Wales Has A History.........it's just not being taught

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

There won't be that much Welsh history in this post. There are two reasons for this:

1) I was born in London so I was not taught any purely Welsh history. When Wales appeared it was either in the guise of Lloyd George or one other figure (which I'll explain shortly)

2) My daughter was born in Bridgend and so was barely taught any purely Welsh history. Don't think she's been taught about Lloyd George.

So why is this? Why is the history of Wales, whether centuries old or relatively recent, mainly ignored by most Welsh Schools?

Well the answer of course is simple. History is written by the winners. Edward I led England to conquer Wales in 1282 killing it's last true Prince Llywelyn Ap Gruffudd. Since then Welsh history just seems to have generally been merged into a UK context...to be then forgotten. Any hint of "Welshness" removed not through Orwellian 1984 tactics. Just don't mention a fact which is to do with Wales and eventually it will become neglected and ignored.

A few years ago I read The Winters King by Thomas Penn. It was a biography. It contained in the beginning one fact which in all my aged years I was completely unaware of.

Henry VII...the first Tudor king....was Welsh.

This fact was never brought up when I was learning history at school. It was just that he was the winner of the Wars of the Roses over Richard I and begat his far more racier son Henry VIII. You do have to ask had Henry VII lost would the history books have played more on his Welsh roots. I'd guess they would.

My daughter would know more about slavery in America than she will about the colonisation of the country of her birth. That thought alone should make people think.

This absence of Welsh history in schools is of course linked to the onward pressure brought upon the Welsh language. Both are similar in the way that the general establishment tries to dampen down interest. Knowing as it does that any interest will reveal independence of thought which might then turn into independence as a desire.

I don't know much Welsh history. I want my Welsh born daughter to know more.

Until the next time.