Welsh Society Of Wellington Celebrates Centenary

News Release 6 June 2007

The Welsh Society Of Wellington Celebrates Its Centenary

Cymdeithas Gymreig Wellington (The Welsh Society of Wellington) celebrates its Centenary this year, 2007. “It is hard to believe that Welsh people have been meeting in Wellington and sharing language, culture and experiences for more than 100 years,” says Dr Bryan Watts, former President of the Society.

“There were meetings even before that date, but 17 June 1907 was the date of our inauguration as an Incorporated Society and it will be on this anniversary that we will have our 100 Year Centenary Dinner.”

The Society is pleased that the celebrations will be in The Grand Hall in Parliament, at the invitation of the Hon Peter Dunne MP. Our guest speaker for the occasion will be Mr George Ferguson, the British High Commissioner. The evening will conclude in true Welsh tradition with Carolyn Mills, Principal Harpist at the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, performing Welsh music and there will also be poetry, prose, music and singing from members.

Bryan goes on to say, “The history of the first 50 years of the Society was published and may be found in the Turnbull Library. The challenge now is to complete the 100 years edition before the end of our centenary year. A publication on the early Welsh settlers in New Zealand was compiled by one of our members 1993 and the Society successfully completed an oral history project in 2002 that was ceremonially handed over to the National Library Archives. (1). This was followed up with interviews with several members on radio. So there is some background material to work on.”

“Certainly the ways of the Welsh are to make music, and to perform and this has not been overlooked over this period of time”, Bryan enthusiastically comments. “Cymanfa Ganu (a Welsh Singing Festival) have been held very successfully during this period. The Wellington Cathedral of St Paul has been filled to capacity with enthusiastic people singing Welsh Hymns which appear, even to this day, to be extremely popular with all cultures”.

“The ability does not end there”, says Bryan, “Among our members we have poets and musicians, and indeed people able to set poems to music, to be in turn, performed by our Welsh Singing Group. We still enjoy keeping that part of our culture alive. (2). The poets and writers in our midst seek further awards, and we award Cups in both these disciplines which are competed for annually since 1950, the criteria being items relating to things Welsh”.

These compositions were consolidated into a book of “Short Stories and Poems with a Welsh Flavour”, compiled and printed in 1997 it was dedicated to the members, past, present and future of Cymdeithas Gymreig Wellington. (3).

Several of our members still periodically attend Eisteddfodau back in Wales. These are competitions derived from folk music and having more than a thousand years of tradition. They combine choral, poetry and dance competitions. Indeed, not so long ago, a member went to compete in an Eisteddfod, not in Wales but in Patagonia in South America, where there is still a very strong tradition of Welsh Culture.

In 2002 we were thrilled when a member was invited to speak on stage to many thousands attending the “Welcome Ceremony” at the National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. She represented the Welsh ex patriots from around the world and brought New Zealand to the forefront. Her appearance provoked a deal of interest and several interviews on Welsh television and radio. (4).

More recently, we have a newly proclaimed honorary Welsh Bard in our Society her bardic name Jeannie o’r Wyddfa (o’r Wyddfa is the highest peak in the Mount Snowdonia range) for her contribution to Wales and things Welsh over the years. (5). “You can see we are still very committed and active in the ways of the Welsh, says Bryan proudly, “albeit we are all very proud to be New Zealanders!”

“Theatre too is high on the interest list of our Membership. Certainly Welsh performers, Welsh actors and playwrites are well supported by us. The New Zealand Premier of the Welsh film “Very Annie Mary” was held here in Wellington and sponsored by The Welsh Dragon Bar supported by our Society and this too was a great success as well as being a very amusing film too”, says Bryan. “We are fortunate to have several professional Welsh actors in Wellington and one in particular, as our Patron! (6) (7).

Arts and Crafts are very much a part of Welsh culture and again we are indeed very fortunate to have such talented people within our Society. Wonderful quilting and embroidery experts. A ribbon on the Mooring Stone at Parliament was embroidered by two of our members. (8).

We are very fortunate to have as a life member an expert on Heraldic Designs. Crests, Shields and Banners are his forte and the Society has a wonderful array of these in its collection. You may not realise that Wales had thirteen counties and each had its own Heraldic Shield. These shields and artworks are used at all our major Welsh Functions. Paul even built a sectional castle that was used annually on the Wellington Christmas Parade Float as well as being a stage backdrop for our Nosen Lawen concerts. The only downside with this it had to be stored in someone’s garage or hall! (9).

And what of the next 100 years? Certainly planning is in place to hold the ninth National Cymanfa Ganu in Wellington next year. This will be the third such event the Society has hosted. The Welsh Cymanfa Ganu Association of New Zealand initiated this biennial Festival sixteen years ago. Its most recent Patron is Dame Sian Elias, Chief Justice, who is of Welsh extraction. The festivities are held over a long weekend so Welsh people and supporters from around the North and South Islands can come together and celebrate their traditions. (10).

“So as you can see”, says Bryan, “it is going to be a very busy start to our next centenary, but going back to your question and what of the next 100 years? Well it is often said ““To be born Welsh, is to be born privileged, not with a silver spoon in your mouth but music in your blood and poetry in your soul””. I hope this will follow through to the next generation in New Zealand and in the 100 years to come”. (11).

- (1) Linda Bevan Smith orchestrated the oral history of the Society and help compiled the publication on the early Welsh Settlers in New Zealand. She lives in Vogeltown.
- (2) Patricia Watts / Stephen Bennett musical compositions are put to new Welsh poems and then, in turn, performed by our Welsh Music Group. They live in Wellington City.
- (3) Billie Pearson a church minister and one of our most prolific poets and writers. He lives in Papakowhai.
- (4) Heulwen Jones was invited to speak on stage at the “Welcome Ceremony” at the National Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. She represented all Welsh ex patriots from around the world putting New Zealand to the fore. Her words prompted many Welsh radio and television interviews. She lived in Linden, Tawa but recently moved to Waikanae.
- (5) Jeannie Wynn Williams newly proclaimed Welsh Bard Jeannie o’r Wyddfa (o’r Wyddfa is the highest peak in the Mount Snowdonia range) for her contribution to Wales and things Welsh over the years. She lives in Rotorua.
- (6) Ray Henwood Welsh actors and playwrites are well supported by our Society. We are fortunate to have several professional Welsh actors in Wellington and Ray in particular who is our Patron. Ray lives in Wadestown.
- (7) Jo and Mike Howard owners of the Welsh Dragon Bar thrive on everything Welsh and most Welsh visitors to Wellington end up there. They divide their time between Wellington City and Featherston .
 (8) Heulwen Jones / Margery Gee / Linda Bevan Smith Arts and Crafts are a part of our Welsh culture and we are indeed fortunate to have such clever people within our Society. Wonderful Quilting and embroidery skills. One of the ribbons on the Mooring Stone at Parliament was embroidered by two of our members. Margery Gee lives in Khandallah, Heulwen Jones in Waikanae and Linda Bevan Smith in Vogeltown.
- (9) Paul Evans – Heraldic Shields, Crests and Banners are his forte. He lives in Porirua.
- (10) Margot Griffith – President, The Welsh Cymanfa Ganu Association of New Zealand Inc. and recently appointed President of the Wellington Welsh Society, lives in Lower Hutt.
- (11) Dr Bryan Watts –Vice President and was President of the Society for ten years. Lives in Oriental Bay.

If you would like further information, photographs or an interview with any of the above people, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our details are as follows:

BACKGROUND

Cymdeithas Cymreig Wellington

The Society was founded as an Incorporated Society in June 1907 and is now in its hundredth year. At the present time members meet about every two months and enjoy a varied programme. A regular newsletter is published and mailed to members in the intervening months.

A singing group meets periodically and the emphasis is on traditional, and where practical, modern Welsh items. You do not have to speak Welsh, nor read music! It is a fun experience.

We have a small Welsh language interest group that gives Welsh speakers an opportunity to converse as well as provide an opportunity for those wishing to learn and to practice the language.

The Society collaborates with the European Forum and New Zealand National Cymanfa Ganu Association.

ENDS

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