Demand Return of Our
National Treasures Now.
Whereas we note with interest and very much
welcome the display of the Red Book of Hergest alongside the other three
ancient books of Cymru as part of an exhibition held at the National Library of
Cymru, there are questions that need to be asked – and answered as to why, in
the first instance, is this Cymric National Treasure not permanently kept at
our National Library rather than at the
Bodleian Library at Oxford and why has our National Library not demanded
its permanent repatriation to Cymru by now?
We
can recall this priceless manuscript being “on loan” to our National Library on
an earlier occasion – and, incredibly, being handed back at the conclusion of
that exhibition! have we, over the
centuries – since the demise of the War of Independence led by Tywysog Owain Glyndŵr, disintegrated into such a servile
nation that we will, once again at the end of this present exhibition, hand
over this important icon of our Cymric cultural and historical heritage to an
English university library without so much as a whimper from any direction in
protest?
The
book of Hergest is but one of many Cymric national treasures that should be
demanded back, immediately springing to mind is such Cymric treasures as Y Groes
Naid, a potent symbol of Cymric regality that was taken from Llywelyn ap
Gruffydd’s lifeless body on that fateful December day in 1282 and handed over
to Edward I by Welsh traitors along with other treasures of the Royal House of
Gwynedd, then there is the Mold Cape, recently on display at both Caerdydd and
Wrecsam prior to being handed back to the British Museum in London – and again
without a word of protest from anyone. Also high on the shopping list should be
the Red Lady of Paviland as well as the Bones of, both the ancient British King
Sawl Penuchel and Cunedda.
The Greeks have campaigned for years for the
return of the Panthenon Marbles and other nations such as the Native Americans
are doing likewise in regards to their national treasures; do we care less
about ours? We have a ‘Senedd’ in our Capital with a department within it which
purports to safeguard our national heritage and we have a Culture Minister who,
when opening the exhibition at our National Library last week stated that he
“would encourage everyone to visit the Library to witness this piece of history”
Well, we suggest that our ‘Senedd’ demands that this “piece of history” stays
in Cymru where it belongs and we suggest that all those who agree, should
immediately write to John Griffiths AM, the Sports and Culture Minister,
demanding that he leads in a vigorous campaign for the demand of all our Cymric
National Treasures, starting with the Red Book of Hergest whilst it is
currently in Cymru.
Welsh
Remembrancers Siân Ifan & Gethin Gruffydd .
