Welsh history and culture on display
WHEN are you proud to be “Welsh”? Is it when the national team is playing? Or when you speak or sing in Welsh? Or when you venture abroad and do not want to be mistaken as being “English”?
Many of the letters that appear in our newspapers have a noxious outlook towards Wales and its inhabitants. Much of this is aimed at our language, culture or political leaders – and is often written by people with little or no connection to our land.
Cymru would be a much more appropriate name for us to use as it is linked to community and social cohesion – rather than the “Wales” tag that was given to us by AngloSaxon invaders centuries ago.
The communal spirit has unfortunately been eroded over the years, however, as has our knowledge of our nation’s history and culture.
Over the May Bank Holiday weekend, Fforwm Hanes Cymru – or the History Forum of Wales – is staging an exhibition at St Fagans National Museum of History.
It will be in the new Weston Learning Centre in the main building and will feature displays from a variety of historical societies from around the country.
The Owain Glyndwr Society will have a display there which focuses on the Age of the Princes, for example.
Stories such as these are an important part of our national makeup – and they are surely more relevant to us than, say, the wives of an English king.
Gareth Jones Coety