02 May 2007
Decolonisation Starts Here!
In the 60's (Am I boring you yet?) I was greatly inspired by Quebec Separatists, French speakers in Canada had risen up in Nationalist Protest against the ''Anglocentricity'' of the Canadian Conferation. The French of Canada had never settled into bed with 'English Canada' compfortably and had always sought to have ''Independent Rights'' for Quebec, if not outright Independence. However, the 60's witnessed a rise of a more radical seperatist movement, begining in it's new ''rebellious roots'' with radical revolt based within issues of 'language rights' in Universities. I believe Macgill University in Montreal (about same time Flemish Students were in Language protest at Louvain University in Belguim, and of course
similar at Aberystwyth University in Cymru). The rise of radical Quebec - French Nationalism would spread and Quebec became witness to violent demonstrations, and in time there came into existence the FLQ - Front for the Liberation of Quebec (In the 60's similar arose elsewhere, as ETA in the Basque Country, CLF in Corsica and FWA/MAC in Cymru). The situation in Quebec was further aggrevated in 1967 by General de Gaulle visiting Quebec and calling out to Seperatist Sympathy with the cry of ''Vive Quebec Libre''. It is thus opportune with 40th anniversy of 1967, for you to go to the web, and do a search on Quebec Sepratism in the 1960's to the present. One of the inspirational campaigns of this Separatism was to see Quebec Patriots carry out decolonisation campaigns, much same as in Cymru by removing 'English Only Signs' but soon this decolonisation would take the route of removing all symbols of 'English Canada' as removing the Statue of General Wolfe on the 'Plains of Abraham' in Quebec (statue in pic here, is of his statue at Greenwhich, London). Quebec sepratists had during a demonstration thrown a rope around the statues neck, and heaved it off it's pedestal. During the 60's (am Iboring you?) at an Anti - Investiture protest demonsration in Caernarfon, we attempted to do the same thing with the 'Bradwr' Lloyd George prompter of Investiture 1911. We failed in our endevours, we got the crowd there who climbed up on wrong statue, and then some one forgot to bring the rope, well we are Welsh after all. That is why the ''Butcher of Ireland'' still stand in Caernarfon today, where originally it had been planned to set up a statue of Owain Glyndwr, but not to be unfortunatly.
similar at Aberystwyth University in Cymru). The rise of radical Quebec - French Nationalism would spread and Quebec became witness to violent demonstrations, and in time there came into existence the FLQ - Front for the Liberation of Quebec (In the 60's similar arose elsewhere, as ETA in the Basque Country, CLF in Corsica and FWA/MAC in Cymru). The situation in Quebec was further aggrevated in 1967 by General de Gaulle visiting Quebec and calling out to Seperatist Sympathy with the cry of ''Vive Quebec Libre''. It is thus opportune with 40th anniversy of 1967, for you to go to the web, and do a search on Quebec Sepratism in the 1960's to the present. One of the inspirational campaigns of this Separatism was to see Quebec Patriots carry out decolonisation campaigns, much same as in Cymru by removing 'English Only Signs' but soon this decolonisation would take the route of removing all symbols of 'English Canada' as removing the Statue of General Wolfe on the 'Plains of Abraham' in Quebec (statue in pic here, is of his statue at Greenwhich, London). Quebec sepratists had during a demonstration thrown a rope around the statues neck, and heaved it off it's pedestal. During the 60's (am Iboring you?) at an Anti - Investiture protest demonsration in Caernarfon, we attempted to do the same thing with the 'Bradwr' Lloyd George prompter of Investiture 1911. We failed in our endevours, we got the crowd there who climbed up on wrong statue, and then some one forgot to bring the rope, well we are Welsh after all. That is why the ''Butcher of Ireland'' still stand in Caernarfon today, where originally it had been planned to set up a statue of Owain Glyndwr, but not to be unfortunatly.
I am reminded of all this by recent Russian Settlers protests in Tallin, Estonia over issue of Estonia removing statue of a Soviet Soldier War Memorial. Statues have also caused trouble in Spain when the Civic Authorities used device of road repairs to remove for ever a statue of General Franco. Simarly, in the USA ''Old South'' there are campaigns to remove 'Confederate Symbols', not least huge campaign going on to get rid of the Conferate Battle Flag 'The Stars and Bars'. Meanwhile in Kossovo, the Muslim population vandalise the memorial to commemorate the 'Battle of the Field of Black Birds', also the Albanian Authorities in Kossov have given the go ahead for building of houses on this battle site, to remove it from reality with ''officially sanctioned'' concrete and brick vandalism (In Wales? well in my Alternate History in http://assyrianrod.blogspot.com an English Settler Terrorist Group has blown up the Cilmeri cenotaph). ALL THESE SUBJECTS MAY BE FOUND ON WEB.
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OK! where do we go from here, well I am not going to suggest the blowing up of memorials or toppling of statues, but I will propose that patriots launch the beginning of a decolonisation process. The item here, from Scotland, somewhat inspires me: In Edinburgh, a group calling itself the "Irrepressible Wing of Scotland's Frank Zapatistas" marked the day by putting up new street signs on Princes Street and the Royal Mile. The former was called "William Wallace Street" and the latter "The Wallace Mile". I am well aware that there are loads of simalar ''Colonist Named Streets'' in Cymru that need changing, I do not know how the above was carried out but I do not think the daubing of signs is the answer. However, I would propose patriots in as many communities as possible get together and form in the first instance, a small 'Decolonisation Research Group' to find out just what is in ones community, we should in time desire to see removed but officially sanctioned of course. When such group has done it's research, they should publish their findings and publicise by letter campaigns to local authorities and media. I find it would be quite permissible to make ones own signs and place over specific existing signs as part of an open public Agit - Prop Protest Campaign to symbolically draw attention to the issue.
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Be clever, win support not loose it, and thus no matter how much you cannot stand ''Colonial Mentality'' names for our streets, like that private Estate in Porthcawl whose street names are of the ''Twelve Norman Bastards'' who conquored the South. I believe that even Caernarfon has street named after English Royalty, as do most towns and villages throughout the land, names of English Royalty, Soldiers and Poets and battles in Imperial Wars abound but it is rare to find such that records our history and famouse people. However, all that can really be done here, is convince people living in streets with such names that such needs to be changed. Why are our hospitals named after English Royalty?
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This year which marks the 725th Anniversary of the conquest of Cymru would be opportune time to launch this campaign 'Cymric Conscious Campaign'. Any way we would welcome information on, and suggestions of Street names you feel need changing, letting us know of your alternative ok. Of course renamed after a true Cymric national or local hero. Such campaign should be an enterprising and educative, one moved by means of informing councils and property developers of alternatives to use of names associated with English History, Culture and Monarchy. There, is an huge ammount that could be done this year in Cofia 1282 Connection, not least removal of that awfully worded grovelling plaque in Rhuddlan thanking Edward I for giving us the 'Statuttes of Rhuddlan' - His ''Colonial Constitution'', I have no photo of this, could some one send me one also welcome photos of other ''Welsh Home Goals'' in signs that are the Symbol of our servitude to the Saxon. OK! Who amongst thee, are the 'Brave and Bold' to support such 'Cymric Consciousness Campaign', You? You? Perhaps You?
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Photo of Lloyd George Statue in Caerdydd, giving FWA salute or maybe he's shaking his fist at the National Museum of Wales?
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Yn Fyddlon.
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Gethin 'Iestyn' Gruffydd.
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Lotta Continua.
# posted by Gethin 'Iestyn' Gruffydd @ Wednesday, May 02, 2007
