1. What is your Llais y Lle project?
As a French Creole speaker living in Wales, I was interested in researching relationships between Welsh culture, the Welsh language, and the creative voice. I worked with Cardiff University’s Welsh Language Academy to develop a purposeful enquiry that connected with people from across the University, such as students, estates staff, library staff, communications and marketing, the Vice Chancellor, the student union, academics, and alumni.
2. What has happened so far?
From the very start I was welcomed into the community and experienced a progressive and visionary approach to the Welsh language embedded into the fabric of the University. I immersed myself in the culture of the language and engaged in an intense series of investigative conversations to understand more about individual relationships between language and practice, where the language exists.
These conversations were exciting and led by people’s own research interests, so they were very diverse, for example the relationship between literature, language, and music; community ecology and biodiversity; climate distress and social identity. I began to develop images as a way of understanding and highlighting these complex connections.
3. What’s next?
The research so far has begun to reveal the power and meanings of Welsh language and culture for speakers and supporters, and how this can also trigger hostile reactions. I have shared findings throughout the 12 months which I hope has contributed in a purposeful way to the ongoing programme of work associated with the Welsh Language Strategy and shaping progressive cultural narratives. The University has just opened a new building ‘Y Lle’, which will be a meeting place for all members of the Welsh Language community. We will be working together on an exciting civic mission project that connects to Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2024.