Wales - Cymru

Wales - Cymru

Population

A brief

Settled by waves of different migrants in ancient times Celtic farmers established Druidism Romans came in the 1st century Missionaries converted Wales to Christianity Anglo-Saxons failed to conquer Wales and thus it was divided into small states between 9th and 11th centuries In the late 13th century Edward I conquered

Wales, introduced English law and proclaimed his son the Prince of Wales

During the Wars of the Roses (1453-1487) in 1485, Welshman Harri Tudor defeated

Richard III and became Henry VII of England

History

More History

1535 – Wales was given parliamentary representation in London 1760s: Development of open-cast coal mining – Industrialisation began In 1913 Wales dispatched over 10 million

tons of coal and steel In December 1916 David Lloyd became the

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom In 1999 the Welsh Assembly was formed,

giving Wales its own parliament The main political parties are: the Labour

Party, the Party of Wales, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats

Much of Wales is mountainous. The highest mountain is Mount Snowdon (1085 m).Grasses and rough grazing 73 per cent (sheep farming).Forest and woodland 13 per cent. Urban development 10 per cent.

The legend of the red dragon:In the legend, the red dragon fights with an invading White Dragon. Their pained shrieks caused women to miscarry, animals to perish and plants to become barren. Lludd, king of Britain, went to his wise brother in France. His brother told him to dig a pit in the centre of Britain, fill it with mead, and cover it with cloth. Lludd did this, and the dragons drunk the mead and fell asleep. Lludd imprisons them, still wrapped in their cloth, in Snowdonia.

National

The Welsh Leek According to legend, Saint David ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by wearing the leek on their helmets during an ancient battle against the Saxons, which took place in a field of leeks.

The daffodilThe Welsh national flower is worn on St David's Day, March In Welsh, the daffodil is known as "Peter's Leek“.

St. DavidA Celtic monk, abbot and bishop who lived in the 6th century. Archbishop of Wales. Helped to spread Christianity among the Celtic tribes.

LovespoonThe love spoon was given to a young woman by her suitor. It was important for the girl's father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking.

HarpThe harp is regarded as the national instrument of Wales. By the end of the 18th century, the triple harp - so called because it had three rows of strings - was widely known as the Welsh harp on account of its popularity in Wales.

Welsh

National sport Cuisine Music LiteratureReligion National costumeLanguage

National sport

Dishes:•Laverbread made of seaweed and bacon.•Roast Lamb, cooked with mint sauce. •Bara Brith, sweet bread with raisins.•'Cawl', a stew made of lamb and leeks.•Faggots, meatballs made from lamb or pig's liver.•Monkfish often served with laver.

Beverages:•Beer – Braines, Druidic, Deridwen•Tea - The Pembrokeshire Tea Company •Whisky - Penderyn Whisky•Wine - Bryn Ceiliog Vineyard

Traditional music Folk music

Pop and rock Dance

LiteratureA tradition of storytelling

The Welsh love to talk, so it’s not surprising their literature all stems from the storytelling

tradition. We have a real love of language and a thriving literary culture, in both the Welsh

language and in English.

PoetryThe oldest surviving poetry dates from the sixth

century – predating all European literature except Greek and Latin. Welsh poetry developed as an oral art. This led to

cynghanedd (harmony), a very complicated system of alliteration and internal rhyme, still

rewarded today at the National Eisteddfod.

In mediaeval times Welsh bards or poets played a social role; their job was to praise their lords

and masters, often the Welsh princes.

Religion Nearly three quarters of the Welsh population described their religion as Christian (72 per cent).

After Christianity, Islam was the next most common faith. In the country overall Muslims accounted for less than 1 per cent of the population (22,000 people).

Among other faiths the next largest groups were Indian Hindus (over 4,000) and White Buddhists (3,000), followed by White Jews and Indian Sikhs (both about 2,000).

Across Wales 19 per cent reported they had no religion and a further 8 per cent did not record an answer.

National costume

Language What is Welsh?Welsh is one of the Celtic languages still spoken, perhaps that with the greatest

number of speakers.

Isn't Welsh just a dialect of English?No. It is a language with an older pedigree,

and a distinct one. An English speaker may recognise the rhythms of the opening of the Gospel

according to Saint John: Yn y dechreuad yr oedd y Gair; yr oedd y Gair gyda Duw, a Duw oedd y Gair. Yr oedd ef yn y dechreuad gyda Duw. Daeth pob peth i fod trwyddo ef; hebddo ef ni ddaeth un dim i fod, ynddo ef bywyd ydoedd, a'r bywyd, goleuni ydoedd. Y mae'r goleuni yn llewyrchu yn y tywyllwch, ac nid yw'r tywyllwch wedi ei drechu ef.

but would otherwise be pretty much lost.

1.In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2.The same was in the beginning with God.3.All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4.In him was life; and the life was the light of

men.5.And the light shineth in darkness; and the

darkness comprehended it not.

What??

And of course, the longest name of a village!

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

The Church of Saint Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the

fierce whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio by the red cave.

Classroom English! Welsh!

The book we have read….

The short storyDylan Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself.

Wales Quiz - Answers

1. The welsh flag is green on the bottom half and white on the top half.

A red dragon that faces to the left is placed in the centre...

2. The National Sport of Wales is Rugby.

3. Wales is quite small and has a population of approximately 3 million.

4. The Island of Great Britain.

5. Wales

6. Wales is mostly famous for the Welsh language and singing (Tom

Jones, Shirley Bassey, Stereophonics, ……………..)

7. The principality was brought under English control in 1284.

8. Mount Snowdon, at 3,560 feet or 1085 metres high.

9. It's Cymru (pronounced ''Cumree'' - remember to roll your Rrrrrrrr!)

10. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

(58 points in total, 1 point per correct letter in the right order)