Historical context
In 1957 Liverpool city council brought a private bill to parliament to develop a reservoir in the populated Tryweryn valley.
In 1962 They were granted authority by act of parliament, allowing them to go ahead with the project without requiring any permission from any welsh authorities or welsh inquiry.
After much protest and opposition. The valley was flooded in 1965.
There is contention over how much this did affect the welsh nationalist movement. Since then there has been significant progress in devolution and protection of the welsh language.
I am of the belief that a large part of the nationalist movement in the poorer, less connected North of wales was inspired by the flooding of Tryweryn and since the event the protest slogan “Cofiwch Dryweryn” (remember Tryweryn) has almost become a significant element in the drive toward independence. Trywreryn serves as a reminder to the pseudo-colonialist view England has toward Wales.
Own visit
I visited Llyn Celyn many years ago with my Brother and Father. It was a short and unplanned trip. I think I was expecting some great shadow over the whole place. But the rather distressing truth was that it was unremarkable. It was like any other lake/reservoir in that part of wales. The soundscape too, forest, a distant road, and lapping water. Recordings of which one could get from anywhere in the area.
Often it’s almost like second nature when put in front of a body of water that we’ll try to skim stones or just throw rocks into it. I don’t know how ubiquitous desire this is but it happens often without even thinking. However on this visit my dad noted that none of us did this. We almost subconsciously understood this water to be untouchable, that it warranted a level of respect.
I suppose in that way the shadow was there, just one we brought with us.
Ideas/plan
I would like to do something with this area. Right now my main idea is to go and take an array of recordings, besides more standard field recordings I think it would be appropriate to bring a hydrophone with me and take recordings from within the reservoir as well as any electromagnetic recordings I can manage. I think embracing the soundscape of Llyn Celyn instead of what I expect it to be will be an interesting experiment.
I think, taking inspiration from Moushumi Bhowmik’s Travelling Archive, recording the journey and process to Llyn Celyn will be a really interesting approach. I would be interested also in removing the barrier of keeping silent myself while there also, not trying to keep the recordist hidden so much. There is something to be said for sounds of a person/body in a place forcibly separated from the people/bodies which once inhabited it.
I do also think some kind of visual element would work for this project. Maybe modelling itself after a kind of documentary, I think minimum narration would be best but some way to present the recordings made, perhaps doing some kind of musique concrete piece using the recordings also would be interesting, overall I feel that the process of collecting the recordings will be the most helpful way for me to decide what form this project will take.