#hanes gymraeg

[gingersnaptaff]

Maelgwn Gwynedd

(The lad himself. He looks how I look when confronted with any question at all. An expression of surprise mixed with apprehension. Note the tiny sword and orb.)

Entering the final stretch of 2024 with Arthuriana's favourite 'sodomitical grape' as Gildas called him. Seriously, Gildas has beef with him, almost as much as he has with dubious historical personage, King Arthur.

Not much is known about Maelgwn's reign considering how big of a guy he's become in the Arthurian mythos but what we do know of him is cool!!!

His great-granddad was Cunedda, who was the first king of Gwynedd, and from whom all others were descended. Cunedda had conquered Gwynedd after the fall of Roman Britain. His title, Wledig, is obscure and I won't go into it too much, but Cambrian Chronicles has done a video about it which I will link to at the end! It means 'of a country' but it's more likely it was an expression of some Roman title.

And his great-great-grandad was Edern - yes, the basis of THAT Edern in Welsh mythology - who was a romano-briton. Maelgwn's dad, Cadwallon Lawhir* (long-hand), was *maybe* king but there are also questions about that. Mainly from Gildas. He suggests that his brother, Owain Danwyn (White Tooth), was King and Cadwallon was his right-hand man - which perhaps would fit with him being the guy who drove the last of the Irish from Ynys Môn - and suggests that Maelgwn murdered his uncle to gain the throne. Peter Bartrum also suggests this but does caveat that the term used, 'avunculus' is normally only applied to a maternal uncle.

(Fun fact: Owain Danwyn was the father of St. Seriol who gave his name to Ynys Seriol otherwise referred to as Puffin Island in English. Maelgwn would later be buried here after he died of, well, we'll get to that.)

Regardless of who was and wasn't king, Maelgwn was the first to reap the rewards of his great-granddad's conquest.

He is normally regarded as the House of Aberffraw's founder from which all other kings of that line were descended. (Yes, including Law Lad, Hywel Dda) This would make them one of the oldest royal lineages until the English chopped off the last king of Gwynedd and Wales, Llywelyn Ein Llew Olaf's head. Gwynedd is the territory that they ruled over. Basically near enough to the whole of North Wales. At its biggest, would've stretched from Anglesey to Ceredigion. Maelgwn - like Owain Gwynedd - was referred to as 'Maelgwn Gwynedd' because Maelgwn ap Cadwallon was a v common name at the time and it would be fuckin confusing.)

Now, sorting fact from fiction with Maelgwn is... um, difficult, shall we say. Gildas himself said that Maelgwn killed his uncle as previously mentioned, killed his nephew so he could marry his wife, and killed his wife to ensure that she wouldn't object to her husband sharing her bed with another woman. I'm not going into that because I want to keep it short but IT'S WILD.* What we do know suggests that Maelgwn was a deeply religious man, and I'm not being funny, but Gildas smeared like five kings - including Maelgwn's nephew, Cynlas, otherwise known as Cuneglas.

Anyways, while the seat of Aberffraw was traditionally the village of Aberffraw - as the name suggests - Maelgwn's llys (court) was held in Deganwy and where Llywelyn Fawr would later build another llys many years later. 'It is supposed,' Timothy Venning writes, 'that his fort was 'Dinerth on the Clwyd coast, due to which the owner might have been nicknamed 'Artos.' But there is no clear evidence that he was called that but there is plenty of Arthurian sites in Gwynedd! Also, there's a Dinerth in Llandrillo-yn-Rhos near me, and like I like to think maybe there was a fort there somewhere.

He's also known to have given money to many churches and saints which puts Gildas assertions that he was a bad dude in doubt but, I mean, you can make up your mind. In Historia Brittonum, Nennius, remarks, 'the great king Mailcun reigned among the Britons, i.e., in Gwynedd,' and further adds that Cunedda, Maelgwn's ancestor arrived in Gwynedd 146 years ago and slaughtered the Irish living there. He also appears only once in the Welsh Triads in the 'The Tribal Thrones of the Island of Britain' each ruled by King Arthur. Maelgwn was Arthur's Chief of Elders in Mynwy (St. David's, itself a major religious site both for Celts and Christians.)

Honestly, Maelgwn's intertwining with saints is fascinating. It's known, as I've said previously, that he gave to various churches in Gwynedd, while the Book of Llandaff (written in 1125) says he was a benefactor of the Diocese of Llandaff when that first started. Also, his nephew, St. Seriol's, bestie was St Cybi, otherwise known as the lad who gave his name to the Welsh name for Holyhead, 'Caergybi,' which means Cybi's Fort. Maelgwn was, by all accounts, the one who gave the fort to him!

Now, Historium Brittonum is of further interest to us because it, in Kari Maund's words, 'reflects the 9th-century context in which it was written when the rulers of Gwynedd advanced claims of primacy all over Wales.' It would've been, within the rulers of Gwynedd's interests to present Maelgwn and his pedigree as 'pan-Welsh figures,' and many pedigrees further reflect that. (See, when I said sorting fact from fiction was difficult I meant it!)

HB says: 'These are the names of the sons of Cunedda who numbered nine. Tybion was the first-born who died in the land of Manaw of Gododdin and thus did not come with his father and aforesaid brothers. Merrion his son divided the possessions amongst Tybion's brothers: Oswael the second-born, the third Rhufen, the fourth Dunod, the fifth Ceredig, the sixth Afloeg, the seventh Einion Yrth, the eighth Dogfael, the ninth Edern.' The names of these sons became attached to territories within Gwynedd I.e. Dunoding, Rhufeniog, Ceredigion, and, therefore, the divisions (or Cantrefi) of Gwynedd with them. This is propaganda by other monarchs who wanted to show that the Gwyddelian line were the rightful rulers of Ceredigion but it also shows what a Big Fuckin Deal Cunedda and therefore Maelgwn are both as a historical figure and as a propaganda piece. Timothy Venning also suggests that the 'parcelling out' of Gwynedd to members of Cunedda's family was presented by Nennius as 'justification for its reunification by his patron King Merfyn.' Some even say that Owain Gwynedd (him again!) used the legend to 'provide an earlier precedent for its [Gwynedd's] current division' between his sons.' I'm telling u this cuz a) it's of interest because it shows just how embedded this family are in Welsh mythology and culture. Like u cannot go five fuckin mins without seeing them, and b) Maelgwn comes from a fighting pedigree. (And also because I think this is fun.)

Now, Maelgwn's death is pretty confusing. Reports say he died from the 'Yellow Plague or Justinian's Plague' which had made its way over from Byzantium. My school and grandad both said to me when I was little that Maelgwn died from yellow fever passing through a keyhole and infecting him that way which I think is very scary. I would cry if I was confronted with that. Thank you, Ysgol Nant-y-Coed and Grandad Barry, you gave me nightmares about a yellow fog coming to claim me late at night. That's why I now have to block the keyhole of my room door up with blutac. He was buried off Ynys Seriol so yeah. The throne would eventually pass to Maelgwn's son, Rhun, otherwise known as that 'hot lecher of women' himself.

As for Maelgwn, he's bound up in Arthuriana as are his family. Many kings of his line claimed descent from Arthur further down the line and it's not a stretch to think that maybe that's why he's such a big part of Arthuriana. Also, he's such a cool character in his own right that it would be a disservice not to include him. Edern, Maelgwn's great-grandad, is sometimes said to be Guinevere's lover in Welsh mythology, and that would make him and his line have the genes of the wife defender of Britain and the literal Lad Everybody Gets Their Knickers In A Twist Over, Arthur. It's not a stretch to think that later chronicles went fuckin Mad with this info. I would!

*The video about the term 'Wledig' is here.

* If you want to learn more about these events can I suggest this web page which explains it far better than I ever could:

https://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id166.html

Tagging people I think might get a kick out of this: @dullyn @gwalch-mei @gawrkin @crwbannwen @believerindaydreams @queer-ragnelle @cesarescabinet

Okay, hwyl fawr! I'll be back next year to chew your ears off about the Mabinogion in the context of ladies or something.

[gingersnaptaff]

Adding on to this just quickly, bards were seen as being so important culturally, and honestly, socially that even the king had a bard in his household. The Laws of Hywel Dda set down the roles and privileges that related to a bard and they were seen as the second most important dude after the king. The chief bard, the Pencerdd, was even allowed a special seat at court (sometimes even by the King's side.) during the three chief festivals (Easter, Whitsun, and Christmas).

When he performed he was expected to do so twice, once to God and once to his king. He also received his woollen clothes from the king but his linen clothes he got from the queen. Also, he was entitled to land free and a horse as well as being allowed to take a cow or an ox from any spoils of war (because cows were a big deal in Welsh society. The king had special summer pastures he kept his cows in called hafotiroedd so yeah, not a stretch to think that you'd grow quite rich from owning cattle.)

The bard is so intertwined with Welsh culture that it's said that when Edward I of England completed his conquest of Wales he executed all the bards, but it's a lie. Still makes for a good story, though.

The Welsh word 'bardd' which, yes, does mean bard, means 'poet.' (Welsh has this thing where one word carries multiple meanings.)

(Also, as far as I know, Arthur's harp is just called Telyn Arthur in Welsh which is also what's to refer to the constellation Lyra. Fun! The Welsh harp is triple-stringed and is played with the instrument sitting on the left side of the body too.)

Very sorry if I've repeated anything you've said @gawrkin but yeah! Hope this helps.

What do you make of King Arthur's title of Frivolous Bard? He does have some musical talents in Welsh myth, but his most well-known composition was a poem ragging on Kay that got Kay all pissed off at him. Why was his position as a bard "frivolous"?

One source I found praises Arthur's poetic skills, alongside Tristan and Llywarch Hen. In general, it seems Arthur was largely seen with Bardic talents, and Bards are a very esteemed position in Celtic society.

"Frivolous bard" is a translation of the term "Oferfardd", which may mean to be "Scurrilous Bard" or "Amateur/Semi-Professional Bard"

It could mean that Arthur may have been irresponsible or incompetent with his position (not hard to believe, all things considered) .

But more likely, given the praise Arthur recieves, it could mean thay Arthur can "fill-in" as a Bard as a side occupation.

Arthur being a King means he can't be a Full Professional Bard - with all the implied powers and privileges - but can act as one in an emergency/impromptu situation.

[rhyw-fath-o-seiren]

Smae, Dwin drio dysgu cymraeg! Dwin bod americaidd ond dwin hoffi yn dysgu hiaith.

Dwin licio hiaith cymraeg, lladin, groeg hen a saesneg hen, almaenwr a sbaeneg. Dw i ddim yn dda iawn yn hiaith, ond dw in licio.

Dw in dysgu lladin a groeg hen, a llyfrau arthuraidd a llyfrau groeg yn yr ysgol. (A chymraeg, ond dwi ddim yn mawr(major?) yn gymraeg)

😄 fi tumblr prif yw some-sort-of-siren

[llyfrenfys]

Y llyfr heddiw yw 'Queer Square Mile' a olygwyd gan Kirsti Bohata, Mihangel Morgan a Huw Osborne, a gyhoeddwyd yn 2021.

Mae'r llyfr hwn yn gasgliad o hanesion Cymreig LHDT+, o'r 19eg Ganrif i'r 21ain. Fy hoff hanesion yw 'Y Dyn a'r Llygoden Fawr' (1941) gan Pennar Davies a 'Nadolig' (1929) gan Kate Roberts. Mae'r ddau yn drist iawn, ond yn bwysig iawn yn yr hanes llenyddiaeth Gymraeg LHDT+.

Ydych chi wedi darllen y llyfr hwn?

/

Today's book is 'Queer Square Mile' edited by Kirsti Bohata, Mihangel Morgan and Huw Osborne, published in 2021.

This book is a collection of LGBT+ Welsh stories, from the 19th Century to the 21st. My favourite stories are 'The Man and the Rat' (1941) by Pennar Davies and 'Christmas' (1929) by Kate Roberts. Both are very sad, but important to the history of LGBT+ Welsh literature.

Have you read this book?

[dissociative-disaster]

Cerdd olaf Refaat Alareer, 'If I must Die,' wedi' chyfieuthu i'r Gymraeg:

Os by'n rhaid i mi farw,

mae'n rhaid i ti fyw

i adrodd fy hanes

i werthu fy mhetha'

i brynu cadach mân

ac eda,

(gwnâ fo'n wyn gyda chynffon hir)

fel gall blentyn, rhywle'n Gaza

tra'n syllu i lygaid y Nef

yn disgwyl ei dad adawodd mewn tân -

â ffarweliodd neb

dim hyd'nod ei gnŵd

dim hyd'nod ei hyn -

weld y barcud, fy marcud a wnêst,

yn uchel ei hediad

a meddwl am eiliad fod angel uwch ei ben

yn danfon cariad

Os by'n rhaid i mi farw,

gad iddo roi gobaith

gad iddo fod yn hanes.

Rhyddid i Balestina!

[queerwelsh]

Mis Hanes LHDT+ Hapus! Happy LGBTQ+ History Month! Here is my annual post compiling the events happening in Wales:

Throughout February until June 30th at St Fagans Museum: Wales is... Proud & Wales is... Remembering Terrence Higgins

From the 8th until 27th: Cynon Valley Museum Pride exhibition

Various dates: Queerway, 9th at Porth, 10th Merthyr, 14th Llanelli

Various dates: Iris on the Move, 13th at Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff, 17th at National Museum Cardiff, 25th at Aberystwyth Arts Centre & more

Various dates: Queer Emporium - 9th Comedy with Leila Navabi, 17th Transition, 18th Sound Check (music), March 2nd You’re Invited, March 16th Chwarae’r Chwedlau & more

9th Queerdos Wales’ Anti Valentine’s Day Ball at Porter’s Cardiff 7pm

9th Tai Pawb ‘Older LGBT+ People in Housing’ 11am online

11th Sadie’s Butterflies at National Waterfront Museum Swansea

12th Lezdiff - Cardiff Lesbian Festival at Chapter from 12pm

16th Paned o Ge Kinky Books at 7pm

17th Hwyrnos: QUEER at the National Museum Cardiff from 7pm

17th Lleswyl online from 7pm

18th Aberration at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Proud Writing workshop at 2pm and Dreaming up the Past at 7pm

20th Dyddiau Du + Trans Aid Cymru Social

21st Llyfrau Lliwgar Online 7pm (yn Gymraeg)

21st Reclaim the Frame at Snowcat Penarth

22nd Dyddiau Du Queer Words

23rd Conwy LGBTQ+ Celebration at Conwy Culture Centre 6-8pm

25th Cardiff Trans Singers, Cathays at 7pm

28th Ladies of Llangollen British Library event online from 8pm

March 5th Carmarthen LGBTQ+ History Month, details tbc

March 7th National Library of Wales Aberystwyth - Queer Tales from Wales’ The Story of Amy Dillwyn at 5pm

[guillemelgat]

Solomon a Gaenor (1999)

1h40m | Welsh, Yiddish, & English

Y wythnos diwetha', nes i weld y ffilm 'ma. Mae hi'n am Solomon Levinsky, sy'n dod i'r Cymoedd De Cymru o Rwsia efo'i deulu, a Gaenor Rees, sy wedi byw yna ei holl fywyd. Mae Solomon a'i deulu'n Iddewon Uniongred, a mae Gaenor yn dod o deulu Anghydffurfiol, ond mae'r dau'n disgyn mewn cariad. Mae'r stori'n dipyn bach fel Romeo a Juliet, ond mae hi'n wahanol hefyd—mae'r cymeriadau'n mwy cymhleth, yn fy marn i, ac yn y diwedd o'n i ddim yn siwr beth i feddwl amdanyn nhw. Er hynny, mae'r hanes yn ddiddorol iawn, a mae'r ffilm yn sôn am y streiciau yn y Cymoedd ac am hanes Iddewig yng Nghmyru. Mae'r sinematograffi'n wych, ac o'n i'n licio'r trac sain hefyd, ond dwi'n dal i drio penderfynu am y plot. Rhaid i chi'w gweld a deud beth ydach chi'n meddwl!

Last week, I watched this film. It's about Solomon Levinsky, who comes to the South Wales Valleys from Russia with his family, and Gaenor Rees, who's lived there all her life. Solomon and his family are Orthodox Jews, and Gaenor is from a Noncomformist family, but the two fall in love. The story is a bit like Romeo and Juliet, but it's different too—the characters are more complex, in my opinion, and at the end I wasn't sure what to think about them. The history was really interesting, though, and the film talks about the strikes in the Valleys and about Jewish history in Wales. The cinematography is great, and I liked the soundtrack as well, but I'm still trying to decide about the plot. You have to watch it and tell me what you think!

Geirfa - Vocabulary

(Note: The movie is set in South Wales, so some of these are Southern Welsh variants)

swllt - shilling cefn gwlad - countryside cenhadwr - missionary perthyn i - belong to, be related to pai' bod yn ddwl - don’t be silly rhywpryd eto - another time tost - sick moddion - medicine damwain - accident twymo - to heat up darn - passage tlawd - poor cwlwm - knot siort - type pobi - to back carthu - to clean bod mas o gyrraedd - out of reach of, past main - fine cyhuddiad - charge, accusation dieithryn - outsider cosb - punishment disgwyl babi/plentyn - to be expecting a child, to be with child cywilydd - shame bradychu - to betray gwlân - wool sodli - heel gweddi - prayer rheol - rule haearn - iron lliain - towel pyped - puppet dere ymlaen - come on, let’s go carchar - prison cyfeiriad - address gwau - to knit

Os ti isio gweld y ffilm, mae hi ar Youtube // If you want to watch the movie, it's on Youtube:

Fersiwn Gymraeg (heb isdeitlau/isdeitlau i'r Iddew-Almaeneg yn Gymraeg) / Version in Welsh (no subtitles/subtitles for the Yiddish in Welsh)

Fersiwn Saesneg (y rhan amla' yn Saesneg efo rhannau yn Gymraeg a Iddew-Almaeneg/isdeitlau i'r holl ffilm) / Version in English (mostly English with parts in Welsh and Yiddish/subtitles for the whole film)

[ioantalfryn]

Trechaf Treisied, Gwannaf Gwaedded - Bwlio a’r Iaith Gymraeg

Deugain mlynedd a mwy yn ôl, ar ôl i mi symud i Ogledd Cymru, dechreuais weithio am gyfnod gyda chwmni preifat ar Ynys Môn.  Wna i ddim enwi’r cwmni.  Y cyfan wna i ddweud oedd mai Saeson cefnog oedd y perchnogion ac mai Cymru dosbarth gweithiol oedd y gweithwyr.   Yn gyffredinol roedd y berthynas rhwng y cyflogwyr a’r gweithwyr yn un bur ormesol ac ymdeimlad eithaf cryf o ‘ni a nhw’ yn y lle.  

Yn fy naïfrwydd ifanc roeddwn i’n credu na fyddai’r math o berthynas ormesol wedi bodoli yn y cwmni petai’r perchnogion a’r gweithwyr fel ei gilydd yn siaradwyr Cymraeg.  Wedi’r cyfan, mewn sefyllfa felly oni fyddem i gyd yn Gymry Cymraeg oedd yn rhannu’r un Iaith a’r un hanes?  Oni fyddem i gyd yn rhan o’r un teulu Cymraeg?

Mae fy mhrofiad o fywyd ers hynny wedi newid fy meddwl yn llwyr ar y mater hwn ac rwyf wedi sylweddoli’r hyn y dylwn i fod wedi’i ddeall o’r cychwyn cyntaf sef mai yr un yw anian dyn (neu ddynes) ar saith cyfandir, er gwaethaf gwahaniaethau diwylliannol.  Yn fwy na hynny rwyf wedi dod i’r casgliad efallai fod ymddygiad gormesol (bwlio, bychanu a thrin yn ddirmygus) yn waeth o fewn y byd Cymraeg gan fod sefydliadau Cymraeg, yn amlach na pheidio, yn gyndyn o weithredu i ddelio ag o rhag ofn i hynny niweidio’r fuwch sanctaidd honno, y Gymraeg.  

Yn hyn o beth mae’r rheiny sy’n ceisio claddu unrhyw gwynion neu feirniadaeth am ymddygiad gormesol y tu fewn i sefydliadau Cymraeg yn debyg i arweinwyr yr eglwys Gatholig ac Eglwys Loegr (neu’r Met yn Llundain) a fabwysiadodd strategaethau tebyg i’w gilydd i i amddiffyn eu buchod sanctaidd hwythau.  Fel arfer, gyda’r cyrff hyn, byddai’r cŵynion yn cael eu hanwybyddu cyn belled ag yr oedd modd.  Os na fyddai hynny’n gweithio byddai’r sawl a gyhuddwyd yn cael ei symud yn ddistaw bach i rywle arall a byddai’r camymddygiad gwreiddiol yn parhau.  Petai unigolion yn mynnu parhau i dynnu sylw at y camymddygiad, fodd bynnag, (boed hynny’n ymyrraeth rywiol, hiliaeth neu fisogynistiaeth) byddai’r cyrff hyn wedyn yn mynd am y dewis niwclear gan ddefnyddio holl rym eu sefydliadau i geisio tanseilio ac erlid y sawl oedd yn cynhyrfu’r dyfroedd.

O fewn y Gymru Gymraeg gallem feddwl am achos John Owen fel yr un mwyaf eithafol o beidio â gweithredu yn erbyn unigolyn carismataidd oedd yn denu sylw mawr i’r Gymraeg. Roedd ei aflonyddu rhywiol yn cael ei amau am flynyddoedd cyn iddo ddod yn destun archwiliad gan yr heddlu ond wnaethpwyd dim byd amdano.  

Dw i’n cofio wedyn achos o fewn fy nheulu estynedig i o bennaeth un ysgol Gymraeg a oedd yn dwyn arian o’r ysgol.  Pan aeth aelodau o’r staff at eu cynrychiolydd undeb i fynegi eu pryderon cawson nhw eu cynghori i gadw’r peth yn ddistaw rhag niweidio addysg Gymraeg.

Dydy’r ddwy stori a gyrhaeddodd y penawdau’n ddiweddar ynglŷn ag ymddygiad gormesol a bwlio (a misogynistiaeth ac ymyrraeth rywiol!) tu fewn i Blaid Cymru ac S4C, er yn ofidus iawn, ddim yn sioc i lawer ohonom sydd wedi gweithio yn y byd Cymraeg ers blynyddoedd. Yn aml iawn mae’r diwylliant gwaith mewn ambell sefydliad neu faes Cymraeg yn medru ymdebygu i rifyn o A Game Of Thrones, ond heb y rhyw (wel, mae hynny’n dibynnu ar ba straeon dych chi’n fodlon eu credu)

Y cwestiwn ydy, pa gorff fydd yr un nesaf i gael ei gyhuddo o nid yn unig o oddef ymddygiad gormesol o fewn y sefydliad ond o fynd ati’n gwbl fwriadol i danseilio ac erlid unrhyw un a geisiodd dynnu sylw at y camymddygiad?  A wneith y datgeliadau hyn droi’n gaseg eira fel y digwyddodd gyda’r ffenomenwm Me Too? Ac o ba le y daw’r stori nesaf?  O Bontcanna, o Ben-y-Bont, o Ben Llŷn?  

Fasai hi ddim yn anodd iawn canfod enghreifftiau lluosog o ‘Gymry da’, hoelion wyth y byd diwylliannol Cymraeg, sy’n waradwyddus o euog o roi buddiannau sefydliadol a buddiannau (tybiedig) y Gymraeg uwchlaw buddiannau’r bobl sy’n gweithio i ryw sefydliad neu’i gilydd.  Efallai eu bod nhw’n twyllo’u hunain trwy ddweud eu bod yn gyfeillion i’r Gymraeg trwy wneud hyn.  Ond gyda chyfeillion felly does dim angen gelynion ar y Gymraeg.

Ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl, yn dilyn achos o gamymddygiad go ddifrifol gan rai siaradwyr Cymraeg tuag at siaradwyr Cymraeg eraill, gofynnodd un cyfaill o ddysgwr o Sais i mi (yn dorcalonnus braidd). “Os mai dyma sut mae Cymry Cymraeg yn trin ei gilydd pam wnes i drafferthu dysgu Cymraeg?”.  Doedd gen i ddim ateb iddo ar y pryd.  

A dweud y gwir rwyf wedi gofyn yr un cwestiwn i mi fy hun dros y blynyddoedd, serch mai dysgu Cymraeg i eraill fel athro y bu hi yn fy achos i.  Ond yr un yw’r emosiwn, teimlo eich bod chi wedi ymroi i rywbeth dim ond i weld camymddygiad ar bob llaw sy’n gwneud i chi amau gwerth yr hyn y dewisioch ei wneud.  

Mi wnaeth hynny gyrraedd penllanw i mi ychydig flynyddoedd yn ôl ac rwy’n cofio ble’r oeddwn i.  Yn sefyll yn fy nghegin ac yn meddwl – mae’r plant i gyd wedi hedfan y nyth (dros dro, fel y digwyddodd), yn byw dramor neu wedi gadael i’r brifysgol gyda’r bwriad o fynd tramor.  A wnes i feddwl “Jest peidiwch â dod nôl i Gymru.  Ewch i unrhyw le arall yn y byd i wneud bywyd newydd i chi’ch hunain yn hytrach na dychwelyd i’r twll yma ble mae Cymry Cymraeg uchelgeisiol yn aml yn ymddwyn yn y modd gwaethaf posib, yn gormesu eu cydwladwyr ac yn trywanu’i gilydd yn eu cefnau.”

Ond ys dywedodd T.H. Parry-Willams un tro “Ymollwng a wneuthum.  Rwy’n tynnu fy ngeiriau yn ôl”.  Oherwydd mae’n amlwg i mi erbyn hyn fod y math uchod o ymddygiad annerbyniol yn digwydd ble bynnag yn y byd y bydd gan rai unigolion bŵer dros eraill, yn enwedig os yw’r diwylliant ehangach yn ei oddef fel rhan o fywyd na ellir ei newid.  A dyna’r allwedd : os yw’r diwylliant ehangach yn ei oddef.

Mae nifer o astudiaethau diweddar gan arbenigwyr ym maes paleontoleg ac anthropoleg  megis Richard Wrangham, Brian Hare a Christopher Ryan wedi tanlinellu’r faith fod gwahaniaeth sylfaenol rhwng y ffordd yr oeddem yn arfer byw cyn y chwyldro amaethyddol a sut yr ydym yn byw o fewn cymunedau hierarchaidd trefniedig.  Gweler, er enghraifft :

https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/43350/were-hunter-gatherers-peaceful-egalitarians 

Am ddegau o filoedd o flynyddoedd cyn y chwyldro amaethyddol a ddigwyddodd ryw 10,000 o flynyddoedd yn ôl roeddem yn byw mewn bandiau bach crwydrol, egalitaraidd.  Ac roedd uchelgais personol, chwennych awdurdod dros eraill o fewn y band a’u trin yn amharchus yn cael ei ystyried yn rhywbeth peryglus i undod y band.  Yr hyn fyddai’n digwydd i unigolyn oedd yn amlygu tueddiadau felly oedd yn y lle cyntaf cael ei watwar a’i fychanu gan weddill y band (yn ddynion a merched).  Os nad oedd hynny’n llwyddo i newid yr ymddygiad yna byddai’r ‘cefndryd’ neu’r hynafgwyr (sef casgliad o ddynion priod y band) yn penderfynu cael gwared ar yr unigolyn peryglus ac yn trefnu i’w ladd (gweler : The Goodness Paradox gan y preimatolegydd Richard Wrangham sy'n casglu ynghyd dystoliaeth hanesyddol yn ogystal â thystiolaeth anthropolegol fwy cyfoes o bobloedd brodorol modern).

Am ddegau o filoedd o flynyddoedd felly roedd diwylliant egalitaraidd y grwpiau crwydrol cyn amaethyddol yn rhwystr i ymdrechion unigolion uchelgeisiol rhag codi uwchben eu stâd.  Ond unwaith i’r chwyldro amaethyddol ddigwydd (The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race chwedl yr anthropolegydd a’r biolegydd Jared Diamond) dechreuodd rhai unigolion a grwpiau reoli adnoddau megis bwyd ac adeiladu stwythurau mwy hierarchaidd.  Yn y pen draw esblygodd y cymdeithasau amaethyddol cynnar hyn yn deyrnasoedd ac ymerodraethau hierarchaidd gyda’r Brenin yn ben ar y cyfan.  

Os ydym am weld diwedd ar y math o fwlio a chamdrin a amlygwyd yn adroddiad Plaid Cymru ac yn y cyhuddiadau ynglŷn â diwylliant gwaith S4C mae’n rhaid i ni greu diwylliant ehangach sy’n ymwrthod yn llwyr â breintiau hierarchaidd cyffredinol, diwylliant mwy egalitaraidd, diwylliant mwy agored, diwylliant sydd ar un ystyr yn fwy fel diwyllaint grwpiau cyn-amethyddol o ran eu hagwedd tuag at uchelgais personol. Mae angen i ni ddechrau amau cymhelliant a gwerth pobl uchelgeisiol gan fod unigolion felly yn tueddu i’n harwain i gorsydd peryglus. Meddylier am y llanast a grewyd gan Tony Blair a Boris Johnson.  

Ydy, mae democratiaeth yn beth gwych.  Ond efallai y dylem osgoi pleidleisio dros unigolion sy’n dymuno cael eu hethol (ac efallai y dylem ymatal rhag penodi unigolion sy’n ymgesisio am swyddi bras).  Onid yw’r ffaith eu bod yn chwennych pŵer yn y lle cyntaf yn eu gwneud yn anaddas i’w dderbyn?  Efallai fod hynny’n swnio fel jôc sy’n debyg i un o’r posau annatrysadwy Zen hynny megis Beth oedd eich wyneb gwreiddiol cyn i chi gael eich geni? Ond o ddarllen am helynt mewnol Plaid Cymru efallai fod mwy o wirionedd paradocsaidd iddo nag a welir ar yr olwg gyntaf.

Ond i ni yng Nghymru, ac yn benodol i ni Gymry Cymraeg, y prif angen ydy sicrhau nad yw’r ‘Cymry da’ hynny sydd wedi cael eu hunain i safleoedd o awdurdod (ac yn byw’m fras yno) yn cael camddefnyddio’r awdurdod hwnnw.  Mae angen sicrhau nad ydynt yn medru amddiffyn eu sefydliadau neu’r fuwch sanctaidd haniaethol honno Y Gymraeg ar draul y bobl gyffredin (ac yn amlwg, y merched) sy’n ei siarad neu, yn achos y cyfaill o Sais y cyfeiriais ato uchod, a wnaeth ymdrech i’w dysgu.  Cenedl heb Iaith, cenedl heb galon.  Efallai.  Ond cenedl heb gyfiawnder?  Pa werth sydd i honno?  

[pontiobangor]

Cwmwl Tystion III / Empathy

Tomos Williams sy'n dweud mwy am brosiect Cwmwl Tystion a'r hyn sy'n aros amdanoch ddiwedd Mai!

Cyfuniad o alawon gwerin a jazz gwreiddiol sydd i'w ddisgwyl yn Cwmwl Tystion III / Empathy. Dwi wir yn gyffrous i rannu'r llwyfan gyda dwy o leisiau ifanc mwya' creadigol a pwerus Cymru yn Pontio sef Mared Williams ac Eädyth Crawford. Ma' lleisiau'r ddwy ohonyn nhw yn bwerus iawn, a ma' nhw'n rhoi cymaint o'i personoliaeth i bob cân.

Ma Melvin Gibbs yn gawr ar y bas. Mae'n dod draw o Brooklyn, Efrog Newydd yn unswydd ar gyfer y daith yma, a galla i ddim cweit credu ei fod wedi cytuno i deithio Cymru fel rhan o 'Cwmwl Tystion III / Empathy'. Ma fe wir yn 'legend' o fewn sîn cerddorol Efrog Newydd ac yn ehangach. Roedd yn faswr gyda band Henry Rollins nôl yn y 90au pan oedd y band yna yn chware holl wyliau mawr Prydain fel Glastonbury a Reading ar y pryd, ond mae e' hefyd wedi chware gyda mawrion y byd jazz fel Ornette Coleman, Bill Frisell, Dave Douglas a John Zorn.

Ar hyn o bryd mae'n aelod o driawd o'r enw 'Harriet Tubman' – power trio, neu avant-rock trio (sy’n cynnwys, gitâr, bâs a dryms yn unig) ac yn cael ei ystyried yn un o fandiau gorau'r byd. Yn wir roedd cerddoriaeth trwm y band yma yn ddylanwad mawr arna i pan nes i ddechrau meddwl am y prosiect 'Cwmwl Tystion' ac ysgrifennu jazz newydd oedd yn delio gyda'n hanes ni fel Cymry. Felly ma fe'n anhygoel i feddwl y bydd Melvin Gibbs yn dod draw i ymuno â'r band ac i deithio Cymru. Byddwch chi erioed wedi gweld na clywed baswr sy'n swnio cweit fel Melvin – ma fe'n defnyddio llu o bedalau electronig i greu sŵn hollol unigryw”.

Ma Nguyên Lê yn enedigol o Ffrainc ond â'i wreiddiau yn Vietnam. Ma fe'n 'monster' ar y gitâr ac yn fyd-enwog. Mae'n cael ei adnabod fel gitarydd 'world fusion' sydd wedi cyfuno dylanwadau o gerddoriaeth Vietnam â gitâr rock/trydanol fel Jimi Hendrix. Ma' fe'n virtuso llwyr ac yn athrylith. Dwi wedi ei weld yn fyw amryw o weithiau – yng Ngŵyl Jazz Aberhonddu ac yn Llundain a mae e’n berfformiwr unigryw. Mae ei unawdau yn mynd â chi i'r uchelfannau – “transcendental” fel bydde nhw'n gweud. Galla i ddim aros i glywed Nguyên yn cyfeilio i leisiau Mared ac Eädyth ac yna’n chware unawdau dros alawon gwerin Cymru. Bydd clywed y cyfuniad o alawon gwerin Cymru, jazz a cherddoriaeth byd yn ei ddwylo fe yn brofiad arbennig iawn.

Fel yr arfer byddaf i yn cyfansoddi gwaith newydd ar gyfer Cwmwl Tystion III – yr “Empathy Suite' – bydd yn cyfuno alawon gwerin Cymraeg, gyda jazz a roc, a byddaf yn cyfeirio at rhai digwyddiadau yn ein hanes fel cenedl: y Welsh Not, Streic y Glowyr, trychineb Aberfan a bydd y gerddoriaeth yn ymateb ac yn adlewyrchu'r digwyddiadau yma. Bydd Mark O'Connor yn ymuno ar y dryms gyda celf weledol fyw Simon Proffitt yn ategu at pob perfformiad. Ma'r elfen weledol yma wir yn bwysig i'r prosiect ac yn adio rhywbeth i'r perfformiadau byw.

Hwn bydd y drydedd a'r ola' yn fy nghyfres 'Cwmwl Tystion'. Teithiodd yr un gynta' Cwmwl Tystion / Witness nôl yn 2019 – cafodd CD ei ryddhau o'r daith yna yn 2021 a gafodd yr albym ei ddewis ar gyfer rhestr fer 'Albym Gymraeg Gorau'r flwyddyn'. Yna yn 2021 fe wnaeth yr ail bennod Cwmwl Tystion II / Riot! Fynd ar daith jyst wrth i'r cyfnod clo ddod i ben ar ddiwedd 2021. Cafodd CD o'r gerddoriaeth yna ei ryddhau y llynedd a cafodd y cyfansoddiad yna ei enwebu ar gyfer gwobr cyfansoddi Ivor Novello. Felly dyma'r drydedd a'r bennod ola'. Dwi'n teimlo y bydd 'trioleg' yn gweddu’n reit dda – mae pob band wedi bod yn hollol wahanol ar gyfer pob pennod. Ma Mark O'Connor ar y dryms a Simon Proffitt ar y celf weledol fyw wedi bod gyda fi ers y dechrau, a teithiodd Eädyth Crawford gyda Cwmwl Tystion II, ond heblaw am hynny mae aelodau'r band yn newid pob tro – sy’n arbennig o gyffrous ac yn cynnig cyfleodd i weithio gyda cherddorion arbennig iawn fel Melvin Gibbs a Nguyên Lê.

Bydd Cwmwl Tystion III / Empathy yn dechrau eu taith yn Pontio, Bangor ar nos Iau 30 Mai, 7.30pm. Bachwch docynnau ar pontio.co.uk

[panwalescymru]

70Cleif

8/

Un o sêr mwyaf y Sîn Roc Gymraeg oedd gwestai arbennig sesiwn "Tua'r Gorllewin" #AcEraill 

"Rhyfeddfod o'dd e!" - #CleifHarpwood

🎧Am wybod mwy? : 🎧https://soundcloud.com/dailingual/hanes-pop-cymraeg-cleif-h?si=6f476bacfb2c40948fb1d8cd1e6451e1&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Llun: @Nwdls @WiciCymru gyda diolch

(DaiLingual)

[cymdeithasceredigion]

Erthygl Bapur Bro - yn ymwneud â hobi neu ddiddordeb - Trefor Huw Jones, Aberystwyth (Ffugenw: Brynglas)

Llain Llawenydd

Pam fod crwt a fagwyd yn ardal Aberystwyth â’r fath ddiddordeb mewn criced? Dyna’r cwestiwn sy’n cyniwair pan gyfeiriaf at rai o gampau’r meistri ar y maes criced yn ystod sgyrsiau achlysurol am ddigwyddiadau’r meysydd chwarae.

Efallai bod elfen o etifeddeg yn gyfrifol. Cofiaf glywed fy nhad yn crybwyll manylion am gêm brawf yn Awstralia wrth y bwrdd brecwast. Yr wyf yn amau mai yn ystod gaeaf 1964/65 y digwyddodd hyn. Anodd iawn i blentyn chwe mlwydd oed ar fore tywyll yng Nghymru oedd dirnad cricedwyr wrthi ym mhen draw’r byd tra’n paratoi i fynd i’r ysgol fach.

Yn ddiarwybod bron ehangwyd fy ngorwelion. Rhaid oedd gofyn llu o gwestiynau. Meddyliaf am barodrwydd fy rhieni amyneddgar i wrando ar yr holi cyson. Lleoliad dinasoedd yn Awstralia ac amserau gwahanol o’r dydd ar hyd a lled y wlad. Pytiau o wybodaeth a brofodd yn ddifyr ac yn fuddiol.

Y diwrnod sy’n allweddol i esbonio’r diddordeb mewn criced yw 30 Gorffennaf 1966. Ar y Sadwrn gwelais gricedwyr Morgannwg yn chwarae yn erbyn India’r Gorllewin. Maes Sain Helen yn Abertawe oedd cyrchfan cerbyd fy nhad. Dyma’r tro cyntaf i mi fynd i gae criced. Antur a hanner. Yr unig beth tebyg a brofais cyn hynny oedd gwibdaith yr Ysgol Sul i Sw Caer.

Mae’n debyg fy mod wedi brasgamu yn awchus i gyfeiriad y fynedfa fel ebol blwydd. Diwrnod bythgofiadwy. Disgrifiad addas o’r profiad a’r mwynhad tra’n gwylio yr agorwr Alan Jones ar ei orau. Sgoriodd gant a chwe deg ac un heb fod allan. Gwefr arbennig oedd gweld y bêl yn hedfan drwy’r awyr cyn glanio ar y teras gerllaw. Ergyd am chwech gan un o fatwyr Morgannwg. Rhyfeddais.

Rhaid cydnabod i’r teledu gyfrannu yn helaeth at feithrin a chynnal y diddordeb yn y gamp yn ystod fy mhrifiant. Darparwyd darllediadau cyson o gemau cartref Morgannwg. O ganlyniad, gwelais fatwyr, bowlwyr a maeswyr wrthi ar leiniau niferus. Dysgais hefyd am ddylanwad tywydd cyfnewidiol ar dynged y chwarae. Meddyliaf am haul crasboeth, cymylau, glaw a stormydd Awst. Gall y tywydd fod yn gwmni da ac yn chwalwr gobeithion bob yn ail.

Mae criced yn llawer mwy na chwarae pêl. Yr iaith fain, yn naturiol, yw y prif gyfrwng ar gyfer deunydd llafar ac ysgrifenedig. Ond yn ystod blynyddoedd olaf y Chwe Degau, gwn fy mod yn ddilynwr brwd, yn benodol, o hynt a helynt

y brodyr o’r Felindre, Alan ac Eifion Jones. Yr oeddent yn siarad Cymraeg.  Dyna’r esboniad sylfaenol. Yr ymdeimlad o berthyn. Weithiau mae’n anodd ei ddeall.

Cofiaf gael llyfr o ysgrifau, Chwarae Teg, yn anrheg gan ffrind i’r teulu yr adeg hynny. Bellach, yr oedd modd darllen am griced yn y Gymraeg. Edmygais ymdrech yr awdur sef Howard Lloyd. Cyfrannodd dewiniaid geiriol fel Eic Davies a Carwyn James at gyfoethogi geirfa’r gêm. Daeth y coeswr sgwâr yn ymadrodd cyffredin. Heddiw, gwerthfawrogaf o’r newydd Cricedwyr Cymru  gan Howard Lloyd a gyhoeddwyd yn 1984. Ystyriaf hefyd y ddarpariaeth ar deledu’r cyfnod hwnnw ar ôl sefydlu S4C. Uchafbwyntiau o fatiad Viv Richards yn Abertawe a sylwebaeth John Evans yw un o’r perlau a ddaw i’r cof.

Mae’n wir bod hanes criced a gweinyddiaeth y gamp yn gofnod o fyd breintiedig. Treiddiodd bodolaeth yr Ymerodraeth Brydeinig a’r meddylfryd a ddeilliodd o ganlyniad i galonnau cyfran helaeth o’r boblogaeth.

Gan bwyll bach mae mynd ymhell medd yr hen air. Gwelais ddisodli apartheid yn Ne’r Affrig a’r cyfraniad arwrol a wnaed gan y cricedwr Basil D'Oliveira. Ni ellir gorbwysleisio yr erledigaeth a gafodd gwrthwynebwyr apartheid.

Er bod y byd wedi newid yn ddirfawr ers y Sadwrn hwnnw yn 1966, deil criced i roi cryn bleser o bryd i’w gilydd. Arbrofwyd a diwygiwyd ond yr un yw’r gêm yn ei hanfod. A wireddir y dyhead i gyhoeddi geiriau’r Prifardd J M Edwards yn ei gerdd, Y Cricedwr :

Dan y goeden ben-tymor Morgannwg biau’i brig!

Cwestiwn arall i’w ateb, yn gadarnhaol gobeithio, maes o law.

[gingersnaptaff]

HI me again back with another Welsh law bonanza. For some reason I don't know, u guys really liked the Gwenhwyfar divorce post I did a few weeks back, so allow me to shed some light on how divorces worked as well as marriage payments, and the role of a queen in Welsh law. (Which doesn't have much on it but is FASCINATING.)

Also, I am SUFFERING from cramps so I apologise if I ramble.

First off, Marriage Laws.

So, as previously discussed there were two ways a woman could marry: she could either be given by her family, or she could elope. Now, a woman who eloped would still be entitled to the same monetary payments as a woman who was given in marriage by her kin,

So, the Dues Payable are as follows: Amobyr, Cowyll, Agweddi, Gwaddol, Argyrfreu, and Wynebwerth.

I'm gonna cover Amobyr and Cowyll today, as well as do a lil write-up about Queenship so yeah.

It's a maiden fee! Now, this and the Cowyll are BOTH maiden fees, however, they differ as Cowyll - and we'll get onto it later - is a fee maybe to the lady herself. Sort of a wedding morning gift, I guess. 'Sorry I slept with u, or not, have some money.' Which, is extremely crass.

The Amobyr was fixed to a lady's status and it goes from King, Chief Bard or Storyteller, Chief Officers (so a Distain, which is what we Welsh would call a Seneschal), Minor Officer's daughters, Uchelwyr (so knights or lords), and then your middling noblemen, to peasants, foreigners, and slaves.

It's essentially equal to the revenue the father would get for his land, but EVERY SINGLE WOMAN would get it, regardless of status. High-born or low. The amount's payable regardless of whether you have one penny or seven thousand.

Now, amobyr could be recovered by suit as it was payable to the King and was essentially like protection money. If you made off with somebody's amobyr you were in BIG TROUBLE. HOWEVER, and I really love this fact, the King's daughter's amobyr would be payable not to him BUT TO THE QUEEN, as well as other daughters of high rank like your Pencerddau, chief groom, etc.

Amobyr was payable once a couple had cohabited for the first time, and even had to be payable if a man boasted that he'd shagged a woman and gotten her pregnant, but actually hadn't. Presumably because a) these laws are BIG on honour bonds and things and because you'd lied you'd tarnished that woman's honour and your own, and b) you'd kinda claimed that Lady as yours because you've made her unchaste.

Because it's a maiden fee it - like the Cowyll ' could only be paid ONCE. No more, no less. If you were a widow or wanted remarry, you can't get the amobyr again. Also, if you'd eloped with a dude and your family had caught you before you'd consummated your relationship they didn't have to pay cuz you're still a virgin. Also, if you were raped then the rapist had to pay amobyr to your family in recognition of that.

Finally, a lady who'd had a fling which had resulted in a bastard child* but she hadn't declared who the father was, then she was responsible for the amobyr. However, if she HAD declared who the father was then he had to pay the amobyr instead.

The Cowyll, as I've already said, is a personal payment to the lady that's made on the first morning after marriage.

Now, in North Wales it's always given as money even if you're a King's daughter, BUT if you're in the South then you get la lovely chunk of land. So if you married a prince of Gwynedd, bad luck, just money for u. If you married a Prince of Deheubarth then you are QUIDS IN! (THAT'S YOURS FOR LIFE BABYYYYY)

(Ignore the Agweddi for today. Or don't. Think of it as a tantalising glimpse into the next law I'm gonna cover.)

Cowyll is both paid to just married women AND those who were violated against their will. The wife / lady who had been violated had the right to specify what they wished for their cowyll to be in service of. If she didn't then it just went on stuff for the couple, so I'd imagine whatever the medieval equivalent of IKEA flat pack furniture would've been, that would've been what they'd have chosen.

Also, it's kept entirely separate from the husband's property so he Could Not pinch from it, or use it in service of himself. You couldn't even be deprived of it if you'd had an affair or did any naughty business. That's YOUR MONEY AND BY GOD YOU CAN KEEP IT. Even if you divorced your husband or he you, you would be allowed take your cowyll with you.

Now, finally, QUEENSHIP.

(Particularly handy if you are, like me, doing an Arthurian-inspired, Welsh-set novel and you GOTTA KNOW WHAT GUINEVERE DOES.)

There is not a lot on it because it isn't something that's studied that much (idk why. Wales has tonnes of cool Queens even if they didn't become regent) but we make do with what we can!

You, as King, could marry ANYBODY (Within reason, nobody is marrying a peasant girl) within what would be termed your Cenedl (that's your family.) or out of it.

Kings, we know, often married their first cousins, or second cousins to keep the balance of power within Wales (you gotta remember Wales wasn't united back then! Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth fuckin squabbled like dogs over bones, and Do Not get me started on the littler kingdoms like Arwystli or Senghenydd.)

Seriously, Gwenllian ap Gruffudd ap Cynan (Gwynedd) eloped with Gruffydd ap Rhys (Deheubarth) and they were like distantly related. Or, Gwenllian's brother and v famous boi, Owain Gwynedd married his first cousin, Cristina (and, in doing so, ensured that after his death Gwynedd would have a power vacuum because of squabbling that wouldn't be sorted until Llywelyn Fawr took the throne and overthrew his uncles. It's always fuckin Gwynedd. Even Gwenllian's son, The Lord Rhys, married one of his first cousins, who was also named Gwenllian.)

*Gets slapped with a wet fish* Sorry, I was rambling.

Now, kings did also marry for political alliances. Gruffudd ap Cynan himself married Angharad ferch Owain (can u sense a theme with the names?) because she was from a well-off, noble family who had ties to the Anglo-Saxons when Gwynedd was in a bad spot with the Norman's. Llywelyn Fawr married Joan, the illegitimate daughter of King John of England, when relations became... tense, shall we say.

So, lemme go over some stuff regarding laws real quick before I tell u why I've highlighted these three ladies. (Cuz they're fun and I'm in love with them- uh, you what?)

So all the Codes (North, South, Mid) attach the following to the Queen: a steward, priest, chief groom, door-keeper, and a handmaiden. In Gwynedd she was also given a page, a separate cook (presumably because of poisoning attempts), and a candle-bearer (would LOVE to be that. No joke.) Whereas in Deheubarth she was given a groom of the rein, a sewer, and a footholder. (For all u lovers of the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi out there this is a win for u.)

The line of Cunedda which (and, fuck me, I can't believe I'm saying this) IS BASICALLY ALL OF THE KINGDOMS OF WALES allowed for transition of royal dignity through a the female as well as the male. That means u could contest ur throne using your mam's blood and status as well as your dad's. Owain Glyndŵr, as I have previously mentioned, did this when he started his rebellion against Henry IV, as his mother descended from both the houses of Gwynedd and Deheubarth and his father descended from Powys. Truly, the people's Prince.

Now, a queen had her own privy purse (Go her), and one-third of the income the king received went to the Queen for her personal use. She also received land grants that went directly to her.

Now, finally, why tf did I highlight those three Queens that I spoke about earlier? Okay, so, Queens couldn't be regents, BUT they absolutely could and did use their power in any way they could.

Angharad ferch Owain was the mother of Owain Gwynedd, Gwenllian, and Cadwaladr. Owain Gwynedd ruled Gwynedd after his dad died in 1137 and led Gwynedd to become Wales' most successful kingdom at that time. He is also the reason why the Prince of Wales is called the Prince of Wales. ANYWAY. He and Cadwaladr had a falling out in 1143 and Angharad, not liking the way Cadwaladr was being treated, took his side. (Dunno why, he killed her step-grandson, Anarawd. Like, Angharad pls. Priorities, del.)

So, Owain ordered his son, Hywel, (yes him of bardic fame) to BURN DOWN Cadwaladr's castle in Aberystwyth. Cadwaladr, enraged, hot-footed it to Ireland where he and the Vikings invaded Gwynedd in an attempt to make Owain give him his lands back.

Angharad supported Cadwaladr by allowing him to beach his forces in her lands of Abermenai in Ynys Môn (Anglesey.) and also tried to intercede on her son's behalf with his brother. Anyways, the brothers were reconciled (for a brief period. Cadwaladr was aligned with the Normans so he remained a thorn in his big bro's side.) and Angharad lived until 1162. Her death led Owain Gwynedd into a melancholic spell.

Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd ap Cynan waged war against the Normans during the Great Revolt. Fighting against the Normans was very much a family affair for, you see, her brothers Owain (previously mentioned cousin-marrier) and Cadwaladr also waged war against the Normans at this time, and their dad, Gruffudd ap Cynan also fought against them SO HE COULD BECOME KING OF GWYNEDD. After her husband left Deheubarth to go and plead with her father for troops and aid men flocked to her and they waged a guerrilla war against the Normans until 1136.

This pains me to say but a Welsh lord betrayed Gwenllian after the Normans - seeking to win back the territory that Gwenllian and Gruffydd ap Rhys had recovered - waged war against them. She and her two eldest sons, Morgan, and Maelgwn died. Morgan in battle, and Maelgwn and Gwenllian were beheaded at Castell Cydweli.

After her death, South Wales rose in rebellion against the Normans. Her brothers, once word reached Gwynedd, invaded Norman-controlled Ceredigion (which was Deheubarth's territory.) and won back Aberystwyth, Llanfihangel, and Llanbadarn. The Welsh battle cry for many years was 'Dial Achos Gwenllian!' Revenge for Gwenllian.

Finally, Joan, Lady of Wales. She's referred to as Siwan in Welsh. She was the daughter of King John (as previously said.) She often mediated between her father and her husband, Llywelyn Fawr. The Brut y Tywysogion writes: 'Llywelyn, being unable to suffer the king's rage, sent his wife, the king's daughter, to him, by the counsel of his leading men, to seek to make peace with the king on whatever terms he could.' I'll probably do a full post about her at some point but yeah, she's cool!

Anyways, hope u enjoyed this!

Okay, hywl fawr!

[chaotic-hypnotic-erotic]

Adolygiad gan Alex Greene o lyfr "Y Dydd Olaf" (Owain Owain, 1976)

Nofel ffuglen wyddonol yw "Y Dydd Olaf" a ysgrifennwyd gan Owain Owain, ac a gyhoeddwyd ym 1976. Mae'r nofel yn digwydd yn y gorffennol, ar ddiwedd y 1940au, ac mae'n disgrifio byd erchyll dystopaidd tebyg i "Brave New World" gan Aldous Huxley a "Nineteen Eighty Four" gan George Orwell.

Wedi'i gyflwyno fel cofnod o ddyddiau olaf dynoliaeth, nofel epistolaidd yw "Y Dydd Olaf" - hynny yw, cyflwynir y stori o safbwynt dogfennau a ysgrifennwyd gan y gwahanol gymeriadau yn y stori, megis cofnodion dyddiadur a llythyrau (wedi'u hysgrifennu â llaw, neu wedi'u teipio, ar bapur).

Mae'r cyfryngau i'w gweld bron yn rhyfedd y dyddiau hyn. Pe bai Owain wedi byw i fwynhau'r 21ain ganrif (bu farw ym 1993), byddai wedi gweld cynnydd yn y cyfryngau cyfan nad oedd erioed wedi eu dychmygu, megis e-byst, tudalennau gwe, ag ystafelloedd sgwrsio trwy sain a fideo.

Fodd bynnag, mae themâu'r stori - colli hunaniaeth, colli organau yn llythrennol, seiberneteg, sglodion mewnblaniad ymennydd - yn gydwybodol. Y themâu yw'r hyn a fyddai wedyn yn cael ei alw'n "cyberpunk," yn hytrach na ffuglen wyddonol syml. Rhaid i "cyberpunk" gynnwys elfen wrthdroadol sy'n digwydd pasio o dan sylw'r grymoedd monolithig helaeth sy'n gwrthdaro ymdrechion y prif gymeriadau i oroesi - ac elfen wrthdroadol Owain oedd y Gymraeg.

Yr hanes a adroddir yw stori Marc, dyn saith deg oed sy'n ysgrifennu ei gofnod olaf cyn i'r antagonwyr, Nhw, fynd ag ef er mwyn cynaeafu ei organau yn llythrennol, fel rhan o gynllun Nhw i symud dynoliaeth yn seiberneteg helaeth cyfunol - elfen a archwiliodd yr Athro Kit Pedler ar ffurf y Cybermen o'r rhaglen teledu Doctor Who, ac a archwiliwyd ym 1988 ar ffurf y Borg yn Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Mae'r gelynion, Nhw, yn tarddu yn y stori fel gyfeillion Marc, Cyngor y Frawdoliaeth, a gymerodd nofel dystopaidd Aldous Huxley fel eu Beibl, gan drawsnewid eu hunain yn gasgliad seibernetig tebyg i'r Borg, gan gymryd drosodd y byd, a chynaeafu cnawd dynoliaeth er mwyn goroesi. Mae'r ymwybyddiaeth ar y cyd, peiriant o'r enw yr Uchel Gyfrifydd, yw ateb y llyfr hwn i "Big Brother" gan Orwell.

Yr elfen sy'n gwneud y stori hon yn nofel "cyberpunk," yn fwy na nofel ffuglen wyddonol syth, yw gwyrdroi'r Uchel Gyfrifydd gan bobl a wrthododd gymathu, ac a ganfu y gallent gyfathrebu â'i gilydd trwy'r Gymraeg: iaith na allent ei deall na'i chyfieithu. Yn y pen draw, bu farw'r Uchel Gyfrifydd o orlwytho gwybodaeth sy'n gwasgu'r ymwybyddiaeth o dan bwysau ei ddiffygion meddalwedd ei hun.

Yn gymaint â'r stori am bobl yn goroesi mewn dyfodol erchyllterau lle mae peiriant yn ystyried nad yw cnawd dynol yn ddim mwy na thanwydd defnyddiol - thema a archwiliwyd yn ffilmiau Matrix ym 1999 a 2003 - ni fyddai stori Owain yn llawer mwy na ffansïol stori heb ei chyd-destun: ac mae'r is-destun yn ymwneud â chynnal yr iaith Gymraeg nid dim ond rhywfaint o ymarfer academaidd sych mewn ieithyddiaeth, ond yn hytrach am warchod rhan hanfodol o'r enaid dynol.

Ysgrifennodd Ursula K leGuin nofel am estroniaid a oresgynnodd ddynoliaeth trwy ddefnyddio iaith estron fel arf. Fel credwr yn Rhagdybiaeth Sapir-Whorf, credai LeGuin y gallai datblygiad dealltwriaeth o iaith heintio meddyliau'r cyfathrebwyr â diwylliant y bobl hynny - ac roedd yr iaith estron yn ei nofelau ffuglen wyddonol yn cyflyru ymddygiad ei darllenwyr, gan eu troi yn erbyn eu rhywogaeth eu hunain.

Yn "Y Dydd Olaf," mae Owain Owain yn dysgu'r gwrthwyneb - y gellir defnyddio'r Gymraeg ar gyfer gwyrdroi i'r cyfeiriad arall, trwy gadw'r rhan fwyaf hanfodol o hunaniaeth Gymraeg yn erbyn y Seisnigeiddio ymgripiol o Loegr, wedi'i symboleiddio gan Nhw.

Yn hynny o beth, mae gan "Y Dydd Olaf" lawer i'w ddysgu i bobl Cymru o hyd. Mae straeon ffuglen wyddonol naill ai'n lasbrintiau ar gyfer y dyfodol, neu'n rhybuddion - ac mae gan "Y Dydd Olaf" elfennau o'r ddau, sy'n gwneud y nofel hon yn llyfr teilwng, yn sefyll wrth ochr nofelau Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Olaf Stapledon ac Ursula K LeGuin: llyfr y dylid ei roi ar y maes llafur addysg.

[llyfrenfys]

LHDTC+ : Acronym heb Q / LHDTC+ : Acronym without Q

P'nawn da pawb, Mae'r post hwn yw'r post cyntaf yn fy system ddwyeithog newydd. Mae'r Cymraeg sy'n dod yn gyntaf a Saesneg yn ail. Afternoon pawb, This post is the first post using my new bilingual system. Welsh is first and English is second.

[Fersiwn pinc o'r ddraig yn y faner hon/Pink version of the dragon on this flag]

Mae'r acronym Saesneg LGBT fel arfer yn cael ei sgwennu fel LHDT yn Gymraeg. Ond beth am y Q+?

Fi'n gweld 'LHDTQ+' yn aml - ond does dim llythren Q yn yr alffabet Gymraeg. Felly beth am C+?

Mae'n amhosib siarad am yr acronym heb sôn am yr hanes yr acronym yn Gymraeg. Ar hyn o bryd, mae'r sôn cyntaf am yr acronym yn Gymraeg yn "Storïau sy'n rhoi siâp ar fywyd" gan West Rhyl Young People’s Project yn 1994. Ar dudalen 4 mae'n dweud "LHD" ar gyfer LGB. Ar ôl LHD, mae LHDT yn cyrraedd yn "Canllaw Cryno i Gymunedau LHDT: Ar Herio Adroddiadau Negyddol Yn Y Cyfryngau" gan y Comisiynydd Plant Cymru yn 2015.

Hefyd, mae'n amhosib siarad am yr acronym heb sôn am Q am 'Queer' neu Q am 'questioning'. Mae'r ddau, y ddau yn dda iawn. Ond yn y Gymraeg mae trydedd ongl: C am 'Cwiar' neu Cadi'?

Siaradodd Mihangel Morgan ar 'theori Cadi' yn Queer Wales (2016). Mae Morgan yn hoffi gwell Cadi na Cwiar fel term cymunedol ac mae yna rai sy'n cytuno ag e. Ar y llaw arall, mae rhai pobl yn hoffi Cwiar. Ac mae rhai pobl yn hoffi'r ddau. Fi'n hoffi'r ddau yn bersonol. Ond fi'n meddwl ei fod yn bwysig dangos y sgwrs o gwmpas y pethau 'ma.

Beth yw eich barn chi? Atebwch isod neu mewn neges neu drwy fy mocs gofyn!

/

The English acronym LGBT is usually written as LHDT in Welsh. But what about the Q+?

I see 'LHDTQ+' often - but there is no letter Q in the Welsh alphabet. So what about C+?

It is impossible to talk about the acronym without also mentioning the history of the acronym in Welsh. Currently, the first (known) mention of the acronym in Welsh is in "Stories which give shape to lives" by West Rhyl Young People's Project in 1994. On page 4 it has "LHD" for LGB. After LGB makes a debut, the acronym LGBT arrives in "A Brief Guide for LGBT Communities: Challenging Negative Media Reports" (tr.) by the Children's Commissioner for Wales in 2015.

It is also impossible to talk about the acronym without mentioning whether it is Q for 'Queer' or Q for 'questioning'. Both, both are good. But in Welsh there exists a third angle: Q for 'Cwiar' or Cadi'?

Mihangel Morgan has spoken about 'Cadi theory' in Queer Wales (2016). Morgan has established that he prefers Cadi to Cwiar as a community term and there are some who agree with him. On the other hand, other people prefer Cwiar. And some people just like both. I like both personally. But I do think it is important to show the conversation around these things on here.

What do you think? Reply below or in a message or an ask!

[queerwelsh]

Yn 1997, darlledwyd y gusan lesbiaidd gyntaf ar deledu Cymraeg, pan ddechreuodd Lisa Morgan a Fiona Metcalfe ar eu perthynas ar Pobol y Cwm.

A hithau'n benwythnos Santes Dwynwen, mae Cymru Fyw wedi cael sgwrs â'r ddwy a bortreadodd y pâr, Beth Robert a Lydia Jones ac uwch-gynhyrchydd y gyfres ar y pryd, Dr Glenda Jones, ynglŷn â sut beth oedd hi i ddod â'r stori'n fyw.

Yn ogystal, mae un o ffans y gyfres, Manon Fischer-Jenkins, yn egluro pa mor arwyddocaol oedd y foment iddi, â hithau'n ferch ifanc 17 oed bryd hynny, i weld dwy ddynes mewn cariad ar y sgrin fach Gymraeg.

Gwyliwch y fideo i glywed yr hanes.

(In 1997, the first lesbian kiss was broadcast on Welsh television, when Lisa Morgan and Fiona Metcalfe began their relationship on Pobol y Cwm. For St. Dwynwen's weekend, Cymru Fyw had a conversation with the pair who portrayed the couple, Beth Robert and Lydia Jones and the series senior producer, Dr Glenda Jones, about what it was like bringing the story to life. In addition, one of the fans of the series, Manon Fischer-Jenkins, explains how significant the moment, when she was a 17-year-old, to see two women in love on the Welsh small screen. Watch the video to hear the story.)

[guillemelgat]

Advanced Learner Challenge (Welsh): Day 27

[ original post with full list of challenges / other posts by me for this challenge ]

Today’s Challenge: Time to focus a bit on culture! Look into popular entertainment or businesses in your target culture that are of interest to you. Do as much of the reading in your target language as you can.

Heddiw, nes i ddysgu dipyn bach am gerddoriaeth Cymru. Mae gan Cymru hanes hir efo’r gerddoriaeth sy’n dechrau yn yr Oesoedd Canol efo’r Beirdd yr Uchelwyr. Mae ‘na fwyaf o gerddoriaeth o’r 18g a 19eg ganrifoedd oedd para yn yr 20fed ganrif. Yn y 19eg ganrif, oedd y corau meibion yn boblogaidd iawn.

Mae gan Cymru draddodiad hir hefyd, a naeth hi ddechrau efo caneuon yn ladin yn yr Oesoedd Canol. Mae lawer o cantorion enwog iawn o Gymru, er enghreifft Bryn Terfel. Mae ‘na Gwmni Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru sy wedi canu yn llawer o leioedd.

Yn y gerddoriaeth boblogaidd, ers diwedd yr 20fed ganrif mae lawer o bandiau sy wedi canu yn gymraeg, yr “Oes Aur.” Mae’r cerddoriaeth gymraeg yn tyfu, mewn rhan oherwydd Radio Cymru, sy wedi helpu’r cerddoriaeth gymraeg i gyrraed i fwy o bobl. Mae ’na nifer o gwmni recordio yng Nghymru, sef Sain.

(Oedd yr erthygl yn gymraeg lenyddol, felly nes i ddim dallt hi’n dda, mae’n ddrwg gen i os dydych chi ddim yn medru dallt beth nes i sgwennu)