Seminars are presented on Friday & Saturday, September 1-2, 2023
Included with a Festival Day Pass
Welsh Language I & II ~ Instructor Dan Rowbotham
Friday session is for absolute beginners with an emphasis on speaking. Next Steps in Welsh, which is suitable for those with some knowledge of the language and want to practice and improve, is on Saturday.
Friday session is for absolute beginners with an emphasis on speaking. Next Steps in Welsh, which is suitable for those with some knowledge of the language and want to practice and improve, is on Saturday.
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Dan Rowbotham is originally from Llangeitho in Ceredigion, Wales and has been a Welsh tutor since 2018. Dan is the Director of the Madog Center for Welsh Studies at the University of Rio Grande / Rio Grande Community College in Ohio, where he started his tutor career during his tenure as Davis Intern at the Center as he worked on his Master’s in Education.
Dan teaches a number of weekly Welsh classes both online and in-person, he also holds a weekly Welsh language conversation hour on-line for those who are learning Welsh and for those that are fluent and wanting an opportunity to speak Welsh in North America. Before returning to Ohio, he oversaw the administration and teaching of Extracurricular Welsh language classes at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and was Coordinator of their Community Welsh Learning Centre, Yr Atom. Dan is an Ex-President of the Urdd and received the prestigious Merêd memorial award at the National Eisteddfod in 2016. |
Welsh I ~ Absolute Beginners emphasized the structure of the spoken language of Welsh. This level is for anyone who needs a comfortable environment to begin learning Welsh.
Welsh II ~ Next Steps in Welsh is suitable for those with some knowledge of the language who wants to practice and improve. Welsh II is on Saturday morning. This class will follow on from “Beginners” and you are encouraged to attend both, but it is not a requirement.
Welsh II ~ Next Steps in Welsh is suitable for those with some knowledge of the language who wants to practice and improve. Welsh II is on Saturday morning. This class will follow on from “Beginners” and you are encouraged to attend both, but it is not a requirement.
Ysgol Gan ~ Led by Karen Wojahn
This is an informal singing practice session where you will learn some of the hymns we will sing on Sunday afternoon and evening. This is your opportunity to hear some Welsh verses pronounced and to practice your part, whatever it may be, with joyful abandon. Fun and enlightening.
This is an informal singing practice session where you will learn some of the hymns we will sing on Sunday afternoon and evening. This is your opportunity to hear some Welsh verses pronounced and to practice your part, whatever it may be, with joyful abandon. Fun and enlightening.
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Karen Jones Wojahn is the Director of Music and Organist at Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar, Minnesota. Karen is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Welsh North American Association, a member of the St. David's Society of Minnesota and a board member of the Minnesota Welsh Association. She has accompanied the annual Minnesota Welsh Hymn Festival for many years and plays the harp in her spare time. During the North American Festival of Wales, Karen will be the accompanist for the ysgol gan and leader of the late night singing. Her family includes husband Michael, three grown children and five grandchildren, which include two sets of twins.
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An Informal Discussion & Coffee: Tax Breaks for Investors ~ Investing in your Favorite Charities
~ with David Allen, WNAA Treasurer
Significant permanent changes in the tax law have major implications for US taxpayers over the age of 70 who have any kind of retirement account. Only a very few financial advisors and accountants are alerting their clients to these changes. Taking advantage of them could benefit both you and your heirs very significantly. These changes affect everyone who gives any kind of contributions to charity or who plans to leave some of their estate to a charity. It will be worth your while to take the time to attend this session presented by our Treasurer, David Allen.
~ with David Allen, WNAA Treasurer
Significant permanent changes in the tax law have major implications for US taxpayers over the age of 70 who have any kind of retirement account. Only a very few financial advisors and accountants are alerting their clients to these changes. Taking advantage of them could benefit both you and your heirs very significantly. These changes affect everyone who gives any kind of contributions to charity or who plans to leave some of their estate to a charity. It will be worth your while to take the time to attend this session presented by our Treasurer, David Allen.
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David Allen, Treasurer of WNAA, lives in Owego, New York, He earned his PhD from Columbia University and was a Fulbright Scholar to Belgium and a Danforth Graduate Fellow. David is a Professor Emeritus at City University of New York, where he taught a variety of courses in economics and American government.
Sponsored by the Welsh North American Association. |
That isn’t how it’s supposed to end: rewriting the history of medieval Wales
~ Presented by Sarah Woodbury
This talk begins with how it was and then imagines how it could have been. It places the ambush and murder of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd within the context of Welsh history, traces its origins and consequences, and then asks what if? What would the world have been like had Llywelyn lived?
~ Presented by Sarah Woodbury
This talk begins with how it was and then imagines how it could have been. It places the ambush and murder of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd within the context of Welsh history, traces its origins and consequences, and then asks what if? What would the world have been like had Llywelyn lived?
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Presenter ~ Sarah Woodbury
With over a million books sold to date, Sarah Woodbury is the author of more than forty novels, all set in medieval Wales. While her ancestry is Welsh, she only visited Wales for the first time at university. She has been in love with the country, language, and people ever since. She even convinced her husband to give all four of their children Welsh names. |
Singing the Hymns of Caradog Roberts ~ presented by Michael Hieber
Following up with the interest from the 2023 Lincoln presentation on Welsh composer Caradog Roberts, in this session the primary focus with be to sing some of his hymns beyond Rachie and In Memoriam that are found in our hymnal. The session will start with a brief overview biography of Caradog Roberts by the presenter. Information gathered about individual hymns will then be shared before singing each song for greater context and appreciation. A conductor and piano accompanist will assist with the singing. Music will be provided.
Following up with the interest from the 2023 Lincoln presentation on Welsh composer Caradog Roberts, in this session the primary focus with be to sing some of his hymns beyond Rachie and In Memoriam that are found in our hymnal. The session will start with a brief overview biography of Caradog Roberts by the presenter. Information gathered about individual hymns will then be shared before singing each song for greater context and appreciation. A conductor and piano accompanist will assist with the singing. Music will be provided.
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Presenter ~ Michael Hieber is a retired emeriti faculty from Miami University (Ohio). He has been a regular participant at various cymanfoedd canu across the U.S. since 2001 and at NAFOW since 2006. Learning about and singing hymns is one of his passions and starting with the March/April 2022 issue began writing a regular article for Ninnau called Notes on a Hymn Page. At the 2023 Lincoln NAFOW, he presented a seminar entitled: Rachie and Composer Caradog Roberts.
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Music, Memory, and Markers of Welsh identity in North America Today
~presented by Jennifer Johnstone
This presentation shares the results of a recent study conducted in North America and in North Wales. Some WNAA members may remember taking part in the online survey! The survey used methods from cognitive science to explore current perceptions of Welsh culture. In exploring these results, we’ll consider the importance of music, language, pride, and passion in contemporary Welsh identities.
~presented by Jennifer Johnstone
This presentation shares the results of a recent study conducted in North America and in North Wales. Some WNAA members may remember taking part in the online survey! The survey used methods from cognitive science to explore current perceptions of Welsh culture. In exploring these results, we’ll consider the importance of music, language, pride, and passion in contemporary Welsh identities.
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Presenter ~ Jennifer Johnstone Ph.D., has taught music history and culture for the past two decades at various colleges and universities. She holds degrees in piano performance and musicology-ethnomusicology. She studied among community choirs in North Wales 2008-2009 and has been researching Welsh culture ever since. Her academic work has been published by the American Bandmasters Association, the Polynesian Society, the Canadian Society for Traditional Music, and the Association of College and Research Libraries. Outside of work, Jennifer plays keyboards in a band (harmonystarband.com) and loves gardening, walking, traveling, and spending time with her nieces and nephew.
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Annie Hughes Griffiths: Peace Petitioner – and much more!
~ Presented ON ZOOM by Professor Emeritus E. Wyn James
Annie Hughes Griffiths (1873–1942) has recently come into prominence as the presenter of a peace petition from the women of Wales to those of the USA in 1924. Although largely forgotten for generations, her contribution to Welsh life was significant, not least as a folk-song collector. Descended from leading figures in the Methodist Revival, many members of her family have been influential in Welsh cultural, political and religious life. Annie herself moved in very influential circles both in her native Cardiganshire and during her many years in London, and the diary she kept in America in 1924 reflects this.
~ Presented ON ZOOM by Professor Emeritus E. Wyn James
Annie Hughes Griffiths (1873–1942) has recently come into prominence as the presenter of a peace petition from the women of Wales to those of the USA in 1924. Although largely forgotten for generations, her contribution to Welsh life was significant, not least as a folk-song collector. Descended from leading figures in the Methodist Revival, many members of her family have been influential in Welsh cultural, political and religious life. Annie herself moved in very influential circles both in her native Cardiganshire and during her many years in London, and the diary she kept in America in 1924 reflects this.
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Presenter ~ Professor Emeritus E. Wyn James
Until his retirement, Professor Emeritus E. Wyn James lectured on Welsh literature and culture of the modern period in the School of Welsh at Cardiff University. He was also co-Director of the University’s Centre for Welsh American Studies. Among his specialist research interests are popular poetry (including hymns, ballads and folk-songs), religion and identity, gender studies, the anti-slavery movement, and the Welsh diaspora in Patagonia. Professor James is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, of the Welsh Hymn Society, and of the International Ballad Commission. In 2012 he was a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Fellow at Harvard University. |
One Hundred years later, what the Peace Petition means to Wales Today.
~ presented by Jill Evans
Join Jill Evans, chair of Heddwch Nain in Wales, for an understanding of the background to the peace petition in Wales. She will examine the activities held to mark the centenary as well as future plans and what uncovering this story has meant to people in Wales, and women in particular.
~ presented by Jill Evans
Join Jill Evans, chair of Heddwch Nain in Wales, for an understanding of the background to the peace petition in Wales. She will examine the activities held to mark the centenary as well as future plans and what uncovering this story has meant to people in Wales, and women in particular.
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Presenter ~ Jill Evans
Jill Evans was born in the Rhondda Valley where she still lives. She studied for a degree in Welsh at Aberystwyth University. She was Policy Officer for the National Federation of Women’s Institutes Wales and Wales Organiser for Child, the National Infertility Support Network. Her political career began when she was elected to Rhondda Borough Council in 1992. She remained a councillor until elected to the European Parliament as Plaid Cymru’s first MEP in 1999. She was re-elected as an MEP for Wales until 2020 when the UK left the EU. Jill is Vice-Chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Wales, a member of the board of Academi Heddwch, Wales’s Peace Institute, and is Chair of Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu (Our Grandmother’s Peace) Wales. |
The Flooding of Cwm Tryweryn and its Political and Cultural Legacy~ presented by Dr. Wyn Thomas
The seminar addresses Liverpool’s controversial flooding of the Tryweryn Valley in North Wales in the 1960s to increase the city’s water supply and the resulting impact that the construction of the reservoir, Llyn Celyn, had on those directly affected and for Wales in terms of the nation’s subsequent political and cultural identity. The address will also include a comprehensive reference to the construction of the Kinzua Dam in Pennsylvania and New York in the 1960s and its ramifications on the indigenous Seneca Nation.
Tryweryn, the Investiture and Welsh militancy’ ~ presented by Dr. Wyn Thomas
The seminar addresses the militant campaign by Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru which Wales and the border region with England witnessed in the 1960s; John Jenkins’ reasons for orchestrating the unprecedented action in the name of Welsh resistance and the protest’s political and cultural repercussions.
The seminar addresses Liverpool’s controversial flooding of the Tryweryn Valley in North Wales in the 1960s to increase the city’s water supply and the resulting impact that the construction of the reservoir, Llyn Celyn, had on those directly affected and for Wales in terms of the nation’s subsequent political and cultural identity. The address will also include a comprehensive reference to the construction of the Kinzua Dam in Pennsylvania and New York in the 1960s and its ramifications on the indigenous Seneca Nation.
Tryweryn, the Investiture and Welsh militancy’ ~ presented by Dr. Wyn Thomas
The seminar addresses the militant campaign by Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru which Wales and the border region with England witnessed in the 1960s; John Jenkins’ reasons for orchestrating the unprecedented action in the name of Welsh resistance and the protest’s political and cultural repercussions.
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Presenter ~ Dr. Wyn Thomas
Dr Wyn Thomas works freelance in academia, the media and as a respected musician and songwriter, releasing the album, ‘Orion’s Belt’ in 2022. Wyn’s three literary titles are considered essential reading for anyone with an interest in Welsh history and the recent political history of the United Kingdom. They are: ‘John Jenkins: The Reluctant Revolutionary?’ (y Lolfa, 2019); ‘Hands Off Wales: Nationhood and Militancy’ (republished by y Lolfa, 2022) and ‘Tryweryn: A New Dawn?’ (y Lolfa, 2023). |
The American Order of True Ivorites ~ presented by Robert HumphriesFor more than a century, the American Order of True Ivorites played a significant cultural role in Welsh life in the United States. Established to provide assistance to Welsh immigrants and support Welsh cultural activities, by the 1890s the order had thousands of members across the United States. Its legacy continues in the Order of Ivorites award presented by the North America Wales Foundation. Drawing on archival materials and reports in Welsh-American newspapers such as Y Drych, Robert Humphries will discuss the history of the American Order of True Ivorites, some of its leading figures, and its continuing significance today.
The History of the American Gorsedd, 1913-1941 ~ presented by Robert Humphries
Established at the Pittsburgh International Eisteddfod in 1913, the American Gorsedd was an attempt by Welsh-Americans to recreate the bardic pageantry of their native country on American shores. In this seminar, Robert Humphries will discuss the origins of the American Gorsedd and some of the prominent figures who helped establish it, including David Lloyd George and Rev. T.C. Edwards (Cynonfardd). The presentation will also consider the role of the American Gorsedd in Welsh-American life, the reasons for its decline, and its enduring legacy, which includes the creation of a historic marker at the site of the organization’s headquarters in Pittsburgh.
The History of the American Gorsedd, 1913-1941 ~ presented by Robert Humphries
Established at the Pittsburgh International Eisteddfod in 1913, the American Gorsedd was an attempt by Welsh-Americans to recreate the bardic pageantry of their native country on American shores. In this seminar, Robert Humphries will discuss the origins of the American Gorsedd and some of the prominent figures who helped establish it, including David Lloyd George and Rev. T.C. Edwards (Cynonfardd). The presentation will also consider the role of the American Gorsedd in Welsh-American life, the reasons for its decline, and its enduring legacy, which includes the creation of a historic marker at the site of the organization’s headquarters in Pittsburgh.
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Presenter ~ Robert Humphries is director of the Great Plains Welsh Heritage Centre and the Archive for Welsh America, both located in Wymore, Nebraska. A native of Newport, Wales, he holds an MA in Celtic Studies from the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David. He has presented his research on Welsh-American history at academic conferences in Wales and North America, and at previous NAFOWs. A regular contributor to Ninnau, he also wrote and co-produced the mini-documentary film, Pobl y Paith/People of the Prairie: The Welsh in Nebraska. He lives in Spring Green, Wisconsin with his wife Jenafer and son, Rhys.
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The Welsh Connection to the Coronation ~ presented by Dr Grahame Davies
As a Member of The Royal Household, Dr Grahame Davies CVO, spent 12 years as Deputy Private Secretary to HM King Charles III, first as Prince of Wales and then as Sovereign. He was responsible for overseeing the music for the Coronation. Here, he tells the story of the musical event of a lifetime, in which Wales and the Welsh language were featured for the first time - and for an audience of 400 million.
Poets from Seren ~ presented by Dr Grahame Davies and Zoë Brigley
Two of Wales's foremost poetic voices, Grahame Davies and Zoe Brigley, read from their new collections published by Seren Books. Brigley, who is Assistant Professor at University of Ohio, has been described as 'one of the best poets writing today.' Davies, a winner of the Wales Book of the Year Award, has been described as 'a contemporary Philip Larkin.'
As a Member of The Royal Household, Dr Grahame Davies CVO, spent 12 years as Deputy Private Secretary to HM King Charles III, first as Prince of Wales and then as Sovereign. He was responsible for overseeing the music for the Coronation. Here, he tells the story of the musical event of a lifetime, in which Wales and the Welsh language were featured for the first time - and for an audience of 400 million.
Poets from Seren ~ presented by Dr Grahame Davies and Zoë Brigley
Two of Wales's foremost poetic voices, Grahame Davies and Zoe Brigley, read from their new collections published by Seren Books. Brigley, who is Assistant Professor at University of Ohio, has been described as 'one of the best poets writing today.' Davies, a winner of the Wales Book of the Year Award, has been described as 'a contemporary Philip Larkin.'
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~ Presenter Dr Grahame Davies was a member of The Royal Household for 12 years. As Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales, later King Charles III, he was responsible for overseeing the music for the Coronation in May 2023 and the corresponding ceremony in Scotland - the Honours of Scotland service, in July. He is a multi-award-winning poet in Welsh and English, winner of the Wales Book of the Year Award and a much sought-after lyricist for classical composers, and his words were performed in both ceremonies: the lyrics of the song 'Sacred Fire' by Sarah Class and the Welsh verse of the Veni Creator Spiritus in the Coronation, and the words for the Song of Dedication and Thanksgiving by Joanna Gill in the Honours of Scotland Ceremony. In December 2023, The King made him a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in a private audience at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his work on the Coronation music.
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~ Presenter Zoë Brigley is the author of three books of poetry: Hand & Skull, Conquest, and The Secret. Poems from the collections won an Eric Gregory Award for the best British poets under 30 and were listed for the International Dylan Thomas Prize for the best international writers under 40. She is editor of Poetry Wales and poetry editor at acclaimed indie press, Seren Books, as well as teaching at the Ohio State University. She divides her time between Ohio and Wales and enjoys travelling with her two Welsh-American sons.
TOMMY FARR- From the Boxing Booths of the Rhondda to Yankee Stadium ~ presented by Mal Pope
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~ Presenter Mal Pope was born in Brynhyfryd, Swansea, Wales, into a family of teachers. He began learning to play the guitar at age seven and was soon writing songs. In the early 1970s Pope sent a tape of songs to BBC Radio 1 presenter John Peel who invited Pope to perform at the BBC. The session resulted in a recording contract with Elton John's record label,
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The Rocket Record Company. Whilst studying at Christ's College, Cambridge, he spent much of his holidays recording in London. After leaving Cambridge, Pope moved to London and signed to Harvey Goldsmith's management company AMP. He signed a record deal with Larry Page, wrote songs for Cliff Richard and The Hollies, duetted with Bonnie Tyler and Aled Jones, and toured with Art Garfunkel and Belinda Carlisle.
Pope hosted The Mal Pope Show, a late-night music chat show for HTV, in the 1990s, with the show winning a Welsh BAFTA award in 1995. He went on to host a late-night talk show on HTV called Heaven's Sound, which won an award at the New York Film and Television Awards in 2001. Mal also makes for an incredible guest, able to regale audiences with stories of Christmas parties and games of Subbuteo with Elton John, of how his sound has been influenced by the soulfulness of the Deep South, befriending the man who invited Dr. Martin Luther King to Memphis in 1968, and how he came to sing one of the most iconic TV themes of all time, ‘Fireman Sam.’
Pope hosted The Mal Pope Show, a late-night music chat show for HTV, in the 1990s, with the show winning a Welsh BAFTA award in 1995. He went on to host a late-night talk show on HTV called Heaven's Sound, which won an award at the New York Film and Television Awards in 2001. Mal also makes for an incredible guest, able to regale audiences with stories of Christmas parties and games of Subbuteo with Elton John, of how his sound has been influenced by the soulfulness of the Deep South, befriending the man who invited Dr. Martin Luther King to Memphis in 1968, and how he came to sing one of the most iconic TV themes of all time, ‘Fireman Sam.’
Elined Prys-Peace Delegate 1924 ~ presented by Susan Davies Sit and Jacqueline Burek
This session explores the life and legacy of Elined Prys, a trailblazing Welsh woman best known today as one of the three delegates who brought the Welsh Women's Peace Appeal to the USA in 1924. We will use Elined’s recently-discovered personal papers to reveal how her experiences in post-WWI Europe shaped her peace activism. We will also share extracts from her letters to shed new light on her time as a delegate for the Welsh Women’s Peace Appeal. Finally, we will discuss how her views on peace affected her later career as a writer, Quaker, and expert in Jungian psychology.
This session explores the life and legacy of Elined Prys, a trailblazing Welsh woman best known today as one of the three delegates who brought the Welsh Women's Peace Appeal to the USA in 1924. We will use Elined’s recently-discovered personal papers to reveal how her experiences in post-WWI Europe shaped her peace activism. We will also share extracts from her letters to shed new light on her time as a delegate for the Welsh Women’s Peace Appeal. Finally, we will discuss how her views on peace affected her later career as a writer, Quaker, and expert in Jungian psychology.
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~ Presenter Susan Davies Sit, born in North Wales and now of CT, was in the Hospitality Management business in Wales and overseas. In retirement, she is President of the Welsh Society of Western New England and a member of the Heddwch Nain Mamgu group. She is a member of the Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu Gogledd America publicity and research team, whose mission is to uncover more of the history of the 1923-24 Welsh women’s peace appeal and petition
~ Presenter Jacqueline Burek is an Assistant Professor in English Literature at George Mason University. Her research interests include Welsh literature and culture. She was a Fulbright scholar at Aberystwyth University in 2014-2015, before earning her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. A Welsh learner and member of the Washington DC Welsh Society, she has been working with the Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu Gogledd America Research Team, whose mission is to uncover more of the history of the 1923-24 Welsh women’s peace appeal and petition. |
The Long Journey of the Women's Peace Petition -from 1923 -2024,
A panel discussion with the National Library and the Smithsonian From Wales to USA and back home to Wales; from the Smithsonian in Washington DC to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, from those who signed the petition to their descendants a century later.
This is a unique opportunity to hear a discussion between experts, working in prestigious institutions on both sides of the Atlantic, about the historical significance of the 7 mile-long peace petition from the women of Wales to the women of the USA a century ago. Was it used in exhibitions in the Smithsonian? Why and how was the collection returned to Wales in 2024? What has happened since it was returned? What is its significance today? How do I find if a member of my family signed? What if...? When...? Why...
A panel discussion with the National Library and the Smithsonian From Wales to USA and back home to Wales; from the Smithsonian in Washington DC to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, from those who signed the petition to their descendants a century later.
This is a unique opportunity to hear a discussion between experts, working in prestigious institutions on both sides of the Atlantic, about the historical significance of the 7 mile-long peace petition from the women of Wales to the women of the USA a century ago. Was it used in exhibitions in the Smithsonian? Why and how was the collection returned to Wales in 2024? What has happened since it was returned? What is its significance today? How do I find if a member of my family signed? What if...? When...? Why...
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~ Speaker: Lisa Kathleen Graddy, Curator of Political History at the National Museum of American History in Washington DC and Dafydd Tudur, Head of Digital Services at the National Library of Wales, in Aberystwyth. They have played a key role in the process of rematriating the chest and the Peace Petition from the Smithsonian to the National Library of Wales, and in transcribing the Women’s Peace Petition.
Lisa Kathleen Graddy is a curator of American political history, reform movements, and women’s history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. She is the curator of the museum’s popular ongoing exhibition, “The First Ladies.” Graddy’s past work includes the exhibitions Creating Icons: How We Remember Woman Suffrage; the voting rights section, “A Vote, A Voice,” of the exhibition, American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith; The National Woman Suffrage Parade, 1913; A First Lady’s Debut; and The First Ladies at the Smithsonian. She is co‑author of The Smithsonian First Ladies Collection (Smithsonian Books, 2014), American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith (Smithsonian Books, 2017), and Smithsonian American Women (Smithsonian Books, 2019). Graddy’s work and research centers on the ways that Americans, particularly women, have found a public voice and wielded political power through organizing, participating in, and building institutions such as reform movements, voting rights movements, suffrage organizations, and political parties. ~ Speaker: Dr Dafydd Tudur is Head of Digital Services at the National Library of Wales (NLW) and has nearly 20 years of experience in the delivery of digital projects and resources ranging from NLW’s Welsh newspapers, journals, and tithe maps to the Dictionary of Welsh Biography, People’s Collection Wales and the Wales Broadcast Archive. Dafydd represents NLW in the Hawlio Heddwch Peace Partnership and has co-ordinated the project to digitise and make the Welsh Women's Peace Petition of 1923 available online. ~ Moderator: Ann Griffith - Coordinator of Heddwch Nain/Mamgu (Our Grandmother's Peace) , in the US, member of the Peace Partnership in Wales and Chair of Undeb Cymru a’r Byd ( Wales International). Ann Griffith is a native Welsh speaker raised in Aberystwyth. Priorto moving to the USA 14 years ago, she and her American husband Steve lived internationally for 22 years. She is the Vice- President of the Washington DC St David’s Society. She maintains strong connections with family and friends in Wales, and her voice is often heard on Radio Cymru. Ann has been involved in Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu for over three years, and has family connections to the project. She is excited to be working on this peace project that has already started developing links between Cymru and the USA. |
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Start your Welsh Family History Research with the National Library of Wales
~ presenter Beryl Evans There has been a strong connection between Wales and America for a long time, with many Americans having Welsh ancestors, but don’t know how to go about searching for them? This seminar is not only for beginners, but also for those with a bit more experience in family history research but not necessarily in Wales. How to begin your research, where to access resources, how to use them and what information you can expect to find will be covered. Looking at the most commonly used resources such as church records, nonconformist records, census returns as well as touching upon patronymics and Welsh place names. |
Beryl Evans is the Research Services Manager at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, where she has been researching Welsh family history for nearly forty years. She is the author of Tracing Your Welsh Ancestors: A guide for family historians (Pen & Sword, 2015). Over the years Beryl has contributed many articles to family history publications and given presentations on various aspects of Welsh family history to global audiences online and in person, including the British Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah. Currently she is the Chair of Cardiganshire Family History Society and Treasurer of the Association of Family History Societies of Wales.
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Learn to Sing in Welsh
If you have ever sung in Welsh and struggled to accurately pronounce it, this seminar is for you! Together, we’ll review the sounds of the Welsh alphabet, learn how to pronounce “difficult” sounds such as ll, rh, wy and yw, and if you already have some experience with Welsh, we’ll put it to use by practicing some favorite hymns. |
Born in Cardiff, soprano Rachel Schutz is an active performer and teacher. She is an Assistant Professor of Voice at Ithaca College and has performed internationally including at Carnegie Hall, with Hawai’i Opera Theatre, and with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Her upcoming book for Routledge Press is titled Welsh Vocal Music: A Guide to Lyric Diction and Repertoire.
Theatre ~ Amy Dillwyn, a Renaissance Woman of Wales ~ presented by Taylor Williams
Introducing Amy Dillwyn--the world's first woman industrialist. A true renaissance woman, Amy Dillwyn worked for suffrage, campaigned for workers' rights (despite owning the factory!), penned novels still in print, composed music, and, well-educated, was fluent in several languages. Born into wealthy 1845 Swansea society, Amy Dillwyn chafed against Victorian restrictions on women. She was ahead of her time in challenging gender norms by living as she pleased and exploring LGBTQ themes in her novels. She made a strong impact on her own times and serves as an inspiration to the present.
Introducing Amy Dillwyn--the world's first woman industrialist. A true renaissance woman, Amy Dillwyn worked for suffrage, campaigned for workers' rights (despite owning the factory!), penned novels still in print, composed music, and, well-educated, was fluent in several languages. Born into wealthy 1845 Swansea society, Amy Dillwyn chafed against Victorian restrictions on women. She was ahead of her time in challenging gender norms by living as she pleased and exploring LGBTQ themes in her novels. She made a strong impact on her own times and serves as an inspiration to the present.
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Taylor Williams is a Pittsburgh area native of Welsh descent, and a lawyer, Taylor holds a J.D. in law, a B.S. in Education and an M.A. in Writing and Editing, as well as an M.A. in Theatre Arts. Taylor’s theatre work includes classical training at the Royal National Theatre, London, and residence at Theatr Horzycy in Toruń, Poland.
A member of Actors' Equity, Taylor has performed over the years in regional theatre productions, and she interprets Alice Paul, the suffrage leader, lawyer, and author of the Equal Rights Amendment in educational programs throughout the country for The American Historical Theatre. |
Welsh Folk Dancing ~ led by Laurel Bradshaw and Danny Proud
Welsh folk dancing, led by a caller and supported by musicians, returns to NAFOW. Laurel Bradshaw, a certified Welsh folk dance instructor, will lead dancers through the steps and Danny Proud will lead the band. This session will leave you with a smile on your face and endorphin-charged liveliness to your day.
Welsh folk dancing, led by a caller and supported by musicians, returns to NAFOW. Laurel Bradshaw, a certified Welsh folk dance instructor, will lead dancers through the steps and Danny Proud will lead the band. This session will leave you with a smile on your face and endorphin-charged liveliness to your day.
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~ Presenter Laurel Bradshaw, a certified Welsh folk dance instructor, has been teaching and leading dance groups since 1988. She founded and directed Traed y Ddraig, a performance group in Minnesota (1990 to 2015), and has led folk dance sessions at NAFOW, GPWHP (Welsh center in Wymore, Nebraska), Welsh Heritage Week, and at the Cornish Gathering in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Laurel has taught Welsh language classes in Minneapolis since 1994 and is active in the Saint David’s Society of Minnesota.
~ Presenter Danny Proud, Madison, Wisconsin, is a former long-time member of the Traed y Ddraig dance group in Minnesota, and has been dancing and accompanying dancing at Welsh Heritage Week for two decades. Danny leads Welsh folk dancing for the general public at various festivals, retreats, and courses as opportunities arise. |
Workshop:“House and Hill Together: A Cantata Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater”
~led by John Owen
~led by John Owen
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~ Presenter John Owen has written a cantata inspired by Fallingwater, the house on Bear Run that Frank Lloyd Wright designed as a retreat for the Kauffman family, and is widely considered his masterwork. Using texts from hymns, the Psalms, Frank Lloyd Wright’s words, and original words, the music is scored for chorus and soloists. The workshop will be an informal read-through and will consist of a short rehearsal followed by singing the cantata all the way through. No advanced preparation is required, but scores will be made available beforehand.
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