I was one of five people at the meeting in June at Brian Parry's house. That included Brian himself so the group seems to be diminishing greatly even from last year. We discussed whether the Puget Sound Welsh Association and its publication, Y Ddolen, ought to even continue.
There are good things to be said about each but the question we handful who were at the meeting are throwing out to you readers, especially those who are members, is this: Is there any reason now to remember Wales, to keep the Welsh language and history and culture alive?
In all the countries colonized by Britain there is a lot of remembrance of Ireland and of Scotland. English history and literature were once studied in American schools though now not nearly as much. Wales and Cornwall and the Isle of Man and Brittany and their Celtic heritage were barely given a thought and I am probably typical of many Americans who do not even realize they have Welsh ancestry until they are adults.
I now have many neighbors and friends from all over Europe and Asia and Africa and the Pacific islands. With all these interesting folks coming into our country, often sharing their heritage, we who value the heritage of Wales and its fellow Celtic cultures need to ask why we ought to keep ours alive and, given how busy most of are with other things in our lives, how can we best do that?
We want to hear from you—and fast!
Terrence George Brown