Wales: The National Eisteddfod (1) The Gorsedd Prayer

Eisteddfod means something like 'a sitting', and is the annual competitive arts festival of Welsh language and culture - with prizes for poetry, prose, art, drama, dance, song, and many other aspects of artistic performance. It is all conducted in the medium of Welsh (though these days everyone who needs it has access to simultaneous translation!). Its roots go back over 800 years when Rhys ap Gruffydd, one of the Princes of Wales, began the tradition of awarding a chair to the best poet. However, the ceremonials and costumes you see here are romantic re-creations which nevertheless themselves first appeared in the 18th and 19th century. This extract is at the beginning of the chairing ceremony - the most important one of the festival. The crowd sing a prayer for the Gorsedd, the gathering of Bards - honorary positions held by those deemed as having made a significant contribution to Welsh life and culture.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Wales
• events
• eisteddfod
• culture
• ceremony
• druids
• bards
• Welsh

[catscrown]

I admire the unity of the Welsh people and the love they show for thier ancient heritage. Very adirable!

[blaaaank11]

Doesn't matter if you're a Christian, Jew, Muslim. This doesn't go against anybody, its just Welsh traditionalism. Its held every year in somewhere across Wales, a festival celebrating Welsh arts, the Welsh language etc. prizen given for recitation, cerdd dant, canu gwerin, singing, poetry, story writing, drama wrting, art and some other things I can't really remember. The biggest thing is where the winner of the Chair, Medal Ddrama, Medal Ryddiaith and Y Goron. IT IS ALL IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE!

[Jenjenilou]

Diolch yn fawr!

[ElsJones94]

@brethynda123 yeah, thats enough times lol...thats amazing though!

[powerspade]

@brethynda123 Yes as most of the people I met were from England

[brethynda123]

@powerspade

You found that they hate South Walians in Fishguard?

[brethynda123]

@ElsJones94

1968 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010.

BTW, in 1968 and 1970 I was a part of a prize-winning children's choir. In 1990 I won third prize in photography. And in 1980, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1996 and 2002 I was on stage for Seremoni Cymru a'r byd.

Enough times for you?

[ElsJones94]

@brethynda123 No, we do not speak English at the Eisteddfod as everything is done through Welsh and the Eisteddfod is only shown on S4C which is a Welsh TV channel. You should go to it one year, it's really good.

[MegaTories]

@treclie O.N. mae gen i ddiddordeb yn, a pharch at, yr iaith er mai Sais ydw i, ond hefyd dwi'n nabod Cymry di-Gymraeg sy wedi cael llond bol o gael eu trin fel Cymry ail-ddosbarth.

[MegaTories]

@treclie Beth mae powerspade yn dweud am yr Eisteddfod sy'n hollol gywir. Ro'n i'n gweithio gyda merch o'r Fenni nad yw'n siarad Cymraeg ond sy wedi canu yn yr Eisteddfod. Dwedodd hi wrthyf i y cafodd ei thrin fel Cymraes ail-ddosbarth yna oherwydd hynny. Pa siom i dderbyn diffyg mor warthus o adnabyddiaeth fel Cymraes go iawn, yn ei gwlad ei hun lle cafodd ei geni a'i magu, dim ond gan nad yw'n siarad yr iaith.

[SiggyStern]

@blaaaank11

It is beautiful!!! I like it a lot and think it great that this tradition is kept up.......it is very special!

[brethynda123]

@powerspade

Since you're a Welsh speaker, I wonder if you ever spoke English at the eisteddfod? You wouldn't need to, would you?