Welcome to Wales

Региональная научно-практическая конференция школьников

«Наше наследие»

Секция: страноведение, английская/немецкая филология

Исследовательская работа

Название работы  Welcome to Wales

Крыловы Диана

МБОУ «Средняя школа №9» Елабужского муниципального района 9Б класс

                                  Научный руководитель:

                                  Учитель: Задорина Е.А.

Елабуга-2013

Plan

1. A Land of Mountains, Lakes and Coastline – 3
2. A Land of the Celts – 3
3. A Land of Castles and Princes – 3-4
4. The Welsh Language – 4
5. Wales’s Patron Saint and National Holiday – 4-5
6. Dragons, Leeks and Daffodils – 5
7. King Arthur – 5
8. A Land of Poetry and Music – 5-6
9. Cardiff – 6
10.  Swansea – 6
11.  Sport in Wales – 7
12.  Olympic sports – 7
13.  Welsh Love Spoons – 7-8
14.  A Taste of Wales – 8-9
15.  Food Festivals – 9
16.  Literature – 10

The aims of the work

5. to learn something new about Wales, its history, customs and traditions, sport in Wales, traditional Welsh dishes;
6. to compare  the Welsh Language with  English;

A Land of Mountains, Lakes and Coastline

        Wales is one of the four parts of the United Kingdom (along with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland). It is bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of 3,063,456, and has a total area of 20,779 km2. Wales has over 1,200 km of coastline, and is largely mountainous, with its highest peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon, its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone, and has a changeable, maritime climate.

         Wales may be a small country (occupying only a little more than 8% of the UK’s total area), but it has variety of scenery and lots of beautiful places to visit. Here you can find high mountains (which were shaped during the last ice age), long sandy beaches, picturesque lakes, rivers, bays and waterfalls, high sand dunes and the deepest cave in Britain.

        Although Wales is seven times smaller than England, it has three national parks and four areas of outstanding natural beauty.

A Land of the Celts

        Wales first appeared in recorded history when the Romans attacked it in the 1st century AD. The people living there were the Celts, an ancient European people. They were warriors, farmers and traders. Celtic warriors were very skilful and fierce. To scare their enemies in battle they combed their hair to make it stand on end, often tattooed and decorated their bodies, and ran shouting into battle.

        Celtic people were also known for their art. Many bronze swords, daggers and shields have been found in the graves of Celtic chiefs and warriors. Necklaces, brooches, pins and mirrors were also buried with the dead.

        The Welsh are very proud of their Celtic origin. They keep alive their traditions and still speak Welsh, their ancient Celtic language.

A Land of Castles and Princes

        There are over 400 castles in Wales! Some of them are in ruins, but many are still standing and are some of the most famous and well-preserved castles in Britain.

        The largest castles were built by King Edward I of England. When he conquered Wales in the 13th century, he built massive castles to keep the Welsh under control.

        Caernarvon Castle is the finest of Edward I’s many castles, still standing, all over Wales. Edward wanted it to be a royal residence and the seat of his government in North Wales. The first official Prince of Wales, the future King Edward II, was born in Caernarvon Castle in 1284. The present Prince of Wales is Prince Charles, who is expected to become the next British king. He became Prince of Wales at a colourful ceremony held in Caernarvon Castle in 1969.

        Beaumaris Castle was the last and largest of Edward I’s castles. It was almost impossible to attack – there was a moat filled with water and two lines of walls.

        Harlech Castle looks very picturesque as it seems to grow naturally from the rock on which it stands.

        The walls of Conwy Castle are more than one kilometer long, with 22 towers.

        After defeating the native princes of Wales, Edward I named his son ‘Prince of Wales’. Since then the eldest son of the king or queen of England has traditionally been given this title.

The Welsh Language

        Everybody in Wales can speak English, but it is not everybody’s first language. For about 20 % of the population, the mother tongue is Welsh.

        All children in Wales learn it at school, there are many local newspapers in Welsh and nearly all signs are written in both Welsh and English.

        To understand how different Welsh is from English, compare the lines from the Welsh national anthem with their English translation:

Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,

Gwlad beirrdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;

Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,

Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.

Cytgan:

Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf I’m gwlad.

Tra mor yn fur I’r bur hoff bau,

O bydded i’r hen iaith barhau.

Land Of My Fathers

The land of my fathers is dear to me,

Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free:

Its warring defenders, so gallant and brave,

For freedom their life’s blood they gave

Chorus:

Land! Land! True I am to my land!

While seas secure,

This land so pure,

O may our old language endure.

Wales’s Patron Saint and National Holiday

        Wales’s patron saint is St David. He was a Celtic monk who lived on bread, water and leeks and died on the 1st of March, 589. He was buried in a place now called St David’s.

        March 1st, St David’s Day, is now Wales’s national day. It’s celebrated by Welsh people all over the world. On this day they wear leeks or daffodils, traditional Welsh emblems.

        Every year parades are held in Wales to commemorate Saint David. The largest of these is held in Cardiff and is formally attended by either the British Monarch or the Prince of Wales. Parades are a mixture of folklore and military tattoo. Celebrations included concerts, a parade and a food festival.

        On St David’s Day, some children in Wales dress in their national costume, which consists of a tall black hat, a white frilled cap and a long dress.

Dragons, Leeks and Daffodils

        The national flag of Wales is the Red Dragon. No one knows for sure how the red dragon came to become a symbol of Wales. Its origin is now lost in history and myth. Some people say it’s the oldest national flag still in use, and that it was used by King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders.

        The leek and the daffodil are also famous emblems of Wales. According to one legend, St David advised Welsh soldiers to wear a leek in their caps so that they could recognize each other in battle. The daffodil became a Welsh national emblem because its Welsh name is translated as a kind of leek. Nowadays, the leek and the daffodil are worn on St David’s Day and at international rugby matches.

King Arthur

        Wales is a place of myths and legends. The most popular figure in the Welsh history is King Arthur who fought against the invaders. Some historians say that Arthur is a mythical figure but there is a reason to believe that Arthur existed and led the long resistance of the Welsh against the invaders. According to the legends Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon, a Celtic King. King Uther gave his child to Merlin the wizard. Merlin taught Arthur everything he knew so that he could become a great king. Arthur gathered a great company of knights in his court – the so called Round Table – an order of knights who became famous for fighting the evil and helping the poor.

        With his wife, Guinevere, Arthur lived in Camelot. The Welsh people believe that Camelot stood on the site of the modern city Caerleon in the south Wales.

        The legends about Arthur are numerous in several languages and contain a mixture of ancient Celtic mythology and real facts. The earliest references to Arthur are found in the Welsh poem Y Gododdin – a collection of stories, written in Latin in the 9th and 10th centuries. All present versions of the Arthurian legend are based on these texts.

A Land of Poetry and Music

        Wales has always been known as a country of poetry and music. The Welsh people, especially in rural areas, are fond of folk music, singing, poetry and drama. Welsh literature is one of the oldest in Europe. There are many choirs in Wales, the standard of singing is high and the love of good music is widespread. Since the 12th century special competitions have been held to find the best poets, writers and musicians in the country. The Welsh word for such a competition is eisteddfod. It means ‘chairing’, from the custom of putting the winning bard in a special chair.

        The most important eisteddfod is the National Eisteddfod of Wales. It’s the largest cultural festival of its kind in Europe, and a very important event in the Welsh calendar. It takes place every August at some place in South Wales (even years) and North Wales (uneven years), and lasts for 8 days. All the events are in Welsh, but everyone is welcome and a translation service is available. The big event is so popular that there’s not a hotel room free for miles around.

Cardiff

        Cardiff has been the capital of Wales since 1955. In fact, it’s the youngest capital in Europe. It is difficult to imagine that only 200 years ago it was a fishing village. But today it’s an important industrial, educational and cultural center of the country.

        The Welsh name of the city is Caerdydd, which means ‘a fort on the River Taff’. The Romans settled in Cardiff in 55AD and built a military fort there. Later, the famous Cardiff Castle was built on its site.

        Cardiff is one of the flattest cities in Britain and has more hours of sunlight than any other city in Britain.

        Combining history with modernity, Cardiff has become one of Britain’s top tourist places. Cardiff is full of historic buildings and nice parks. It attracts more than 12 million visitors a year.

        Cardiff Castle is a popular tourist attraction. The Castle is in the heart of the capital, it is an enigmatic and fairy tale place. The history of the Castle began almost 2,000 years ago when the Romans came to Wales and built their first fort here. Later the building was enlarged and rebuilt many times. Today Cardiff Castle is a museum and a concert hall at the same time.  Many rock concerts and other performances take place here.

Swansea

        The second largest city in Wales is Swansea where mainly steel production can be found. Since World War II there has been intensive development in the metals industries especially in the south and south-east. During its 19th-century industrial heyday, Swansea was a key centre of the copper industry, earning the nickname 'Copperopolis'.

        Every autumn, Swansea hosts a Festival of Music and the Arts, when international orchestras and soloists visit the Brangwyn Hall. The Brangwyn Hall is praised for its acoustics for recitals, orchestral pieces and chamber music alike.

        Swansea's most famous daughter is Hollywood actress Catherine Zeta-Jones who still owns a home in Mumbles.

Sport in Wales

        The most popular sports in Wales are rugby union and football. Like the other countries of the United Kingdom, Wales enjoys independent representation in major world sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and in the Commonwealth Games, but competes as the England and Wales cricket team and as Great Britain in many other competitions, including the Olympics.

        The Millennium Stadium is the country's national stadium. It has been voted one of the seven sporting wonders of the world. Located in Cardiff, it is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and the Wales national football team with a capacity of 74,500. It was the temporary location for English football and rugby league finals during the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium.

Olympic sports

        Wales has produced many notable Olympic and Paralympic athletes for the Great Britain team. Wales' Paralympic athletes were exceptionally successful throughout the 2000s, winning 27 medals in the 2004 Summer Paralympics (12 gold, six silver, nine bronze) and achieving 14 medals at 2008 Summer Paralympics (ten gold, three silvers, one bronze). Two of the most successful Welsh Paralympians to represent Great Britain were Tanni Grey-Thompson, winner of 11 gold medals over four Paralympics and swimmer Dave Roberts who took 11 gold medals over three Paralympics.

        Cardiff provided training facilities for some visiting teams of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The Millennium Stadium also hosted games in both the men's and women's football events.

Welsh Love Spoons

        A favourite souvenir for the tourists is a Welsh love spoon. They are made of wood and are very beautifully carved.

        The lovespoon is a traditional craft that dates back to the seventeenth century. Over generations, decorative carvings were added to the spoon and it lost its original practical use and became a treasured decorative item to be hung on a wall.

        The earliest known dated lovespoon from Wales, displayed in the St Fagans National History Museum near Cardiff, is from 1667, although the tradition is believed to date back long before that. The earliest dated lovespoon worldwide originates from Germany, and is dated as 1664.

        In the old days in Wales, a young man would carve a spoon to give   to his sweetheart as a sign of his love. It was important for the girl's father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking.

        Traditionally, the spoons were carved from one piece of wood and had a number of symbols such as hearts (for love), bells (for the hoped-for wedding), a horseshoe (for luck), a dragon (for protection), etc.

        Today lovespoons are given as wedding and anniversary gifts, as well as birthday, baby gifts, Christmas or Valentine's Day gifts. They are now mostly seen as a folk craft.

A Taste of Wales

        The people of Wales have kept many of their ancient traditions, and this is also true of their national food.

        Welsh food and drink is a secret worth sharing. Welsh food has a long-established reputation for distinctiveness and quality.

        A great way to find out about food in Wales is to visit a local Farmer’s market. Many locations throughout Wales have farmers markets where you can buy food direct from producers. Swansea food market is the largest and most fascinating food market in Wales. It continues a tradition of trading that dates back to medieval times. Visitors can sample a range of Welsh delicacies including cockles from the tidal Penclawdd Sands and laerbread. Locally caught fresh fish can also be bought here.

        Some traditional dishes include Welsh rarebit, Welsh lamb, laverbread, leek stew, bara brith (speckled bread), Teisen lap (fruit cake) and the famous Welsh cakes.

Recipe

Welsh Cakes

        Welsh cakes are traditional Welsh snacks. They are made from flour, butter, eggs, sugar and raisins or currants. They are round, 4-6 cm in diameter and about 1-1.5 cm thick. The cakes are also known as bakestones in Wales because they are traditionally cooked on a bakestone.

        Welsh cakes are served cold or hot dusted with caster sugar. Some people like to eat them with jam or butter.

Here’s an easy-to-follow recipe of Welsh cakes.

You will need:

1. 250g self-raising flour
2. 125g butter
3. 100g caster sugar
4. 200g currants or raisins
5. a handful of raisins
6. 1 egg
7. a pinch of salt
8. milk, if needed
9. extra butter, for greasing

Method

1. Sieve the self-raising flour into a large bowl.
2. Rub the butter into the flour to make breadcrumbs.
3. Add the sugar and raisins.
4. Beat the egg and pour it into mixture.
5. Use a fork or a wooden spoon to mix it all together. Add a pinch of salt. Use a splash of milk, if needed. The mixture should become a large ball, which can be taken clean out of the bowl.
6. Sprinkle a little flour over the place you’ll be rolling the dough.
7. Break the dough in half, more or less, and roll it out with a rolling pin into a large circle about 1 centimetre thick.
8. Use small round cutters to cut the cakes.
9. You now need a bakestone or a heavy iron griddle. Rub it with butter, put it on to a direct heat and wait until it heats up.
10. Place the Welsh cakes on the griddle, turning once. They need about 2-3 minutes each side. Each side needs to be caramel brown before turning although some people like them almost burnt.
11. Dust the cakes with caster sugar while still warm.

Food Festivals

        Wales’s culinary calendar, which represents a celebration of the great flavours of Wales, has over 40 food festivals taking place throughout the year. Popular events include: Cardigan River & Food Festival, Abergavenny Food Festival, Welshpool Winter Food Festival. Festivals are a great opportunity to taste, talk about and buy the best local produce available directly from the farmer or food producer.

The Abergavenny Food Festival

       The Abergavenny Food Festival takes place over the third weekend of September. Featuring some of the brightest lights of the culinary world it occupies the centre of the town across six venues. Around one hundred and seventy stalls with produce from Wales, the Marches and further afield, together with a programme of individually ticketed masterclasses, tutored tastings and chef dems.

Cardigan River & Food Festival

        The festival is great fun for all the family, with cooking demonstrations and a full programme of river events, entertainment and activities for the children. There are plenty to eat, drink, see and enjoy, so come along and get a real taste of Cardigan!

Литература

1. Ощепкова В.В., Шустилова И.И.  О Британии кратко. Книга для чтения на английском языке. – М.: Иностранный язык, Оникс, 2001. – 224с.
2.  Васильев М.В. Достопримечательности Великобритании. – М.: Айрис-пресс, 2008. – 112с.
3. Speak Out 5 (75) 2009. Журнал для изучающих английский язык. – Издательство «Глосса-Пресс».
4. www.en.wikipedia.org
5. www.castlewales.com
6. www.walesinstyle.com