May 2019

Trilingual Performance Lecture

St Ouen, Jersey

A trilingual performance developed during a residency with The Morning Boat on the island of Jersey investigating the state of dairy farming on the island and shared personal and cultural histories of occupation and language loss.  Tours of empty or converted farmhouses and encounters with farmers and former farmers, politicians, historians, residents and folk musicians, resulted in an event that wove together the past and the present, Jerriais, Welsh and English through Norman architecture, linguistic residues and my own family’s experience of farming Jersey Cattle.  It was intended to be a cross between a Young Farmers’ Concert and a Jersey Eisteddfod; it was a Noson Lawen (a night of joy).  The residency was funded by Wales Arts International.

Images by Gatis Walters and The Morning Boat

Video documentation of performance at St Ouen Parish Hall: https://vimeo.com/339167779

Datblygodd y perfformiad tairieithog yma yn ystod cyfnod preswyl gyda The Morning Boat ar ynys Jersi wrth ymchwilio i gyflwr ffermio llaeth ar yr ynys. Arweiniodd teithiau o ffermdai gwag a chyfarfodydd gyda ffermwyr a chyn-ffermwyr, gwleidyddion, haneswyr, preswylwyr a cherddorion gwerin, at ddigwyddiad oedd yn plethu’r gorffennol a'r presennol, Jerriais, Cymraeg a Saesneg trwy bensaernïaeth Normanaidd, gweddillion ieithyddol a fy mhrofiad teuluol o ffermio gwartheg Jersi. Y bwriad oedd iddi fod yn groes rhwng cyngerdd ffermwyr ifanc ac Eisteddfod Jersi; noson Lawen oedd hi. Ariannwyd y cyfnod preswyl gan Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru.