Why did the Welsh team choose 'Yma O Hyd' for their World Cup song?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- Dr Marion Loeffler is an expert in Welsh cultural history and here she discusses why Wales have chosen to use Dafydd Iwan's song 'Yma O Hyd' as their official World Cup Song.
As an Irishman, i love this song and am trying to learn it too - it resounds so much with our Irish history of repression over the centuries. While we are all friends now through out the 4 nations, thankfully: we all need to Stand by our roots and promote said roots through our respective language - again, like Wales we love our language in Ireland and we too, love you and your Welsh language and respect your past also. This should be sung at Rugby games - seriously, it is so rousing. Love from Ireland
You should watch the Copa90 doc called The Welsh Football Revolution to see how the rise in the Wales football team has promoted the Welsh language.
I don't know what the situation was/ is like in Ireland. But in Wales there was a HUGE stigma against the language (stemmed from colonisation). Like real embarrassment and shame, was seen as a backwards 'uncool' language. People deliberately not passing down the language to their kids.
To see 'Yma o hyd' become such an anthem, is something I could never imagine happen. Not only is it in Welsh, but it's nationalistic.
And because Welsh history was never taught in schools (thanks to the education system being ruled by England), we in Wales had no clue about our history and din't appreciate how important the language is. Which is why there is a big rise in adult Welsh learners because Welsh people are understanding our history.
So it's more than a song to us, but a symbol of Wales shedding that 'cringe' we had and embracing our native language.
Also, there was a lot of animosity between the Anglicise south (due to mass migration from England during the industrial revolution) who tended to identity as Unionist. And the more Welsh speaking North Wales who tended to speak Welsh and were nationalistic. So the Welsh language became very politicised (which is a shame because there is nothing 'political' or radical about wanting to to speak the native language of your own country!)
So to see a whole football stadium, made up from all areas of Wales sing together and singing in Welsh! Is a miracle. It's united everyone together.
My mother was from a Welsh speaking family. She was made to learn English at the National School.
I'm lucky to have been born in 1950 and remember the warmth and pride of my Welsh Aunts and Uncles all speaking in Welsh at once. Auntie Bai putting more coal in the range, Uncle Dai coming back from the pit, black from head to toe except for the whites of his eyes. Hard lives but full of love.
My mother, Mair, died in June at the age of 96 and I miss her. I learnt a little Welsh from her and my long lost relatives and I am so proud of my Welsh heritage. Diolch Yn Fawr Mam. Cymru Am Byth.
Great song and a very good explanation. Best of luck to Wales from Ireland
The song also resonates as a riposte to those who have questioned and might still question the existence of a Welsh football team because not only does the team owe its place thanks to tradition but also as a nation in its own right and through successfully qualifying for European and World finals. Always interesting to hear Welsh speaking academics' take on Welsh history.
Don't won't to burst the bubble, but the Sarlets rugby have been singing Yma o lwan for over 20 years.
We all need to be proud to be Walsh, what a country we are.
American here, I just wanted to learn about this stuff so this is a deep dive for me, but what happened to Sosban Fach? Why did this song over take it?
Sosban Fach is more of a light hearted song.
The ‘wind blowing from the east’, while leaving Prydain vulnerable to invaders, is more descriptive of a comet passing low and dropping toxic debris (causing the ‘yellow plague, etc., - late 6th century?). It wrecked the Arthurian realm which began with the first Arthur who was the son (and pendragon, I.e., ‘top general’) of Macsen Wledig.
Macsen was senior prince of Britain and true heir as princeps (emperor). Born at a time when boys spent their first 7 years with their mother who was from what is now part of Spain. His father was of the royalty of Britain who, post Hadrian, were emperors.
You are both from same tribes ireland.and wales.and scoti tribe
Edward the first has alot to answer for
Cymru am byth cymraeg yn byw!
I am surprised for someone who includes religion in their expertise that you associate bread of heaven with a rugby match in 1905 I suggest you check out the 1904/1905 Welsh revival which was the reason that hymn was sung and the only evidence we have today of that revival is that it still is
Why chose this song? It's a great stadium song for singing together.
From an actual welsh working class person its because plaid and welsh nationalists have no real political arguements besides living in the past.
all problems in wales are coming from London, migrants, knife culture etc
@@BC_Joshie wow. On a window on a pub swansea were the words in spray paint "english out immigrants in". I think we all know the only ones to blame for immigrants and the associated violent culture and crime is labour and the likes of plaid.
@@BC_Joshie what that has to do with my initial comment god knows but its not true either.