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www.celtic-connection.com
JUNE 2009
Welsh Heritage Celebrated in U.S. Pacific NW Summer Events
VANCOUVER - Several events of interest to the Welsh community are being held this summer in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
In the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries coal mining was a major industry in Washington State. The industry attracted large numbers of immigrant Welsh coal miners whose descendants still celebrate their Welsh heritage.
The little town of Black Diamond south-east of Seattle is one of several communities founded by Welsh coal miners in the 1880s.
On June 6 Black Diamond celebrated its eighth annual Welsh Heritage Day, when Welsh descendants shared stories, pictures and memorabilia and listened to Welsh music sung by Dinas o Frain (City of Crows), a popular Seattle area duo specializing in Welsh and Irish traditional music.
On July 18 another small town, Wilkeson, WA, will hold centennial celebrations, including the dedication of a monument "to all the coal miners and quarrymen who put our town on the map." The Welsh were one of the largest ethnic groups in the founding of Wilkeson.
Following the dedication of the monument, there will be a parade in which members of the Puget Sound Welsh Association will participate, carrying a Welsh flag and wearing Welsh kilts, rugby shirts or Welsh costumes. Eric Bowen, a PSWA member from Bellingham, will sing at the dedication.
This year also marks the 125th anniversary of Bryn Seion Welsh Church in Beavercreek, Oregon. The church was built by a small Welsh community just outside Oregon City. Its annual Gymanfa Ganu has become a popular attraction for Welsh immigrants and descendants throughout the Pacific Northwest.
On June 28, Bryn Seion will hold
its 74* annual Gymanfa Ganu, with morning and afternoon sessions. The director will be Rhiannon Acree, organist Teresa Vosse, and musical guests Bronn and Katherine Journey, who have performed many times in the U.S. and in Vancouver Welsh Society events.
Another highlight this summer will be the first Annual Left Coast Eisteddfod, featuring concerts in Portland, Oregon, on August 21 and 22. This is billed as a celebration of all things Welsh and in particular of the American Welsh heritage which has enriched the nation's history.
The Eisteddfod competition in a variety of categories will be conducted online. Information on the categories and contest rules can be obtained from the website http:// americymru.ning. com?
The event is sponsored by the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation. (Welshman Meriwether Lewis was one half of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition.)
During the past week the Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir added to the summer's Welsh flavour with a tour of Washington and Oregon.
The Choir, under director Liana Savard and with accompanist Barry ^manouchi, presented their varied and entertaining musical presentations in Leavenworth, Seattle and Oak Harbor, Washington, and in Newport, Portland and Astoria, Oregon.
Further information on forthcoming events in the Pacific Northwest can be found on the Puget Sound Welsh Society's website www.pugetsound welsh.org.
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Experience Your Scottish Roots at the BC Highland Games
Independence not a priority for Scots public
EDINBURGH - First Minister Alex Salmond has received more letters and e-mails about the Middle East from the public than Scottish independence it has been revealed.
A written answer in Holyrood has shown that independence and the National Conversation are only the fourth most popular subject of correspondence to Salmond, with just 71 letters.
The top three categories were banks 131, friendly societies 87 and the Middle East 84. All three subjects are reserved issues for which he has no responsibility.
The figures came in a written answer to Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis who said that it raised a question over the money spent on the National Conversation, the Scottish Government's three-year survey on independence.
"It says something that more Scots felt moved to write to the First Minister about the plight of Palestine than independence for Scotland," he said.
THE Royal Scottish Country Dance Society presents their annual 'Dancing in the Park'.
Learn to Dance Scottish in Stanley Park This Summer
VANCOUVER - Free entertainment in a world class location. No jet-lag and no passport required. Dance Scottish!
Homecoming Scotland is an invitation for Scots to return to their roots this year and join the celebration of the 250th anniversary of Robert Burn's birth.
What better excuse for a party? The Scots populate many countries and are well represented across Canada. There is a monument of Scotland's national bard at the entrance to Stanley Park.
If you can't accept the invitation to travel to Scotland this summer, then join the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society at Ceperley Park by second beach, for Scottish Country Dancing, the "social dancing" of Scotland.
Dancing begins on June 15 at 7 PM and continues each Monday evening through to August 17.
The Vancouver Demonstration Team and Pipe Band will perform on June 22. Family night is June 29 and the Vancouver Fiddle Orchestra will perform for dancers on July 6 and 20.
Each week the simpler dances are taught and audience participation is encouraged. Wear comfortable flat soled shoes.
Check outwww.rscdsvancouver.org and click on the "Dancing in the Park" link. There are pictures of people just like you dancing to the rhythms of Scottish music. The web site also provides updates if the weather is uncertain.
Tell Them You Saw it Here!
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By IRK IABRAKER
VANCOUVER - Just over two years ago I decided to explore and experience my Scottish roots.
The easiest way to do that in Vancouver was to volunteer at the BC Highland Games. I went to the first meeting and met loads of Scottish people. Would be volunteers, many like me, who wanted to find out more about Scotland, along with people who were looking for a fun place to spend some time and meet new friends.
And fun it was. I spent the evening before the 2007 Games helping set up tents, align portable fences, and moving the boxes of supplies it takes to help run the big event.
I found plenty of fascinating people who were there to pipe and drum and dance. The man in charge of caber tossing was measuring the heavy events competition area. The conversation was all in great expectation of the upcoming events.
The next day was my first visit to a BC Highland Games and it was a thrill to be a part of the inner workings! The Games are an enormous display of sights and sounds to tantalize the senses.
In 2008 my work with the Games was with the on-site program sales. The day was a scorcher and I spent more time walking around passing out water to everyone and offering a spray of sun screen. The beer tent certainly did lots of business!
My best memory was at the end of the day when all the piping bands enter the huge stadium field to play together. The experience brought tears to my eyes. A moment to cherish and confirm this will be an event I will never miss!
This year I'm heading up the advertising and public relations for the 2009 BC Highland Games. It's been a crash course on all the various competitions and what is involved with each group. I've talked more about haggis and cabers and parades than I thought possible.
What do families want? What do pipers need? How am I going to pull this together? Television, radio, print, and a few surprises to attract some attention. I really want everyone to come out and kick off the summer with an amazing day at the BC Highland Games.
Besides all the joy and stress with this task I'm having the time of my life! I hope everyone loves my idea to come and "Be A Haggis Hunter." Has anyone ever heard of "MacQuitlam?"
And please, let's have a sunny day on June 27! I'm out to spread the word that I believe the 2009 BC Highland Game will be the best ever.
Come volunteer, you will have the time of your life. For more information about volunteering, call Ann MacDonald at (604) 681-2233 or (604) 671-8215 or e-mail: ann @danielmcintyre. com.
Delta Police Pipe Band Celtic Gala a true 'variety' concert
DELTA - The second Delta Police Pipe Band Celtic Gala was held at the South Delta Baptist Church on May 9.
This follows on from the success of the 2008 Spring concert and the sellout concert of Anthony Kearns in November, 2008. The band feared they would be hard put to match that record but Delta was once again treated to an outstanding evening of Celtic variety.
The appearance of tenor Mark Donnelly, known for his singing of the national anthem at the Vancouver Canucks games, was thought to be in jeopardy for the first part of the concert due to the timing of his commitment to the Canucks.
Fortunately, 'The Fastest Tenor in the West' made it and, with his son Sean, provided an enjoyable and spirited act.
Donnelly also performed with the Celtic fusion group, Whiskey Dicks, giving a heartfelt rendering of the perennial favourite, Danny Boy.
Mark's later performance of Amazing Grace with the Pipe Band was another example of interaction between the cast members.
The Whiskey Dicks are a group of young musicians, all with music degrees and are teachers of music. Their vivid and energetic performance provided a refreshing blast of Celtic fervor.
The group combined with four pipers from the Delta Police Pipe
Band to perform a Scottish air. The virtuoso violin playing of the group's Pat Ernst was particularly memorable.
Audience favourites, Eire Born Irish Dancers, graced the stage with their customary elegance and show stopping talent.
They were accompanied by Juno award-winning Celtic Fiddler, Shona LeMottee, who also provided the audience with two stunning solo pieces. Sophisticated lighting and choreography for the dancers elicited comparison with Lord of the Dance performances.
As always, the Delta Police Pipe Band stirred the audience with their stage presence and excellent musical rendering of traditional Scottish airs.
The band's Highland dancers and the drum cadence were examples of careful practice and expert performance. The finale saw the full cast assembled and a spirited rendering oiAuld Lang Syne closed the evening's show, followed by the march out of the performers led by the band.
This year's concert was marked by a deliberate interaction between the performers, making the event a true "variety" concert.
The enthusiastic reaction of the audience was proof positive that there is a definite place for this type of high quality entertainment in Delta.