For the second year, Samaria’s Heritage Square played host to a weekend of activities designed to bring some of the seasonal traditions of Wales to the valley.  Visitors took a tour through the Square’s restored historic cabins, and learned a bit about Welsh Christmas practices, traditions, songs, and stories.

Donna Whipple demonstrated the tradition of “Calennig,” which has some similarities with trick or treating.  It’s a New Year’s tradition where fruits such as apples are decorated with cloves, branches, leaves, nuts, and all manner of other objects and then taken from house to house during the holiday in hopes of receiving small gifts or songs in exchange for the visit.  

Also on display was the striking “Mari Lwyd” tradition, which is a uniquely Welsh affair. A person costumed with a cloak or sheet and an animal skull (often a horse) is the visual centerpiece of the tradition, which sees groups of singers going from house to house asking for admittance.  Entry is denied to the visitors until they have competed in a singing/rhyming contest with the homeowners to their satisfaction, and then the whole group eats and drinks together in celebration.

Music, as you can tell, is a major part of Welsh life, and certainly of Welsh holiday traditions.  The Samaria Christmas featured Christmas songs played on a violin and other sounds of the season.  Visitors were told a bit about the historic cabins that occupy the grounds at Heritage Square.  Luke Waldron chose to tell us a story about his connection to Wales, in which he recounted the journey of his “little Welsh grandmother” to the Samaria valley.

Afterward, Waldron explained that a recently received grant would allow for a number of improvements and repairs to the Square, including chinking the cabins, adding windows to some that need them, and otherwise weatherizing and improving the comfort and appearance of the restored structures.

The Welsh tradition of hand-making ornaments was explained by Geneal White, who led visitors through the process of preparing and creating their own tin ornaments with the use of a nail and hammer.  

Tammi Benson provided a selection of stories and poems in the final cabin, one which is bedecked in Welsh dinnerware and glassware, as well as a cookstove that is planned to be a future source of Welsh food preparation as improvements to the site continue.  

We were treated to the following poem, by Welsh poet Jayne Davies:

My Welsh Valley 

Standing on the hillside,

Gazing at the view,

The valley I was born in,

Still fresh from the morning dew.

I look down on my village,

The mist, just starts to rise,

And in the far, far distance,

I hear a Vixens cries.

Sounds of people rising,

Starting a new day,

I wouldn’t wish my hometown,

To be any other way.

As I start the steep slope down,

My little dog, by my side.

I welcome this lovely valley of mine,

With arms held, open wide.

The visit finished with an invitation to partake of wassail and chocolate milk, and then join the group around the fire in a communal sharing of time and space.  Like the other traditions on display in Samaria, the central role of spending time with one another, laughing, singing and sharing are key elements of the Welsh tradition.  Heritage Square is a unique and wonderful addition to the Malad Valley, and offers a year-round look at the county’s past and its deep Welsh roots.