Bucks
Ann Hellman
Dear Friends,
Good morning. “If you’re Welsh, you sing,” Ann Hellmann began. The Quakertown native told me about her Welsh choir’s trip to Patagonia in Argentina. She was one of 65 American and Canadian singers who traveled to South America as the North American Welsh Choir. It meets once each year for concerts somewhere in the world and rehearses regionally each month.
The Welsh came to America in waves during the 17th and 18th centuries. For example, Simon Meredith emigrated to Philadelphia from Powys County Wales in 1691. That sounds impressive until you discover that Simon had the option of remaining in Powys County and be hanged for horse thievery or sailing to the new world.
Ann is a Welsh American. Her maiden name was Foulke, Welsh Quakers.
Cor Cymry Gagledd America is Welsh, meaning North American Welsh Choir. It’s pronounced “kor-kimree-gogleth.” Note the plethora of consonants. When you see a word with lots of many consonants, it’s probably Welsh. Towns like Bryn Mawr and Bala Cynwyd are named after Welsh towns.
The trip was a bargain, just $4,000 each, and it included airfare, food, lodging and all the music you could sing. The visit was in October so it was springtime in the Southern Hemisphere. Because the journey began on the Atlantic coast, they saw whales and penguins every day.
Ann told me that the North American Welsh Choir chose Patagonia, Argentina because it’s the largest Welsh community in the world outside of Wales. “We were participating in Patagonia’s annual Welsh Festival, “Eisteddfor” (pronounced “I- sted-vot”)” Ann said. “The festival is highlighted by dancing, art, crafts, music, harp playing, poetry writing and reciting. There was a hand made child’s harp worth $30,000.
“In 1865, Argentina offered land to Welsh settlers if they’d develop the land,” Ann continued. “And 160 hearty souls signed on. They wanted to form a new Wales. You can see the caves that the settlers used for homes.”
The caves reminded me of how the
Meredith’s lived in Bucks County after the Revolutionary War. So typical of us,
we chose the wrong side, believing King George
I loved the name of the ship, which brought them to Argentina…“Mimosa.” Isn’t that the name of an alcoholic drink? That would figure.
In Argentina, the primary language is Spanish. What’s the second language, I asked? “Welsh,” Ann replied brightly. “You don’t find much English spoken in Argentina, especially in the rural areas and small towns. We used hand signals and picture drawing. We got along just fine.”
The North American Welsh Choir members come from nearly every state in America and Canadian province. There are three regional headquarters where monthly rehearsals take place…Seattle on the West Coast; Summit, New Jersey on the East Coast. Men and women choristers download music from its website and rehearsal tapes provide help for the vocal parts. The full choir meets only once each year. Pittsburgh will be the site for concerts next year. The youngest member is 19 and the oldest is 80.
During the ten-day trip, Ann and her husband saw tremendous variety in the landscape…from the desert to the mountains. The East Coast is fronted by the Atlantic Ocean. The Andes Mountain range separates Argentina from Chile in the west. “The mountain area resembles a combination of the Grand Titans and the Badlands of South Dakota,” Ann said. The Chabut River was central to the trip. It begins in the Andes Mountains and flows to the Atlantic.
The three concerts were in Buenos Ares, Trelew, and Trevelin. Each of the programs approximated two hours. The concerts were free but voluntary collections were accepted. The proceeds went to local schools and charities.
Ann told me about the fun of the Welsh Festival…the so-called Eisteddfor. “Several of our choristers participated in the poetry contest,” she said. “One of us, Nancy Wright from Manhattan, won a prize because when you turned her poem sidewise, it resembled the Andes Mountains.
“Mari Morgan is our choir director,” Ann added. “She’s from South Wales. During the interview, Ann played a CD of a Welsh hymn, Cwm Rhondda or “Bread of Heaven.”
“Singing in the Welsh choir is lots of fun,” she said. “I especially like the cymamfacanu.” That means hymn sing and it’s pronounced “kah-mantha-ganee.”
Argentina is the land of the tango, but the Hellmann’s didn’t take lessons. They did find time to visit chocolate shops in the Andes Mountains. “Every third shop was a candy store,” she said. “Chocolate was everywhere…so was silver [jewelry].
“When we got home, we were exhausted and needed a vacation from the vacation,” Ann laughed. “I especially loved the penguins. They were all over the place. They walk right along next to you.”
Isn’t that a picture…several penguins marching along the shore, arm and arm with Ann Hellmann?
“I had a great time,” Ann’s husband, Eric, told me. “I was her escort…sort of a chaperone.” Eric retreated to his “man cave” as Ann calls his special room. Eric showed me an Argentine bolo and a leather lariat, called a lasso. The bolo looks like the pawnbroker symbol…three balls, each hanging by a leather thong. Argentine cowboys throw the bolo, which wraps around an animal’s feet and trips them.
I wonder whether, Ann will use the bolo on Eric.
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith