Pennod 7 Pobol y Rhondda

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Shwmae!

-I'm Sion Tomos Owen, a Rhondda boy.

-I love it here. It's full of

-possibilities for artists like me.

-I always look for different ways

-of portraying the valley in my work.

-During the series, I'll speak

-to lots of interesting people.

-I'll paint pictures reflecting

-what the valley is really like.

-I'll put them together

-to create a large new map...

-..of the lives

-of the Rhondda people.

-The brush and paint are out again.

-Today, I've joined shoppers

-at Tonypandy market.

-The theme of the picture this time

-is buildings.

-Places that have put the Rhondda

-on the map.

-First, a woman who's certainly

-on the sporting map of the valley.

-Hammer away. Connect. Drive.

-Left. Over.

-Carys Parry from Porth

-throws the hammer.

-She's represented Wales three times

-at the Commonwealth Games...

-..winning a silver medal

-at the Delhi games in 2010.

-She's still competing,

-and she also coaches youngsters.

-Hi, Carys.

-We're at Leckwith athletics stadium.

-When did you start throwing?

-When I was about 14 or 15...

-..at the local athletics club

-in Clydach in the Rhondda.

-Did you do a lot of sport at school?

-Did you do a lot of sport at school?

-

-Yes, I played hockey and netball.

-My older sister did athletics

-so I had to as well!

-Everything she did,

-I had to have a go too.

-She started to throw the hammer...

-..which had only just

-become a women's event.

-There wasn't a hammer event before.

-Something clicked with the hammer.

-I really enjoyed it.

-Within a couple of months,

-I'd competed for Welsh Schools.

-It was that fast.

-Do you have to be big and strong

-to throw it?

-There are different types

-of throwers.

-Some are big,

-and they rely on strength.

-Others are smaller.

-We have to rely more

-on technique, speed and agility.

-So you were quite small

-when you started throwing for Wales.

-Yes.

-I was about nine stone!

-I remember

-when I first competed for Britain...

-..I went to fetch my kit.

-The people giving them out asked

-if I was a middle distance runner.

-I was a bit embarrassed.

-What's a typical week

-for a hammer thrower?

-We usually train six times a week.

-We try to throw every day.

-We might do weights three times

-a week as well as work on fitness.

-It's quite a full week.

-Is it hard to attract young people

-into the sport?

-It's quite hard,

-especially throwing events.

-It's very hard

-to attract people to do them.

-I don't think it's shown enough

-on television and so on.

-It would be nice

-if it got more attention.

-Hammer away. Step through.

-Through. Through.

-Emily, you're from the Rhondda too,

-from Ynyswen.

-I live in Ynyswen. I went to

-Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Ynyswen.

-How old were you when you started?

-How old were you when you started?

-

-I started in 2010, when I was 11.

-I just started...

-I just started...

-

-Doing the hammer?!

-I didn't think anyone that young

-would start throwing the hammer.

-Some people

-think you have to be strong...

-..but I'm five foot three, you know!

-When I came down, I expected

-to see big people hefting things.

-But you're quick

-when you do the turns.

-Strength does come into it,

-but Carys emphasises technique.

-Technique, technique.

-In the first three sessions...

-..I didn't let the hammer go.

-It didn't land.

-I just turned and turned.

-When I was comfortable, she said,

-"Right, now you're going to throw."

-Right down.

-Down, down, down.

-To throw it well and to throw it far

-can be hard.

-It's quite technical.

-There are many bits

-you have to get right to throw far.

-As a beginner,

-you can just stand up...

-..swing the hammer round your head

-and let go.

-I'm not very technical but I've

-thrown the javelin and the discus.

-Can I have a go

-at throwing the hammer?

-Yes. I don't see why not.

-Maybe it's best

-if you just stand up and throw it!

-And maybe I'll get you to throw

-the women's weight.

-Is that OK?

-That's fine.

-The men's hammer is massive.

-So, stand inside the circle...

-..with your back facing the field.

-Right.

-You're going to throw like this.

-Start with the hammer

-just behind you.

-It goes in your left hand...

-..then your right hand

-goes over the top.

-OK?

-All you're going to do...

-..is swing it around your head

-a couple of times...

-..three times, and let go.

-Over there.

-Does the left hand let go last?

-Both together. Yeah?

-I let go...

-I let go...

-

-Upwards, like this.

-Good luck.

-Good luck.

-

-Thanks!

-I'm going out there now!

-Try again.

-Picking it up would make it easier.

-Like this?

-Like this?

-

-Yes.

-When you're ready, let it go.

-Yeah!

-I might sign you up!

-Are you available?

-Are you available?

-

-Go on, might as well. Why not!

-That was really good.

-Straight down the middle too.

-I expected it to go over there!

-Fluke.

-Fluke.

-

-Must've been!

-I want another go.

-This place changes all the time.

-You sometimes need an outside eye...

-..to see the significance

-of these changes.

-Dramatist Ian Rowlands

-was born here in Porth.

-He's written widely

-about the valley.

-Ian, welcome back

-to the steep roads in the valley.

-I used to walk down here

-to catch the school bus.

-My school bus used to go up here.

-We're like this!

-You went to Ysgol y Cymer.

-I went to Rhydfelen.

-So I left the valley

-in order to go to school.

-In your time,

-the school was in the valley.

-This was a launch pad

-to go to another valley!

-Have you always lived in the area?

-Have you always lived in the area?

-

-I was raised here.

-Birchgrove is over there.

-I lived there until I was nine.

-Then I moved to this side

-of the valley, to Glynfach.

-I lived there until I was 18.

-So I lived in Porth

-when I was growing up.

-Are your family from Porth?

-Are your family from Porth?

-

-My parents still live here.

-My brother lives in Hollybush,

-on the other side of the valley.

-They can look at each other.

-They can look at each other.

-

-Porth is close to you then.

-As you're back, fancy a pint?

-As you're back, fancy a pint?

-

-Yes. Let's go to the Colliers.

-Can I have a pint of Glamorgan

-please?

-And...

-And...

-

-Tea, please.

-That's new.

-I haven't seen that before.

-It's different to what

-I'm trying to do with the murals.

-They're our heritage.

-We can't escape them.

-Rugby, the Welsh costume

-and coal miners...

-..represent something to

-non-Welsh speakers in the Valleys.

-They're powerful because

-they represent sacrifice and unity.

-They're close to people's hearts

-here.

-It's said about the Valleys

-that Welsh is still spoken here...

-..but through the medium of English.

-For example,

-my mother's syntax is Welsh.

-Yet, English is spoken

-using Welsh syntax.

-The cliched example

-is 'look you, good boy'.

-'How be' instead of 'shwmae'.

-'How be' instead of 'shwmae'.

-

-Yes.

-Welsh is still alive here.

-My mother uses words like didoreth

-(unproductive).

-There are traces and patterns

-of Welsh still here...

-..but we've lost the language

-and the sound of the language.

-I now live in Carmarthen.

-I come here with my children.

-We go to the park

-200 yards down the hill.

-One time, two or three children just

-stood there listening to my son.

-He was about three and I was pushing

-him on the swing back and forth.

-Everyone just stood there.

-After a while, they came over to us

-and said, "We speak Welsh too."

-They realized that Welsh

-was alive outside the school walls.

-It was a big realization.

-I went through a similar journey.

-When I lived here...

-..1%-2% of Valleys children

-received Welsh-medium education.

-It's now about a third - 32%-33%.

-So Welsh for the majority of people

-was something very exotic.

-We were the Welshie Welsh.

-I was excluded to an extent.

-I didn't feel part of this

-community despite being raised here.

-The Welsh language was a gift.

-Through attending a Welsh school,

-Welsh was a gift.

-But I didn't have a context for it

-so I had to leave.

-I had to normalize Welsh

-in my own personal experience.

-The Welsh Government wants there to

-be a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

-A lot of those

-will come from the Valleys.

-This is where

-the bulk of the population is.

-If there is to be one million,

-most will be in South Wales.

-The Valleys

-will never be monoglot Welsh...

-..but do you think it'll become

-more naturally bilingual?

-I hope...

-It's maybe because they know me

-as a person who speaks Welsh...

-..but when I was in a shop...

-..a mother came in

-who was speaking English.

-She saw me and started

-speaking Welsh to her child.

-So we need

-more talismans like you...

-..for people to have the confidence

-to practise their Welsh.

-People do start speaking to me

-in Welsh.

-People I thought only spoke English.

-They tell me they

-hadn't spoken Welsh for 30 years...

-..and just start speaking Welsh.

-It's like riding a bike.

-I wrote

-in Marriage of Convenience...

-.."an area that had long forgotten

-the sound of its own past."

-We have to grab hold of that sound,

-that language, again...

-..and ensure

-we don't forget it again.

-Like you say, the sound. Hearing

-the language. That's the main thing.

-In the next part,

-Becca and her iron saves my skin...

-..singer James Saunders

-reveals how he protects his voice...

-..and I'll grab my guitar

-and step onto the stage.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-We're back in Tonypandy market.

-The mural

-is all about architecture...

-..and different things

-that make up the valley...

-..in terms of works, buildings

-and chapels.

-The chapel here

-is the one that's down the road.

-Social clubs, schools,

-terraced houses, sports fields.

-A real mixture.

-I'm in the doghouse.

-I promised to iron a basketful

-of stuff for Becky and for Mam...

-..and I haven't done any of it.

-Fortunately,

-I know someone who can help.

-Alright? I have a favour to ask.

-I told my mum I'd iron the caravan

-sheets and I haven't done them.

-Come through.

-This is Becca Kerr. She offers

-an ironing service from her home.

-I hope to get tips from her.

-Is there a specific way

-to iron a shirt?

-I do the collar, cuffs

-then the arms...

-..then I do one side, do the back,

-and then the other side.

-That's how I do it

-but it doesn't look half as good!

-Maybe it's the iron.

-It can be the iron.

-That's the only one I like to use.

-It's a super-duper iron.

-It makes my work easier too.

-Do you do anything else

-apart from ironing?

-Yes, I've been a support worker with

-autistic people and adolescents.

-I did that for a year and a half.

-Since then,

-I've just been doing this.

-Do you like doing it?

-Some people hate it.

-I love ironing. It's relaxing.

-There's something therapeutic

-about it.

-I first ironed

-was when I was at university.

-I was about 20.

-I got a basket...

-..set it up,

-put a DVD of Mary Poppins on...

-..and sang while I ironed.

-I only had a basketful

-and it took two hours!

-The Northwalians

-who lived opposite...

-..were eating popcorn

-while watching me iron!

-They were in the window laughing!

-You've just finished this.

-How would you fold it

-if you were giving it back to me?

-For customers, I fold it in half.

-Then fold it on the creases.

-On the crease.

-That's how I do it.

-You only have one...

-..in the middle.

-The things I find hard

-are stuff like pleats.

-Do I iron upwards, across?

-I'll show you now.

-I'll show you now.

-

-Thank you.

-Open it up,

-take it up to the pleats.

-Then start ironing.

-If you iron across it,

-you'll crease it.

-Yes.

-Place it like this.

-You can move it then.

-If you have a crease here,

-you can iron it then move it.

-This is the main one.

-We went to the caravan and I said

-I'd bring them back and iron them.

-I didn't, so you're saving me

-from getting a row from Mam.

-That's the last one for you.

-That's the last one for you.

-

-The whole basket.

-You've really helped me out.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-

-No problem.

-Mam will be chuffed, my wife

-will be chuffed and I'm chuffed.

-I've learnt something new -

-I know how to iron pleats now.

-And shirts.

-And shirts.

-

-And shirts.

-Brilliant. Thank you, Bec.

-Brilliant. Thank you, Bec.

-

-No problem.

-Thank you. Ta-ra!

-Alright, Bec? Guess what?

-I've done all the ironing.

-I did!

-See you after.

-If you like

-a bit of rock 'n' roll...

-..the jam night at Pencelli

-is the place for you.

-One of the regulars

-is James Saunders.

-He's a singer and guitarist who

-makes a living out of performing.

-# Got a feeling inside,

-can't explain

-# It's a certain kind,

-I can't explain

-# I feel hot and cold,

-I can't explain #

-James, welcome back.

-I haven't seen you in ages.

-But I see you here

-every Thursday night.

-You come to the Pencelli to sing.

-Yes. I like coming here

-on Thursdays.

-I get the chance

-to play different songs...

-..and play

-with different people onstage.

-It's great.

-When you come here, what

-do you expect - plug in and play?

-Yes. Plug in and play

-is what I love about it - raw.

-I love it.

-No matter who's in, who's listening,

-who's sat down...

-..you just play what you want

-and there's always a click.

-# If you want to hang out

-# You've got to take her out,

-cocaine #

-There aren't many places who put on

-jam nights in the Rhondda.

-The only place I know is Pencelli.

-It's a really good platform for

-youngsters to come here and play...

-..if they haven't played

-to a crowd before.

-It's good practice.

-And the fact

-that anyone can just go up and play.

-There's plenty of people

-to learn from too.

-Legends play here too!

-Legends play here too!

-

-Oh, yeah. Terry Mason.

-# If you've got bad news,

-you wanna kick them blues

-# Cocaine #

-Neil, when did you start

-doing the jam nights?

-Two and a half years ago.

-My ambition was to make it

-a music and real ale pub.

-The reason being because

-I like both of them very much.

-It's great -

-I never know who's going to come.

-But then, I'm sure that every week,

-some people are going to come.

-So far, we haven't had a bad one.

-So far, we haven't had a bad one.

-

-I've never been to a bad one.

-Dai always kicks things off.

-Dai always kicks things off.

-

-Dai Oke the legend.

-# You can tell the world #

-He was Dai Karaoke but we stopped

-the backing tracks, put a band in...

-..and we changed his name

-to Dai Oke.

-# What a fool I've been #

-How popular is the jam night?

-How popular is the jam night?

-

-Very.

-People come over from Tonyrefail

-and Porth just for the jam night.

-They come from far away.

-They come from far away.

-

-Yeah.

-It's great.

-Have you ever been tempted to go up?

-Have you ever been tempted to go up?

-

-I have been.

-Staying behind the bar

-is what's best for me.

-Every time I'm here,

-you're here too!

-You must come here often!

-I'm here every Thursday night.

-How often do you come here?

-How often do you come here?

-

-Thursdays and Saturdays.

-What attracts you here?

-What attracts you here?

-

-The bands and the singing.

-I enjoy it.

-Is there a good mix here?

-A great crowd comes here.

-So you play here every Friday,

-Saturday and Sunday nights.

-Very busy.

-Very busy.

-

-I was going to say that.

-Is it tough on the voice?

-It is.

-It's a strain on my voice sometimes.

-Do you do anything to help it?

-No.

-No.

-

-Special lozenges?

-Drink wine. Sometimes.

-From the bottle.

-Ladies and gentlemen,

-this will obviously go on his show.

-Would you mind

-giving him the best of order...

-..and at the end, give him

-a big cheer, even though it's ****!

-# You can't judge a fish

-by looking at the pond

-# Can't judge right

-by looking at the wrong #

-What's the best response

-you've had here?

-Cor!

-"You're 'andsome!"

-I don't want to say too much -

-my missus will be watching!

-I've never had that said to me.

-I'm not saying

-I haven't had knickers thrown at me!

-I get pants!

-Pants!

-# I work hard

-# Every day of my life

-# I work 'til I ache my bones

-# At the end, at the end of the day

-# I take home my hard-earned pay

-all on my own #

-The response I get

-is up here, to be honest.

-I love coming up here.

-They give good feedback

-at this hotel.

-Neil, who runs the place, is great.

-# Oh, somebody find me

-# Somebody find me

-# Somebody find me somebody

-# To love #

-Right, back to the brush and paint

-at Tonypandy market.

-I've finished the final picture.

-Weeks of work have come to an end.

-Next time, I'll put it all together

-to create the complete map.

-Hopefully, everything will fit.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

-.