|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
'Yr Etifeddiaeth' ('The Heritage'), filmed in 1949 by photographer Geoff Charles and journalist John Roberts Williams, vividly depicts traditional ways of life in rural North Wales that would soon change or disappear altogether in the post war era. 'Yr Etifeddiaeth' is also important as a milestone in the history of Welsh language filmmaking, being the first documentary to be narrated in Welsh, although an English language version - 'The Heritage' - was made and is also held by the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales. Before this, Sir Ifan ab Owen Edwards had pioneered the use of the Welsh language on film through his recording of the activities of the Welsh League of Youth in films such as 'Yr Ail Fordaith Gymraeg' (1934) and the drama 'Y Chwarelwr' ('The Quarryman') (1935). 'Yr Etifeddiaeth' is narrated in a resonant, literary style by Albert Evans-Jones (the Archdruid "Cynan") and portrays, for the benefit of a wartime evacuee from Liverpool, a rural way of life and culture in north west Wales that had remained largely unchanged for generations. The film shows the cultural and linguistic heritage of the area - a heritage which at this point in time is able to accommodate increasing mechanisation (corn threshing, for example, is described as machine-centered activity which is nevertheless still communal in nature) – but which is under increasing threat from the influence of the modern, readily available English language media and visitors who flock to the area, many to stay at the new Butlins holiday camp at Pwllheli. Documentation on the making of the film is available. Other films in the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales collection that capture disappearing aspects of Welsh cultural and community life include the amateur films of Dr J.Glyn Jones such as 'Hwyl a Sbri ….a Thrip Capel Brynsiencyn' ('Sunday School Excursion') (1950s) amongst others. |
|
