Cauldron of Rebirth

This image is based on a story from the early Welsh 'Mabinogi', that links Wales and Ireland (but unfortunately in a terrible all consuming war over a woman, Branwen). The cauldron, given to placate the Irish king, had the magical properties of bringing slain warriors back to life, they would emerge from the cauldron re-born but mute. I have interpreted this in a contemporary way, a Wales might be re-born, but without it's language, it would be mute, or zombified!

The period written about (The Mabinogi was put into writing around the 14th century) was a re interpretation of an older aural narrative, an earlier time when there was no Wales (The term for Wales, like Walia, like Walloons in Belgium, means land of the Romanised Foreigner in the parlance of the Germanic tribes that came into Britain). Ironic that the indigenous ‘British’, the Cymry (Which roughly means ‘fellow travellers’) became the marginalised ‘Welsh’. The Brythonic people that spoke an early form of Welsh, shared much culturally with the Irish, who spoke a similar, though not mutually understandable language... now known as P and Q Celtic. However, it seems our relationship was not always one of peaceful collaboration... the legend ‘Branwen Ferch Llyr’ tells of an awful and destructive war between the Ireland of Matholwch and the ‘Britain’ of Bendigeidfran (The Blessed Bran)(a sort of giant, maybe some god of an even older culture)... His sister Branwen was betrothed to Matholwch, but her half brother Efnissien, hurt by not being consulted, did some horrible things to Matholwch’s horses which had been tied up near the banqueting hall. . In his jelous rage he slit their ears and nostrils... As recompense, and to placate the Irish king the following day, Bran gave him the Cauldron of Rebirth as a gift. But, weeks later, back in Ireland, Matholwch’s courtiers convinced him that he should punish his new wife for the ‘insults’ he had suffered. Accordingly, she is banished to the kitchen’s, a princes made to work as a slave. She manages to train a starling to speak, and carry her story home to her brother in Wales. Then all hell breaks loose. Bendigeidfran can lie across great rivers so his men can march across his back as if over a bridge, there is no hiding place; huge death and destruction fall on both sides. But the Irish have the cauldron... and their men are constantly re-born to fight again. Realising, finally, how his actions have led to this, Efnissien pretends to be a dead Irish warrior, whereupon, he is thrown into the cauldron. Once inside, he exerts all his efforts into smashing the cauldron apart, by pushing with all his might against the sides. He destroys the cauldron but dies in the effort. Only seven warriors return to Wales alive, with the grieving Branwen, who dies of a broken heart as soon as she reaches Wales, and the decapitated head of Bendigeidfran (which for some reason, can still talk). And then we move into another story... also fascinating, about the Island of Gwales. No more is mentioned of Ireland...

See 'The Mabinogi' Prof Sioned Davies.