Angharad Tomos 3 Lle


Angharad Tomos

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Angharad Tomos. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

-888

0:00:000:00:00

-888

-

-888

0:00:000:00:02

-888

0:00:070:00:09

-888

0:00:140:00:16

-888

0:00:210:00:23

-888

0:00:280:00:30

-I haven't moved far

-from where I was raised.

0:00:480:00:51

-Many people say they wouldn't want

-to return to their birthplace...

0:00:520:00:56

-..because it's changed so much.

0:00:560:00:58

-This place has changed,

-but I've lived with the change.

0:00:590:01:03

-I could never live anywhere else.

0:01:030:01:06

-I've lived in this area all my life.

0:01:360:01:39

-Well, I've moved three miles

-from where I was raised.

0:01:440:01:48

-I attended the secondary school

-in Penygroes.

0:01:480:01:52

-I didn't like Penygroes

-and the Nantlle Valley at the time.

0:01:520:01:56

-I just wanted to go somewhere

-and explore the world...

0:01:570:02:01

-..just like any other young child.

0:02:020:02:05

-I always imagined

-there was something better.

0:02:050:02:08

-There's a magnificent view

-from the school...

0:02:090:02:12

-..and you can see

-Cwm Dulyn and Cwm Silyn.

0:02:120:02:15

-The teachers told us that we lived

-in a wonderful area...

0:02:150:02:19

-..but for me, that was the norm.

0:02:190:02:22

-It's a privilege to live here.

0:02:280:02:30

-Not many people can say

-they live in an area...

0:02:300:02:33

-..where their favourite poet lived.

0:02:330:02:36

-I don't have to travel there.

-I'm just down the road.

0:02:360:02:39

-I see the mountain shapes.

0:02:390:02:41

-TH Parry-Williams

-wrote about their unending bareness.

0:02:420:02:46

-I can see Llyn y Gadair.

0:02:460:02:48

-The poetry and landscape become one.

0:02:480:02:53

-I haven't moved far

-from where I was raised.

0:02:570:03:00

-I was raised three miles away,

-in Llanwnda.

0:03:010:03:05

-I had a happy childhood.

-Five of us - five sisters.

0:03:050:03:09

-We were all born two years apart.

0:03:100:03:12

-It was like living

-in a girls' boarding school.

0:03:130:03:16

-I only have one child.

0:03:210:03:23

-Thinking about Mam

-with five children...

0:03:230:03:26

-..I can't imagine how much work

-it was for her and Dad.

0:03:260:03:30

-Dad always read us a story

-when we were children.

0:03:310:03:36

-For me and my older sister...

0:03:360:03:38

-..the highlight of our day was

-listening to Dad reading us a story.

0:03:380:03:43

-He must have been so tired...

0:03:430:03:45

-..because he would often

-fall asleep as he read the story.

0:03:460:03:50

-We'd never wake him up.

0:03:500:03:52

-He'd open his eyes and we would

-all look up to him patiently.

0:03:520:03:56

-"Yes? What happens next?"

0:03:560:03:58

-As a parent, I can understand

-how much of an effort it is...

0:03:580:04:02

-..to read a story

-at the end of the day.

0:04:020:04:05

-One thing that certainly

-influenced my childhood...

0:04:210:04:24

-..was living without a television.

0:04:240:04:26

-In the 1960s, when everyone

-bought a TV, it was a burden.

0:04:270:04:30

-Children played games in school...

0:04:310:04:34

-..and you needed to know

-about TV programmes.

0:04:340:04:38

-I had no idea.

0:04:380:04:40

-Even though

-I was one of five sisters...

0:04:400:04:43

-..looking back, I'm glad

-Mam decided not to buy a TV.

0:04:430:04:47

-We had to find ways

-of entertaining each other...

0:04:470:04:51

-..during the hours

-when we could have watched TV.

0:04:510:04:54

-It was easier

-because I had so many sisters.

0:04:540:04:59

-It also inspired us

-to be more creative.

0:05:000:05:03

-The longest period of work I had

-was when I wrote Rala Rwdins.

0:05:120:05:17

-I created the characters

-when I was 23 years old...

0:05:170:05:20

-..but I never thought

-it would be my livelihood...

0:05:200:05:24

-..for almost my entire career.

0:05:240:05:26

-If I was to be honest

-with myself...

0:05:270:05:29

-..I survive because I write stories

-about non-existent witches!

0:05:290:05:34

-It's a rather strange way

-to make a living.

0:05:340:05:38

-Whee!

0:05:380:05:40

-When people want to know

-the origins of the characters...

0:05:450:05:50

-..I say that there's a lot of Mam

-in Rala Rwdins.

0:05:500:05:53

-The woman who's trying to do

-countless tasks at the same time.

0:05:530:05:59

-She's busy all the time, making jam.

0:05:590:06:02

-She's the anchor in Gwlad y Rwla.

0:06:020:06:05

-Mam is our anchor.

0:06:050:06:07

-She's often referred to

-as Rala Rwdins's mother.

0:06:070:06:11

-She is Rala Rwdins.

0:06:110:06:13

-My youngest sister

-was the mischievous one.

0:06:160:06:21

-I based Rwdlan on her.

0:06:220:06:24

-She was up to no good all the time!

0:06:250:06:29

-Well-known as an author...

0:06:330:06:35

-..having written 14 children's books

-and three plays...

0:06:350:06:39

-..she has now won the Prose Medal

-at the National Eisteddfod.

0:06:400:06:44

-Every novel I've written has been

-inspired by the National Eisteddfod.

0:06:440:06:50

-There's a title,

-a closing date and a prize.

0:06:500:06:54

-It's something to aim for.

0:06:550:06:56

-I always leave things

-until the last minute.

0:06:570:07:00

-I don't write

-over long periods of time.

0:07:000:07:03

-I have these panics.

0:07:030:07:05

-There's a closing date

-in three months' time.

0:07:050:07:08

-I have to detach myself

-from life's hustle and bustle.

0:07:080:07:12

-It's a process

-of filling your head with ideas.

0:07:120:07:16

-You almost live in this fake world.

0:07:170:07:20

-It's a very intense period,

-day and night.

0:07:200:07:23

-It's the only thing on your mind.

0:07:240:07:26

-What the characters do,

-where the plot leads you...

0:07:260:07:30

-..how the complete work is created.

0:07:300:07:32

-I close myself in that world.

-I don't even answer the phone.

0:07:330:07:38

-You can't live

-in that world forever.

0:07:380:07:40

-It's a two to three-month period

-every few years.

0:07:410:07:45

-It's very stressful.

-That's why I don't do it very often.

0:07:450:07:49

-The counterpoint to that

-is writing children's literature.

0:07:490:07:55

-It's something you can live with

-and it's far less stressful.

0:07:550:08:00

-I've gone away,

-but I've always come back.

0:08:070:08:10

-I've travelled extensively

-and stayed with friends...

0:08:100:08:14

-..but I have strong feelings

-for this area.

0:08:140:08:17

-It's somewhere to drop anchor.

0:08:170:08:19

-People say they wouldn't like

-to return to their birthplace...

0:08:190:08:23

-..because it's changed.

0:08:230:08:24

-This place has changed,

-but I've lived with the change.

0:08:250:08:28

-I could never live anywhere else.

0:08:300:08:34

-It helps you

-when you finally realize that.

0:08:340:08:37

-I knew that fairly early in my life.

0:08:370:08:39

-It's linked to the sea,

-it's linked to the mountains...

0:08:440:08:48

-..and it's linked to Welshness.

0:08:480:08:50

-I can live my life here through

-the medium of Welsh every day.

0:08:500:08:54

-I don't think my English

-is good enough to live anywhere else.

0:08:560:08:59

-.

0:09:000:09:01

-888

0:09:040:09:04

-888

-

-888

0:09:040:09:06

-I saw a picture of this caravan

-in a book.

0:09:410:09:44

-I asked my son if he'd like

-to have a holiday in that picture.

0:09:450:09:49

-Would he like to go

-into that picture?

0:09:490:09:52

-I didn't think it would be as nice

-as the picture seemed, but it was.

0:09:520:09:56

-We had three days here,

-staying in the caravan...

0:09:560:09:59

-..listening to the river and going

-to the beach in Llangrannog.

0:09:590:10:04

-I think it has much to do

-with being close to nature.

0:10:100:10:14

-It can get so dark here,

-without street lighting.

0:10:140:10:17

-I can't hear a river as clearly

-when I'm home.

0:10:170:10:20

-I remember the nights,

-listening to the crackling fire.

0:10:210:10:25

-I felt like a gypsy.

0:10:250:10:27

-I've travelled throughout my life.

0:10:330:10:36

-It all started

-when Dad bought a caravan.

0:10:360:10:39

-We had a large,

-18ft static caravan.

0:10:400:10:44

-He'd site it at Red Wharf Bay

-or Rhosneigr on Anglesey...

0:10:440:10:50

-..anywhere close enough for him

-to travel back and forth to work.

0:10:500:10:55

-I have memories of being out

-on the beach all summer.

0:10:550:10:59

-I lived in the great outdoors.

0:11:000:11:02

-He then bought a touring caravan

-towards the end of the 1960s...

0:11:020:11:07

-..when travelling with a caravan

-was quite uncommon.

0:11:070:11:11

-I loved the freedom and excitement

-of waking up in a different place.

0:11:130:11:18

-Every morning, you didn't know

-what the day had in store for you.

0:11:180:11:23

-The transient lifestyle.

0:11:230:11:25

-My sister had pets

-and we had to take them with us...

0:11:250:11:28

-..if we couldn't find someone

-to look after them.

0:11:280:11:32

-The rabbit and budgie

-in the back of the car.

0:11:320:11:35

-The budgie's cage

-sat on the back seat.

0:11:350:11:38

-I remember opening the cage once

-and letting the budgie fly out.

0:11:380:11:42

-My father was trying

-to drive the car...

0:11:420:11:45

-..and the budgie

-was perched on the steering wheel.

0:11:450:11:48

-Some people think

-she's a very serious woman...

0:11:510:11:55

-..but she's a funny woman

-and very humorous.

0:11:550:11:59

-There are strong political and

-socialist links within the family.

0:11:590:12:07

-She comes from a religious family.

0:12:080:12:12

-All these aspects have been

-perfectly and purely embodied...

0:12:120:12:18

-..in Angharad's life.

0:12:180:12:20

-That purity has benefited Wales

-over the years.

0:12:200:12:25

-I'm optimistic by nature, I'd say.

0:12:280:12:32

-You have to be if you're Welsh

-in this day and age.

0:12:320:12:36

-I remember having

-a serious bout of depression...

0:12:360:12:40

-..after giving birth.

0:12:400:12:42

-I didn't think I'd come out of it.

0:12:440:12:47

-Many people said

-that I would get over it...

0:12:470:12:50

-..but I wasn't convinced at the time.

0:12:500:12:53

-People told me to fight against it...

0:12:530:12:55

-..in the same way I'd fought

-to preserve the Welsh language.

0:12:560:13:00

-It was an entirely

-different experience.

0:13:020:13:04

-The only thing

-I can compare it with...

0:13:040:13:07

-..is the experience

-of being in prison.

0:13:070:13:10

-I had no appetite for life.

0:13:100:13:12

-When I hear that someone's

-suffering from depression...

0:13:120:13:16

-..I have nothing

-but sympathy for them.

0:13:160:13:19

-As I look down the river now...

0:13:190:13:21

-..it was as if everyone was on the

-other side and I couldn't get there.

0:13:210:13:27

-They were all beckoning me over...

0:13:270:13:30

-..but I couldn't cross,

-however hard I tried.

0:13:300:13:34

-I couldn't shrug it off.

0:13:340:13:35

-Finally, I managed it. When it does

-happen, you know you're better.

0:13:360:13:40

-I've seen how dark it can be

-in the deepest depths.

0:13:410:13:45

-I appreciate more than most people

-the thrill of being alive.

0:13:480:13:54

-Living life to the full every day

-is a very fulfilling experience.

0:13:540:13:58

-Had someone told me then...

0:14:400:14:42

-..that I'd marry a non-Welsh speaker

-from Gwent, I'd have laughed.

0:14:420:14:47

-Ben's background

-is so different to mine.

0:14:480:14:51

-He has a working-class background

-from a coal mining area.

0:14:510:14:54

-His family didn't speak

-a word of Welsh.

0:14:550:14:57

-Traditionally,

-the family voted Labour.

0:14:580:15:01

-I came from Welsh Gwynedd

-and had a chapel upbringing.

0:15:010:15:05

-We had nothing in common

-until we started talking.

0:15:050:15:09

-To understand my background,

-I told him he had to visit Gwynedd...

0:15:090:15:13

-..and get to know

-the Welsh-speaking community.

0:15:130:15:16

-He visited within weeks.

0:15:170:15:18

-He invited me down to learn

-about his background in the valleys.

0:15:190:15:24

-He brought me

-to the rocking stone first.

0:15:240:15:28

-That's why this stone

-is so important to me.

0:15:280:15:32

-The image I had of the valleys came

-from Alexander Cordell's novels...

0:15:320:15:37

-..the Merthyr of Dic Penderyn

-and coal mines.

0:15:370:15:41

-A very industrial area

-and a very ugly area.

0:15:420:15:46

-When I arrived and sat on the stone

-and looked around...

0:15:460:15:51

-..it completely shattered

-all my preconceptions.

0:15:510:15:56

-I wouldn't have been able

-to move here to live...

0:16:140:16:19

-..and feel at home.

0:16:190:16:21

-Fortunately for me,

-Ben agreed to move to North Wales.

0:16:210:16:25

-As part of the deal, I'd stop

-eating meat if he learnt Welsh.

0:16:250:16:29

-We came to an understanding.

0:16:300:16:32

-I'm eternally grateful that he agreed

-to move to North Wales.

0:16:320:16:37

-When we come down to visit

-Ben's family, they ask...

0:16:370:16:41

-.."How's the weather up north?"

0:16:410:16:43

-I feel like a penguin

-who's travelled from the North Pole.

0:16:440:16:47

-Then again,

-we live in the same country.

0:16:470:16:50

-Apart from the language,

-there's a strong Welsh spirit here.

0:16:500:16:55

-That's a rather strange experience.

0:16:560:16:58

-They feel just as passionately

-about Wales and socialism as I do.

0:16:580:17:03

-I think Angharad

-has a sense of conviction...

0:17:040:17:08

-..and a strong sense

-of responsibility...

0:17:080:17:12

-..towards her community,

-her family, Wales...

0:17:120:17:16

-..the language, naturally,

-and mankind really.

0:17:160:17:20

-Injustice,

-being aware of injustice...

0:17:200:17:23

-..and wanting to do

-something about it.

0:17:230:17:26

-One of her famous sayings is,

-"Let's just do it then."

0:17:260:17:30

-She doesn't want to talk about it,

-or be philosophical or theoretical.

0:17:300:17:35

-She wants to act.

0:17:360:17:38

-Cymdeithas Yr Iaith has played

-an important part in my life.

0:17:380:17:42

-It has shaped my personality.

0:17:420:17:45

-I've come to know

-the whole of Wales...

0:17:450:17:49

-..through working

-with Cymdeithas Yr Iaith.

0:17:490:17:53

-We found a lot of support

-in the valleys...

0:17:530:17:56

-..when we were

-collecting signatures...

0:17:560:17:59

-..to establish

-a Welsh Education Development Body.

0:18:000:18:03

-It was one of the first chances

-Rhys Ifans had to act.

0:18:030:18:08

-Rhys Ifans collected

-more signatures than anyone.

0:18:080:18:12

-I asked him

-what his opening line was.

0:18:120:18:15

-He said, "Roll up, roll up...

0:18:150:18:17

-"..sign here for your free holiday

-in the Bahamas."

0:18:170:18:20

-Everyone signed!

0:18:210:18:22

-Humour has been an integral part

-of the language campaign.

0:18:220:18:27

-I don't know

-how we managed to do it.

0:18:280:18:31

-We had no money and no resources.

0:18:310:18:33

-We were trying

-to achieve the impossible.

0:18:330:18:36

-Everyone told us that we were

-trying to achieve the impossible.

0:18:360:18:41

-Having a healthy dose of humour

-was often very important.

0:18:420:18:47

-When I went to college,

-one of the first protests...

0:19:030:19:08

-..involved climbing a mast

-at Crystal Palace.

0:19:080:19:11

-I was rather scared of doing this.

0:19:110:19:13

-I didn't know if it was physically

-possible to climb the mast.

0:19:130:19:18

-I remember being very scared

-the previous night.

0:19:180:19:22

-But I knew that admitting

-to being afraid...

0:19:220:19:25

-..would have been a sign of weakness.

0:19:250:19:28

-I could have jeopardized my part

-in the act.

0:19:280:19:31

-After reaching the base

-of the mast...

0:19:310:19:35

-..a ladder was put in position

-and we climbed up.

0:19:350:19:38

-We were sentenced

-to five days in prison.

0:19:410:19:44

-Once you've been imprisoned...

0:19:440:19:46

-..it's far easier

-to imprison you again.

0:19:470:19:50

-It caused great worry for my parents.

-I'm still ashamed of that.

0:19:500:19:54

-Mam always said I wouldn't

-understand her concerns...

0:19:550:19:58

-..until I had children of my own.

0:19:590:20:01

-At the time,

-the only thing that concerned me...

0:20:010:20:05

-..was doing what I wanted to do.

0:20:060:20:08

-I wanted to show

-that neither prison or a fine...

0:20:080:20:12

-..would stop us achieving our aims.

0:20:120:20:15

-Our hope was to sort Wales out

-within 20 years and then retire!

0:20:160:20:22

-I think Angharad is someone

-I could describe as stubborn...

0:20:230:20:27

-..but many members of Cymdeithas

-Yr Iaith have been called stubborn.

0:20:270:20:31

-As I said, it sits side by side

-with her intense and serious side.

0:20:310:20:37

-For someone who has spent time in

-prison and carried on campaigning...

0:20:370:20:42

-..thankfully, there is a sense

-of stubbornness in her personality.

0:20:430:20:48

-Over the years, I was imprisoned

-for a month, sometimes two or three.

0:20:510:20:56

-You'd steel yourself

-and get through the sentence.

0:20:560:21:00

-The worst part

-were visits from my parents.

0:21:000:21:03

-All of a sudden,

-I had an hour in their company...

0:21:050:21:09

-..and all the love and concern

-would flow towards me.

0:21:090:21:13

-I had to be brave

-during those visits.

0:21:130:21:16

-After that, I was hopeless.

0:21:160:21:19

-I'm looking forward to the day

-when we won't have to protest...

0:21:360:21:40

-..during the Eisteddfod.

0:21:400:21:42

-Until that day comes,

-and to ensure that day does come...

0:21:420:21:46

-..we have to continue this action.

0:21:460:21:49

-When I was 25 years old...

0:21:500:21:52

-..people would ask me

-why was I still campaigning?

0:21:520:21:55

-My question to them was

-why have people stopped campaigning?

0:21:550:21:59

-It's part

-of my Christian conviction.

0:21:590:22:03

-We've been put on this Earth...

0:22:030:22:06

-..to do something in the name

-of our Lord Jesus Christ.

0:22:080:22:12

-If we don't do anything...

0:22:120:22:16

-..we're obeying

-the forces of darkness.

0:22:180:22:21

-This quote has stayed with me.

0:22:230:22:25

-"It's better to light one candle

-than curse the darkness."

0:22:250:22:29

-You can do something every day...

0:22:300:22:33

-..for Wales,

-for the Welsh language, for justice.

0:22:330:22:37

-That's the vision

-that keeps me going.

0:22:370:22:40

-As I look at this stone...

0:22:440:22:48

-..it sums up the Welsh language.

0:22:480:22:51

-Waldo once said

-"a dangerous girl is she."

0:22:510:22:54

-For me, this stone is a symbol

-of the Welsh language...

0:22:550:22:58

-..always teetering on the edge.

0:22:580:23:02

-You're never sure

-if it will fall off the edge...

0:23:020:23:05

-..but in reality,

-it's stuck fast to the ground.

0:23:050:23:08

-In memory of Ffion Haf,

-1964-2011, Angharad's sister

0:23:100:23:16

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS