Page 18 - Ninnau Jan-Feb 2021

#futuregen, Lessons from a Small Country

By Jane Davidson Review By Vivien Bosley Caneuon Cymraeg Heddiw

I can’t think of a more time- country in the U.K. to charge Gan Edward W. Reid

ly book to be reviewing, nor for plastic bags, which We’re fast approaching Christmas and in the recent past that
one more calculated to make a brought down their use by would not only have meant preparations for Christmas, such as
Welsh heart swell with pride. 90%. The rest of the U.K. fol- Christmas parties, shopping trips and the like, but some new
As I start writing this, I read in lowed suit. releases from Welsh artists. In recent years, musically, the pre-
various papers the alarming Not surprisingly, the aims of Christmas period has declined in importance, and consequently
there have been few significant releases by innovative contem-
news that the Rhine, one of the the Act have been described by porary music artists, with most releases taking place in the sum-
great transportation highways some as ‘utopian,’ a charge mer or even the early autumn on the back of the Eisteddfod.
of the world, is becoming too Davidson answers by citing The pre-Christmas releases these days tend mainly to be by non-
shallow to allow for the pas- some of the concrete changes rock artists, but there still often one or two CDs worth checking
sage of heavily laden barges. that have already taken place out that are released during this time.
California, as we know all too (and in each case, there is In this issue we have a new band that’s made a bit impression
well is burning up from lack of involvement of local authorities, on the scene as well as a compilation album that is very interest-
ing musically but is probably not for everyone.
moisture. Villages on the who are to be crucial in making
French/Italian border have the Act work). Rhyddid o’r Cysgodion Gwenwynig – Alffa
been swept away by the kind The town of Usk responded to The band Alffa is a new young band from Llanrug in
of floods that have never been complaints about traffic by cre- Gwynedd who were formed in 2015. Like many young bands
seen before. Species are disap- ating spaces for walking and they released a few singles after their formation, two of which
featured on a compilation album and this was followed up by
pearing at an unprecedented the ability of future genera- cycling. Wrexham has convert- Creadur in 2018. That year the band, which has just two mem-
rate. But here in this little tions to meet their own ed the tumbledown covered bers, was named as one of the featured bands on the BBC
book, we find out what our lit- needs”. In addition to propos- market into a space for street Gorwellion/Horizons programme for young bands and after this
tle country is doing about it. ing a set of ecological aims, food and artistic enterprises. their career really blossomed. They started performing regularly
I confess to never having the Act is very specifically One Planet Developments gives throughout Wales and most notably their single Gwenwyn
heard of the book, nor of any designed to serve the people grants for the purchase of land became the first Welsh language track to receive one million
steams on Spotify.
of the initiatives it discusses, of Wales and to pay attention to young people anxious to farm Alffa released their first album in 2019, Rhyddid o’r
until my super-eco-friendly to specific Welsh culture. a smallholding. The University Cysgodion Gwenwynig, on the Cosh label and this was fairly
cousin, Jill Lewis, sent me a It introduces seven statutory of Wales Trinity Saint David well received after their fame the previous year. Somewhat sur-
copy. The author, Jane well-being goals: “a prosper- has created a business pro- prisingly, given where they are from (one of the most Welsh
Davidson, was, first, a mem- ous Wales; a resilient Wales; a gramme which incorporates sus- speaking places in the world) and the attention they received
ber of Cardiff City Council, healthier Wales; a more equal tainability modules in its gradu- from their streaming milestone four of the 11 tracks on the
album are in English. Although the band is sometimes described
then an elected member of the Wales; a Wales of cohesive ate requirements. My very own as a blues band, the album has very much a hard rock sound,
Welsh National Assembly, communities; a Wales of hometown of Swansea has built which is fairly unique for Wales and for artists from a Welsh
and finally Minister for the vibrant culture and thriving homes for social rent designed language background in particular. I enjoyed the tracks O Dan
Environment, Sustainability Welsh language; and a global- to the very low Passivhaus stan- Dy Groen and Gwenwyn the most and the album is fairly good
and Housing (the very exis- ly responsible Wales.” dards, and so on and so on. overall. However, I must admit that I liked two of their earlier
tracks that appeared on the Sesinau Stiwdio Sain album (as De
tence of such a Ministry These aims were partially And an important feature for Alffa) a bit better. The band is still young and they’re full of
bespeaks the seriousness of distilled from responses to a the success of the Act is that potential but for this album I would give it 3.5 out of 5.
Welsh concern). As such, she community-based question- there is a Commissioner, whose
was largely responsible for the naire called ‘The Wales We task is to ‘name and shame’ and Cofi 19 - compilation album featuring Pasta Hull &
actions taken about the envi- Want’ and take into account to try to make sure public bod- associated artists
In the year (2020) which was defined by the Covid-19 virus
ronment by the Assembly. the needs of various areas of ies are conforming to the aims there have been a few tracks that have been released around the
Brought up in Zimbabwe, she Wales. Davidson makes no of the Act. world which generally pay tribute to those who are doing essential
was aware, from childhood bones about the fact that The Welsh initiative has been jobs during the pandemic. When I saw this album on Bandcamp
on, of the riches of nature on Wales is the poorest of the viewed with interest by politi- (the only way I know to get this at the moment) I though it looked
the one hand, and of the U.K. countries, that it suffers cians from—notably—Canada, interesting so I downloaded it, not knowing what to expect. On
inequities of a racially divided from chronic unemployment; and New Zealand, Portugal, listening to it I was pleasantly surprised as it wasn’t what you
nation on the other. Memories that life expectancy in some Australia, Gibraltar and the might expect but instead a ground breaking hard hitting album
which is innovative in almost every way.
of these two poles of experi- areas is five years below the United Arab Emirates. It’s quite The album was organized by the band Pasta Hull from
ence have remained with her, average, and that at the outset clear to most people in the Caernarfon and it features Pasta Hull, as well artists who socialize
and impelled her to make the Wales was not overly enthusi- world that something has to be and play gigs with Pasta Hull, I’m not sure how many musicians
extraordinary efforts she astic (as were Scotland and done to save our planet. It’s are interchangeable in this case, but there could well be some of
describes in the book, efforts Ireland) about Devolution. good to know that our little this on this album. The album has a lot of very politically hard
which led to Wales passing These disadvantages country is doing its share and edged tunes, much in the tradition of Anweldig and their succes-
sors, also drawing inspiration from Hen Wlad Fy Mammau (aka
the Well-being of Future notwithstanding, she points to then some. Anhrefn) who released a similarly ground breaking album in the
Generations Act, and becom- past successes that have put It’s quite clear to most peo- early 2000s. The music is also cutting edge, incorporating alter-
ing thereby the first country in Wales at the forefront of eco- ple in the world that something native and electronic sounds as well as hip hop and it often works
the world to make sustainabil- logical responsibility. Some has to be done to save our very well with the subject matter. The last tune, at the end of the
ity the central organizing years ago, Wales was respon- planet. It’s good to know that album, is what you might expect from an album called Cofi 19-
principle of government. sible for the survival of the red our little country is showing it’s by Twmffat and it pays tribute to essential workers, this also
give us hope that Twmffat may be releasing new material soon.
Davidson recounts the vari- kite, which was an endangered the way. Other tunes I particularly enjoyed here included Crachach by
ous stages that went into the bird species, and which now White River Junction, Crinc and Hosepipe Band by Pys Melyn, generally I enjoyed the
passage of the Act, and pays thrives throughout the land (I Vermont, and London UK, whole album very much. My only slight criticism is that it could
tribute to the many people have fond memories of watch- Chelsea Green Publishing, have been slightly more accessible to reach a wider audience with
who contributed to it. At its ing them soar around our 2020. the messages on the tunes but otherwise I thought this was a very
good album, very well done. This is definitively not for everyone,
core, the Act seeks “to ensure chilly rental farmhouse near but if you enjoy innovative cutting edge tracks this one if for you.
that the needs of the present Lampeter); and in more recent 4.5 out of 5.
are met without compromising times, Wales was the first
Political Pamphlets & Sermons From Wales, 1790-1806

Marion Löffler with Translations by Bethan Jenkins Review by Robert Humphries

While it is tempting to think Jacobinism. Day), follows with full-throated were singled out due to their
of Wales as a backwater isolat- This volume in a series titled support for inalienable rights religious dissent, and their
ed from the more turbulent cur- Wales and the French and a condemnation of inheri- imprisonment awaiting trial was
rents of history, this perception Revolution adds to our under- tance practices that kept proper- an injustice.
would be quite far from the standing of this period in Welsh ty and power in the hands of the Marion Löffler provides a
truth. The well-known historian history with five radical tracts upper classes. thorough and engaging intro-
th
th
of 18 and 19 -century Welsh originally printed in Welsh, Thomas Roberts, Llwynrhu- duction to these texts, adding
protest and politics, Gwyn A. published alongside English dol, a radical and reformer from vital historical and literary con-
Williams, discussed the role of translations for the first time. Pwllheli, is the author of the text, and among the book’s
Welsh radicals in the “Atlantic The first is Cyngor Gamaliel fourth pamphlet, Cwyn yn illustrations is the very first
Revolution”—the historical (Gamaliel’s Counsel), a 1794 John Jones, otherwise known as Erbyn Gorthrymder (A Welsh-language political car-
moment when the enlighten- sermon written by Morgan John Jac Glan-y-Gors. Subtitled A Complaint Against Oppression) toon. The translations by Bethan
ment challenged the power of Rhys, in which the abolitionist Few Observations on Kings, from 1797, in which he takes Jenkins are fluid and clear while
monarchy and empire through and Baptist minister argues pas- Bishops, Lords &c. and The the established church to task retaining the flavor of eigh-
the American and French revo- sionately against the war with General Government of for its accumulation of wealth teenth-century political writing,
lutions and radical movements France and defends the revolu- England, the essay presents an and tithes—the notorious and are of great benefit to
in Britain and beyond. None tionary regime, even consider- indictment of Britain’s ruling degwm which Nonconformists researchers who cannot read the
other than Iolo Morganwg him- ing the possibility that it was hierarchy, lack of democracy fiercely opposed. The last piece Welsh. This volume will be of
self, remembered now more for installed by divine will as retri- and widespread poverty. Glan- in the collection is Cwyn y interest to both academic and
his role in creating the rituals of bution for the tyranny of the y-Gors holds up the American Cystuddiedig (The Complaint of general readers looking at this
the eisteddfod, was lauded in his French kings. Notably, Rhys republic as an example of the Afflicted) by William period of Welsh history, and
time as the “Bard of Liberty,” a mentions how the economic reform. “When the people of Richards, published in 1798. despite the focus on the French
political radical and anti-slavery impact of the war was motivat- America proclaimed themselves Richards provides an account of Revolution, there is much in
campaigner. However, to voice ing British workers to emigrate free from every other govern- two Welshmen falsely accused these texts of relevance to
support for revolutionary ideals to America—he too would emi- ment, it was like the morning of aiding the French in their Welsh-American history, name-
in Britain was risky in the grate to Pennsylvania shortly star of liberty,” he writes, argu- failed invasion of Pembroke- ly the political and social factors
1790s, putting one at odds with thereafter. ing that its light remains con- shire in 1797, after which they which influenced the decision
the government which was at The second pamphlet is Seren cealed in Britain by the oppres- were imprisoned for several of many to emigrate to the
war with France and fearful of Tan Gwmwl (A Star Under a sion of the state. The second months before being acquitted. United States in the early nine-
the violent excesses of Cloud) from 1797 by the poet installment of his treatise, He argues that the two men teenth century.
Toriad y Dydd (The Break of

Page 18 NINNAU - The North American Welsh Newspaper January-February 2021 Section Y Drych
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