* The motto as it appears on the Eisteddfod's famous shield.
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is looking for a
new motto after fears that its current one, which refers to a ‘white world’
could be open to misinterpretation.
But its executive producer stresses this re-think does not imply
the organisation has been guilty of racism.
The Eisteddfod management is currently reviewing its entire
organisation to ensure it meets the standards laid down by the Charities
Commission, public funding bodies and audiences.
It recently went out to consultation with its stakeholders on
how the new-look festival should be marketed and received some feedback that it
should be aware of 'potential
misinterpretation' when translating its motto from Welsh into other languages.
That motto, which adorns the Eisteddfod official logo and other branding, reads, in Welsh ‘Byd
gwyn fydd byd a gano. Gwaraidd fydd ei gerddi fo’. In English that is ‘Blessed
is a world that sings. Gentle are its Songs.’
Based on a T. Gwynn Jones’ couplet, the words ‘byd gwyn’
mean ‘blessed’, come from ‘Gwyn eu bid’, the opening words of St. Matthew’s
Beatitudes in the Welsh translation of the Bible.
However, a literal translation - including those provided by
online translation tools and apps - is instead, 'white world'.
After the matter was aired on the BBC and on social media, executive
producer Camilla King says in a statement issued earlier today (Friday): “We
felt that having had this brought to our attention, it was responsible to
embark on research and consultation to clarify this issue and consider
potential ways forward.
“This included speaking with numerous Welsh and non-Welsh
speakers, Welsh language experts and advisors, both within and outside of our
organisation, locally and further afield, and our funders the Arts Council of
Wales.
“Their unanimous advice was that the motto is beautiful when
read with an understanding of the nuances of the Welsh language, but that for
non-Welsh speakers and new generations of audiences and indeed Welsh speakers,
the intended meaning is not clear enough.”
The statement adds: “As Llangollen Eisteddfod continues on
an important path of renewal of our purpose in a modern world, the Board has
agreed that this presents a rich creative opportunity to consider Welsh as a
living and evolving language.
“At a meeting on 15 March 2023, the Board voted unanimously
to work with a Bard to develop a new motto which reflects the organisation’s
vision for the future.
“Our current motto and much-loved shield will remain part of
the Eisteddfod’s visual identity in 2023, and the Board will spend the next five months in consultation with our
stakeholders on the best way to commission our new motto, which will be
unveiled for 2024.”
It goes on: “In response to this review being picked up by
media and individuals on social media, we wish to provide some additional
context that we feel has been misunderstood or misrepresented. We want to
clearly state that we have not at any point implied any racism.
“ The Eisteddfod is, and has always been, a beacon for
togetherness. We also wish to emphasise that we fully understand that the
majority of Welsh speakers do not read the words ‘byd gwyn’ within the context
of the motto as anything other than ‘blessed’.
“This is a matter of translation by the method most likely
to be used by non-Welsh speaking audiences around the world.
“And finally, we cannot state enough that we stand by the
sentiment of the words as intended by T. Gwynn Jones. As we look to the future
we look forward to commissioning new poetry that builds on our proud heritage.”
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