email

Welsh-American Author Writes Novel after feeling “ludicrously patriotic”

A Welsh author living in America was overcome by emotion twenty five years since leaving his homeland and became “ludicrously patriotic”, so decided to write a novel glorifying Wales. Peter Griffiths is a Welsh-speaking author from Cynheidre near Llanelli, moved to Denver, Colorado in 1972, but in the last few years has gravitated back to Wales.

Peter Griffiths said: “In 1990, while driving from Heathrow to Bala, climbing the Berwyn from Llangynog, I distinctly remember being moved by the grandeur, and feeling ludicrously patriotic. How could I not write a novel glorifying Wales, its people, and its language? It would be aimed mainly at my circle people in the States, who go weak at the knees over Scotland and Ireland, but rarely over Wales.”

The novel is called, Tongue Tied, and is set in the Tryweryn valley and the Rhondda. The novel considers how language has had an unifying and some times divisive role over the centuries. The author said: “One is Welsh if one feels Welsh. The novel recognises the tension that arises at times between the majority of Welsh people who can’t speak Welsh and the minority who can; and the divisiveness of the language in these instances is compared, with sadness, to its crucial unifying role over the millennia.”

Tongue Tied is published by Y Lolfa on St David’s Day. The author now shares his time between Swansea and Denver. This is his first novel.

Cwrs Goleuni'r Gogledd – The Northern Lights Course

Cymdeithas Madog presents Cwrs Cymraeg 2009:
Cwrs Goleuni'r Gogledd – The Northern Lights Course
University of Alberta, Augustana Campus ~ Camrose, Alberta, CanadaSunday, July 19 – Sunday, July 26, 2009

Cwrs Cymraeg, meaning Welsh Course, is a unique educational opportunity for language enthusiasts, individuals or families of Welsh descent, or anybody interested in the beautiful Welsh language and culture. It is a week-long residential course emphasizing the spoken language and provides instruction/classes at seven levels, ranging from the absolute beginner to those who are well advanced.

At this year's course in Camrose, Alberta, Hefina Phillips will be the lead tutor; joining her from North America will be Annette Evans, Deian Evans, Marta Diaz, and Aled Llion. The tutors from Wales will be Geraint Wilson-Price and Chris Reynolds. There are approximately 5 hours of language class each day, supplemented by further language and culture-related activities in the afternoon. Evening events such as singing, folk dancing, Welsh-language films, and a Noson Lawen (talent night) provide additional opportunities to relax while enjoying a Welsh-language atmosphere.

Registration and Fees: A check or money order for $100, in US funds, reserves a place. Deposits, together with the applicant's mailing address and e-mail, should be sent to the Cwrs Cymraeg registrar: Shirley McKee, Registrar, Cwrs Cymraeg 2009; 3033 Willowbrook Way, Beavercreek, OH 45431-7702 USA. On-line registration and deposit payment will be available soon--please check www.madog.org for updates. For questions, please contact the registrar at registrar@madog.org

Make checks payable to: Cwrs Cymraeg 2009. The deposit will be applied to the cost of registration. Deposits are fully refundable until April 30, 2009. No refunds of deposits will be made after June 1, and registration will close on June 15. If necessary, we will establish a waiting list, so after June 1 check with the Registrar regarding openings.

Fees for the course include all meals, tuition, course materials, and official evening activities. This covers the period from dinner on Sunday evening, July 19 until and including breakfast on Sunday, July 26. A mid-week trip will be an extra cost option.

Adult Resident (Double occupancy) $740.00

Adult Commuter $640.00

Discount for students (off above rates) - $50.00

Tag-along (Double occupancy) $440.00

Upgrade to Single occupancy $60.00

Full payment is due by June 15. Payments after June 15 will be subject to a $50 late fee.

Scholarships: An application for a scholarship should be postmarked by April 20, 2009. The application may be submitted either online or though the mail. The $100 deposit for the course must be paid to hold a place on the course and for the applicant to be considered for a scholarship. If an applicant is not awarded a scholarship and cannot afford to attend otherwise, the deposit will be refunded in full.

Full scholarship details and application materials can be mailed to anyone without internet access. The scholarship application form and answers to frequently asked questions will be available online in February 2009 on the Cymdeithas Madog website, www.madog.org.

For scholarship information and requests, contact:

Bill Roberts

Cymdeithas Madog Scholarship Committee

875 Wilmot Road

Deerfield, IL 60015 USA

Scholarship Endowment Fund: For over 30 years, Cymdeithas Madog has provided a unique opportunity to study the Welsh language in North America. Thanks to the generosity of the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association (WNGGA), the National Welsh American Foundation (NWAF), societies and individuals, we have been able to offer a limited number of partial scholarships each year, to help students attend the course. In many cases the award makes a crucial difference.

In addition, Cymdeithas Madog has established a Scholarship Endowment Fund to provide scholarship assistance. Donations to this fund are always welcome! Cymdeithas Madog is a non-profit organization [501(c)(3)] and such contributions are US tax deductible. If you would like to make a donation to Cymdeithas Madog, send a check, payable to Cymdeithas Madog's Scholarship Endowment Fund, to the registrar at the above address.

Further Information: Visit the Cymdeithas Madog website, www.madog.org. The site will maintain updated information about registering online and other details as they become available. We invite you to start making plans to attend Cwrs Goleuni'r Gogledd--The Northern Lights Course! Veterans of previous courses already know what a rich and rewarding experience Cwrs Cymraeg is, and they extend a warm welcome to each new participant.

Sincerely,

Cymdeithas Madog Board of Directors

The Burlington Welsh Male Chorus - "Not Your Average Choir!"

"Founded in 2001, The Burlington Welsh Male Chorus is a Canadian choir based upon the Welsh Male Choir traditions" - An Interview with Julian Murray.

Find more photos like this on Americymru

Where is the choir based?

The Burlington Welsh Male Chorus is based in Burlington Ontario, (just West of Toronto)

Who is the choir director? Other officers or positions in the choir?

We have a new Choir Music Director, Janice Beninger and are recruiting a new accompanist to join her in a revamped music team!

How many members does it have?

We have 70 registered members currently. approximately 50% are Welsh or of Welsh descent, then there are the Barbarians - Canadians, Scottish, English, Irish, Zimbabweans, ...

What is the history of the choir. When was it formed?

BWMC was formed in Sept 2001 when a few members from another choir and some new recruits joined with the famous director and arranger Mr Lyn Harry to recreate a Welsh choir in Ontario. Our 1st rehearsal was 23 potential members, and our 1st concert was March 1st 2002!

How would you describe your repertoire? Is it largely traditional?

We have a varied repertoire, usual choir line up of Traditional Welsh folk and hymns/spirituals; and opera choruses. We throw in different instruments when we can (guitar; flute; trumpets) to add colour.

Are there songs that you frequently perform or are known for? That your audience requests?

Gwahoddiad is a favourite of the choir and the audiences, if we dont do it, people always ask why!

As a Welsh choir in Canada, people come expecting to hear that Welsh MVC sound and the traditional songs, so we dont disappoint - but we add in different elements as well to make it interesting

How much time do you spend in rehearsal? How often do you practice together?

We meet once a week on a Friday for 2 hours, then to the pub to welcome the weekend!

Where do your members come from? Is there an audition process?

There is a strong Welsh presence in the Golden Horseshoe around Hamilton/Burlington/Toronto, so word of mouth has led to significant growth as well as links to the Rugby Clubs and pubs! We are a very welcoming choir, we do not formally audition, but each new member is given a voice test to determine their range and which section they belong in (Tenor 1; Tenor 2; Baritone or Bass).

How many performances do you do a year?

We do on average 12 events between September and May

Where have you performed?

All over S. Ontario, Cayman Islands 2003; Wales and Royal Albert Hall London in 2006; Boston; Carnegie Hall New York and Pennsylvania in 2008.

What is the largest audience you've performed before? What was your most memorable?

As an individual choir we sang 2 songs at Carnegie Hall which was a great experience, as well as being part of the massed choir with Bryn Terfel this year. The Royal Albert Hall in 2006 was very moving as part of an 800 voice choir, ex pats coming home to sing!

You have played several gigs with Jon Langford - how did that association come about? How would you describe the shows you do together?

Jon and I know each other from our young lives in Newport, Gwent. He went on to great things with The Mekons* etc, our band split up! We meet up whenever he plays in Toronto,so we got talking last year about a project to put a choir vocal behind his band to do the Skull Orchard songs, so I got a subset of the choir engaged. We rehearsed and debuted it in Chicago in 2007 and wherever its been done its very well received. The cross genres of the hard hitting band and the choir harmony just works and strikes a chord .


Hear The Burlington Male Voice Choir Performing with Jon Langford here:-

Jon Langford & the Burlington Welsh Male Voice Choir on YouTube

What other guest artists or other artists have you performed with?

Don't tell Langford but we sang with Elvis Costello on his encore song at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco in October this year. Bryn Terfel in New York, Jason Howard and Rebecca Evans in London.

You've got a cookbook for sale on your web site - how did that come about? Any favorite recipes in there?

We need money! It was a fundraiser for our 2006 UK tour (we are self funding) how many would you like? Best Faggotts recipe known to man (dating back to 1773). ( Hopefully the ingredient are of more recent vintage...Ed ). Purchase Cookbook HERE

Have you released any recordings? Where can people buy them?

We recorded our annual concert in the spring of 2006, available at concerts or through the website. We hope to record a new CD this year. Purchase CD HERE

Where can people hear the choir online?

There are some pieces on the website and some choir/Langford events on youtube.

What are your plans for the future?

We have just engaged a new music team, so our focus is on solidifying that relationship and growing musically under the new director - she is Canadian , very capable and understands the Welsh culture and loves the sound! We do a major tour every two years, so there is talk of West Coast USA / California in 2010.

Where can people catch you live? Any tour dates coming up?

Our Website has a calendar with all performances, we aim for 1 concert per month in season and have events in dec and through the spring. In discussions with Jon Langford for more events and eventual world domination. Left Coast Eisteddfod maybe?!

Julian Murray

Burlington Welsh

"For those of you who are not acquainted with the work of the mighty "Mekons....Shame on you! Here are links to two of their classic numbers on You Tube:- "Millionaire" "Cockermouth"