Forum Activity for @roger-c-roberts

Pigyn Clust

Welsh Music

After Pigyn Clust disbanded because of Fion's untimely death I have not heard word of any other group playing in the style of the band. Seem to recall that Carreg Llfar has also disbanded.

The only samples of "active" Cymreig bands I have come across are from current commercial (BBC regulated?) radio airplay which simply leaves me shaking my head. The word that comes to mind is "Taffy", a word I thought our people were trying to get away from.

I am looking for exactally what the Brisith music critics once said about Pygyn Clust: "So young, so talented, and so WELSH!" (If the English would learn to speak a decent language maybe they would find the World a better place..." LOL!

RCR, Central Ohio

updated by @roger-c-roberts: 12/12/15 02:54:23PM

What’s happening to all the Welsh societies in America??

Promoting Wales in the USA

(Oh! That's my password...)

I'm posting this1 1/2weeks before the 2013 Viking event mentioned in my original post. The local Welsh grouphas decided to attend this year, and did so "on their own" in spite of my earlier suggestions. I have already served notice that I am setting up a seperate display and having a "hands off" attitude towards their heritage booth.

Also told them I'm gong to come down on the group for every error they make over the weekend in their efforts tolure potential "young" members to the group. I see my stand as "Tough Love".

Iattended the group's board meeting to explain the festival and took the time to mention some of the questions that I have been asked in the past. When I mentioned people were interested in finding their family's "home" on the map one board member jumped in with, "...we can show them that but if they ask the route their family took to get here, we are NOT researchers and can't give them an answer. We are not prepared!"

In other words she might as will stated "We don't want anything to do with those people." A good example of "what is happening" to Cymreig heritage groups in North America. Oh, might as will add that the mentione board member is a retired librarian...

I doubt if the groupeven thinks to bring a map. Assming thatany member representing the group at this festivaleven owns one.

I'll have at least ten maps with me even though I am only putting up a display of the eight primary flags representing the Celtic people in a circle around a four foot tall fiberglass "rock". (Title of the display: "A Celtic Gathering".)

Will the group bring their own flags? I am bracing myself for " We can find one but no one remembers where the other might be. That was the excuse heard at the last St. David's Day banquet I bothered to attend.

In regards to other local Celtic events:I recently challanged the officers of the Cymreig heritage group to attend a small Scottish "Tartan Day" event so that they no longer had to listen to me say "Other non-Irish Celtic heritage groups have events worth attending because of the acdtivity". One former officer did attend. That was last Saturday so I have yet to her the effect her report to our group's Board of Directors.

Two weeks after the Viking event there will be a smallevent titled "A Celtic Gathering"held at the fairgrounds in Lancaster, OH at which the local Cymieg heritage group may or may not have a booth. Last I heard was the officers of the group, whofor the most part are the youngest members ofour group, will be attendinga "Beltane" event in Northern Ohio.

In my mind people who wish toHOLD an office in a heritage group SHOULD attend functions where their group will be represented and set aside their personal desire to "go someplace that is fun".Our heritage group does not have a display at the Beltane. What I hear being said is out of one side of the mouth they agree that there is a need for younger members in our heritage group, but out of the other side of their mouth, "I'm not going to attend even though I sought and obtained office within the heritage group and therefore SHOULD be leading the drive for new, youger members."

Blah, blah, blah, etc., etc., etc.

I've been told the Cymreig "DO NOT" complain, but, they DO tend to air their upmost dislikes. So what's my problem? Simple,I represent three Cymreig families, but my dad's mother was frm Germany, therefore I complain.

What’s happening to all the Welsh societies in America??

Promoting Wales in the USA

Understandable. Most people living in the United States seeking help in regards to their Cymreig connections, especiallythose living in the state of Ohio, are not aware of theUniversity of Rio Grande's non-US charter. It is no secret, articles on URG appear in newspapersnow and then.

I am aware of that I, by nature, tend to "hold back" on detail. I do iton purpose.

Excuse: I am involved with several local historical societies and during my presentations I employ the the "plant the seed" tactics in order to encourage those who have a real interest in the presented subjct to do some light research on their own.

I wasn't taught to do so, "it" was in me when I walked in the door.

Why: Telling someone what they should be thinking leads directly to the attitude we see today in regards to heritage societies.

Partial explaination: We Americans of the Baby Boomer generation, when told to do somthing by our elders, would ask "Why?" We were told "because that is the way is is done", or "Because I said so". Looking back there is no question in my mind that our elders DID NOT have an answer, but they hadbeen deprived of many things as they grew up.

That lead tothe typical Baby Boomer's general disinterest inheritage societies and other activities which we associated withour elders.We were determined togrow up in our elder's image.

In some areas that attitude did work, but in other areas it did not. At some point we Baby Boomers replaced theterm "ask" withthe term "challange".

I blame my generation and the Depression Generation for Generation "X's" unwilling to listen to anyone.

However, andI have stated this before, Generation "Y" is asking questions but they have no guides helplead them to the answers they seek.

I also stated before that the real reasonCymreig heritage societies are failing can be seen by looking into amirror.

What’s happening to all the Welsh societies in America??

Promoting Wales in the USA

Not trying to start an argument (Celtic people never disagree, LOL!). Maybe I didn't read into your statement what you meant.

But yes, I do see the internet as a problem in general with the younger people. Without question the internet does provide the greatest access to information (both good and bad) that mankind has ever seen, IF the internet is used to find information.

Is "social networking" as it actually occurs on the internet actually SOCIAL NETWORKING? "I'm sitiing at a computer in the library typing this, in a few minutes I am leaving for an appointment.....etc., etc. I could have used the time spent searching for answers!

But the "Problem" is not limited to the internet and that was the reason I mentioned the young woman asking me where to start looking for information when we were within a physical stone's throw of the University of Rio Grande library. And no, she did not realize we were standing in the center of "The University of Rio Grande"!

How many people in the United States are aware of that university's purpose as stated in its charter? (Purpose: To provide an education to those who migrated from the home country which would help them meet the new challenges they would face in this country.)

I will argue that simply joining an interest special interest group is not the same as joining an actual group of people with a common interest. Cyber communications lacks the awareness of what is taking place around us while we are communicating with another via the internet.

Example: One of my biggest problems is that when I am on the internet I start on one topic but am thinking of many related bits and pieces that relate directly to what I am saying. Can't put it all down on cyber paper at the same time unless the "listener" has the time and ability to hyperlink my "extra" thoughts to obtain the full meaning behind what I have stated.

Physically meeting with others and willingly admitting to others that you are of Cymreig heritage is a major part of the problem "lack of interest" in my home area. Just too many older people are letting that "social slur" stop them from letting themselves be known to others of like mind and purpose and it has carried over to the younger set.

If the "Irish" can walk up to someone and "let it be known"... well, that's a bit unlike our people but at least we shouldn't be afraid of our ancestry. RCR

(Got to leave for an appointment....)

What’s happening to all the Welsh societies in America??

Promoting Wales in the USA

I disagree on the internet and "individual mobility" asbeing a problem. The problem, at least in Central Ohio, predates the internet. If the internet helped create the problem then why isn't the internet being used by the younger generations to find theinformation and organizations that could provide the solution?

But then again and along the same lines, I remember taking part inone of the last Celtic festivals held on the grounds of the University of Rio Grande. I was standing insideone of the buildings that sits along the campus oval watching the activities through the building's all glass front wall.

A young woman, perhaps in her late 20's, had noticed that I had been talking to a guy, showing him maps, etc. and that must have given her the idea that I was "was an information booth". She approached and asked if I could suggest where she could reasearch her Cymreig connections and the history of our people.

I was embarassed when I told her to look in the direction I was pointing, the University of Rio Grande's library was less then fifty yards from where we were standing. I really wanted to ask her if she had any idea what makes Rio Grande "different" then other universities in the United States!

DUH!

What’s happening to all the Welsh societies in America??

Promoting Wales in the USA

Having Cymreig blood I realize that (sometimes) I SHOULD NOT speak up.

"Our people are not expected to, we know our place" I was once told by an aunt. I responded with, "According to whom,the English?"

Please do not tell me that I am "Irish" when I happen to mention I have Celtic blood. That leads to my teaching you about the "Brythonic" Celts and the divisions within that grouping.

You can guess how I react when some uninformed perosn tells me that I am "English" because "Wales" is a PART of England....

What’s happening to all the Welsh societies in America??

Promoting Wales in the USA

Situation here in Central Ohio follows the trend I have been noticing in other heritage groups. Example: A crew member of a replicia viking shiptold me that they hadbeen invited to dispalay their ship at aDanish gatheringin Wisconsin . The invitation included thesociety's banquet on Saturday. Upon arrivial at the banquetthe ship's crew were told that they would be sitting at the "children's table". The youngest "child" at the table was in the mid-60's!

The "Welsh" group here in my area seemingly has an average age of "late 60's early 70" in regards to activities (there are some "youngsters" in their 40's that act as if they were 60-70). The first time I took part in one of their banquests I walked into the hall and did not believe what I was seeing. I recall saying to myself, "I've never seen so many grey haired men and blue haired women gathering in one spot." My second thought was along the lines of, "Are these people even breathing?"

The group dates back many decades, it was formed as a "Welsh" singing group that later became a "heritage" group. However, the primary people/leaders were those born in time to have experienced the Great Depression and "do without" era of WW II. They seemingly grew older without having anything of their own and when they inherited leadership of the organization they chose t disobey the rules of organization: Bring younger people into the group and teach them how to be the next generation of leaders.

My generation, the "Baby Boomers" were denied the education that would allow us to take over seamlessly when it should have been the right time. as a result the group stopped progressing (in this case the day after the end of the North American "Welsh" gathering that they had hosted. Those who had lead before the event dropped out, those who took over could be thought as those who want to believe that Cymru was still living in the era of horse and dog carts, nothing in the old country had changed.

And to insure the group would not change they engauged in the act of chasing away any potential member who acted or thought "young", Now the group has aged to the point that gatherings are scheduled so that "people didn't have to drive home in the dark", the so-called entertainment amounts to "Welsh" tenors who are members of the officers of the society (and there is the question as to the amount those people are being paid since they have no hotel costs, they stay at their cousin's house, etc.)

I tried to get the group to listen to the recordings of Pigyn Clust and Carreg Llfar, but they refused because the those groups played upbeat which "ruined the traditional songs". I tried to get the group to have a booth at a local "Viking Re-enactment" festival. "No, we are not going to tarnish our image by being seen with "Vikings". Without the group's support I set up a Cymreig ("Welsh" if you insist) heritage booth, after all our people were "involved" with the Norse and Norse-Irish. Within ten hours I had been approached thirty times by people wanting to see (on the map) where their relitives were born as well as asking where to start when they researched their Cymreig heritage/history.

One young couple aproached the booth and the female starts talking to me in what I, with limited experience, perfect Cyreag. From what I could translate, due to the speed of delivery, she had spent several years living and attending school within Cymru with relitives. And one of the first questions she asked, in English, "...where are all the Welsh heritage societies serving Central Ohio?"

No, I didn't mention the group in which I hold membership. I figured, why should I turn this much desired potential society member into an "old, spritless woman?"

At so-called Celtic meets held in Dayton and down in Cincy I find myself being approached by youg people (late 20's and early 30's asking for information on where to start answering their questions in regards to their family's heritage. And they did so right in front of the group of "older people" manning the "Welsh" heritage booth I was standing in front of. When the "older people" came out of the booth and tried to get in on the conversation the youger people moved physically to blocked them out.

Doesn't take much to come up with an honest answer as to why the "Welsh" heritage groups are failing in the U.S. The Depression era people gained control but refused to train the Baby Boomers to take over when the time came. Generation "X" does not trst Depression and Baby Boomer era people, leaving Generation "Y" to "carry the colors" without the help of training from the older generations.

So what is the problem that we must overcome? I suggest we look in a mirror..;.

(On a timed computer and didn't get to go back over this, sorry)