It's a strange urge within us that compels us to collect shells.

Update: Quimper-Vannes has moved to a new site: https://quimpervannes.substack.com/

This Blogger site is now an archive. New articles, extracts and launch news for the English edition and French translation will appear on Substack.

I was researching possible origins for the name Douarnenez (see Douarnenez and the Two Islands) in Finistère (Brittany) when I happened upon a video story called 'Dwy Ynys/Dau Hanes' ('Two Islands/Two Histories') on BBC Wales written by Marian Delyth. 

BARDSEY

ROBBEN ISLAND

The story is written and narrated in Welsh (the script and translation is below). 

The two islands in the story are Bardsey -Isle of Bards/ Ynys Enlli -Isle of Currents [Wales] and Robben Island -Dutch: robben, 'seal' [South Africa].

                               
This little story speaks for itself. If you've never heard spoken Welsh before here's your chance.

                       

Dwy Ynys / Dau Hanes

Peth rhyfedd yw'r ysfa ynom i gasglu cregyn. I hel, i gadw atgofion am ennyd a dreulwyd ar draeth.

Dwi'n cofio ffeindio'r gragen 'ma ar draeth bychan ar Robin Island yn Ne Affrig. Oedden ni newydd ymweld a carchar, a chlywed hanesion cignoeth y carcharorion fu'n gaeth yno, o dan regime greulon apartheid.

Wrth ddychwelyd yn y cwch i Cape Town, dyma rhyfeddu mor debyg oedd y daith i honno byddaf yn gwneud bob blwyddyn, o groesi'r swnt i Enlli.

Dwy ynys a dau hanes gwahanol iawn, bellter byd oddi wrth eu gilydd. Yn cael eu huno yn fy meddwl mewn ennyd, a gragen hon yn dyn yn fy llaw.

Wedi dychwelyd i Gymru, mi osod y gragen o ben draw y byd gyda rhai bychan o Borth Solfach ar Ynys Enlli.

Peth rhyfedd yw'r ysfa ynom i gasglu cregyn.

Two Islands / Two Histories

It's a strange urge within us that compels us to collect shells. 
To collect and keep those memories of moments spent on a beach.

I remember finding this shell on a small beach on Robben Island in South Africa. 
We'd just visited a prison and heard the raw accounts of those who'd been imprisoned under the cruel apartheid regime.

Returning in the boat to Cape Town, I was struck by how similar the journey was to my annual trip across the strait to Bardsey Island.

Two islands and two very different histories, a world apart from one another. 
United in my mind in a moment; this shell held tight in my hand.

Back in Wales, I placed the shell from the other side of the world with some little shells from Porth Solfach on Bardsey Island.

It's a strange urge within us that compels us to collect shells.