: Ymgysylltu â'r Gymuned

I can trace the origin of this project, Refugee Wales, to 2009 when the civil war in Sri Lanka came to a bloody end when the government forces defeated the LTTE (Tamil Tigers).  The stories of the immense suffering of the Sri Lankan Tamil civilians flooded the media and, then, these stories disappeared.  Being an Indian Tamil myself, I followed the news of the final days of the civil war obsessively as these were narratives of my “cousins” in South Asia, and we were linked by language, culture, religion, food habits, mythology, families, and  with a commonality of memories and practices.  It is estimated that between 100,000-200,000 Sri Lankan Tamils live in the UK, with a large number of them arriving as refugees from 1983 onwards.  The civil war in Sri Lanka lasted, off and on, for over 5 decades and Sri Lankan refugees who arrived in this country have lived here for more  than 2 generations.  

No sooner had the Sri Lankan civil war ended, then the Syrian civil war began in 2011 and it is still ongoing. The war has currently resulted in over 13 million Syrians who have been either internally displaced within Syria, or in neighbouring countries, or in Europe and the rest of the world.  Germany has over 800,000 Syrian refugees and the UK, a paltry 18,000-20,000 of them in 2021. The body count of Syrians who have died in this exodus is still not fully accounted for and the bottom of the Mediterranean sea, which is considered to be the deadliest migration route for refugees, has become a graveyard for them.  

Neither the Sri Lankan Tamil nor the Syrian refugees sought refuge in the UK so they could shop in Tesco and take jobs away from the locals.  They left their countries under desperate circumstances—the daily bombings, the kidnapping of children (and youth) by rebel soldiers forcing them into becoming child soldiers, the rape of women and children, the loss of jobs, homes, family members—spouses, children, parents, siblings--the lack of food, safety, and a full night’s sleep; it was the precarity of life.  

In Homo Sacer, the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben points to the distinction made by the Ancient Greeks between bios (the form or manner in which life is lived and which assesses the richness of life) and zoë (the biological fact of life) and suggests that in contemporary life that distinction has collapsed.  So, life now only means bare life, zoë.  The biological fact of life with all its potentialities and possibilities has been erased.  For the French philosopher Michel Foucault, modern power is about “fostering life or disallowing it.”  This is how civilian populations in Sri Lanka and Syria were perceived by their governments—a full life disallowed for some of its citizens so that they are reduced to a bare life, their only possibility being to flee.  This is how refugees are perceived in the current political climate with hostile environment policies, to be seen as only deserving of a bare life, to show how unwelcome they are.  

If by moving away from their country results in a total and complete break from their past lives for the refugees, a rupture from their histories and cultures, what this project hopes to achieve is to allow refugees to connect their past to their present, give them a voice, and a sense of belonging and that people are, indeed, witnessing their trials.  The Museum with the richness of cultural life that it offers, through its resources, will assist in enabling refugees to become citizens of Wales, and help them to transform their lives in the country that is now their home; it will facilitate and contribute to them leading their lives into the fullest of its potentialities and possibilities.  

And those of us who already live in Wales, how will these newcomers change our lives? By hearing their stories, we, too, will reach further into our potentiality, of the richness of diversity, compassion, being good hosts and helping them go through their transformation and, in so doing, initiate new ways of being and becoming Welsh.

How to Name Nature

My Professional Training Year placement in the Natural Sciences Department at National Museum Cardiff has been going for a few months now and we are making great progress! We have gotten to the stage where it is time to name the new species of shovel head worm (Magelonidae) that we have spent many months describing and drawing. Shovel head worms are a type of marine bristle worm.

So, the big question is, how exactly do scientists name the new species they discover? 

All species are named using a system called binomial nomenclature, also known as the two-term naming system. This system is primarily credited to Carl Linnaeus in 1753 but there is evidence suggesting the system was used as early as 1622 by Gaspard Bauhin. You will know them as the Latin names for organisms or scientific names. These names are firstly formed of a generic name, identifying the genus the species belongs to and a specific name, identifying the species. For example, the binomial name for humans is Homo sapiens. Homo is the genus, which also includes our ancestors like the Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) but if you want to specifically refer to modern humans you add the species name, sapiens. So, Homo sapiens is what you get.

Today, binomial nomenclature is primarily governed by two internationally agreed code of rules, the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) and the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICNafp). Across the two codes the rules are generally the same but with slight differences. As my work focuses on naming animals, I will focus on the rules set out by the ICZN.

The first step in naming a new species is figuring out exactly what to name it after. There are generally 3 main ways to pick a name.

Firstly, you can pick a physical trait of the animal. This trait usually makes it stand out from the other species in its genus. This is my preferred method of naming because it gives people an impression of what it is like just by its name. For example, European robins are given the binomial name Erithacus rubecula and rubecula is derived from the Latin ruber, meaning red which emphasises the robin’s iconic red breast.

An example of a shovel head worm with a name like this is Magelona cepiceps, translating from the Latin cepa for onion and ceps referring to the head. This relates to the shape of the ‘head’ (prostomium) of the worm resembling an onion!

Secondly, you could name the new species after the place it was discovered. It’s not as descriptive as naming the animal after a physical feature but tells you where you may find it. The binomial name for the Canada Goose is Branta canadensis, displaying that although the bird is a common sight in many places thanks to its introduction, it is originally from Canada.

A shovel head worm with a regional scientific name is Magelona mahensis, indicating that it is from the island of Mahé in the Seychelles.

 

 

 

 

Lastly, you can name it after someone. Of course, a person’s first instinct might be to try and name a species after themselves. The ICZN doesn’t have a rule explicitly against this but it is seen as a sign of vanity. But perhaps if you name enough species in your field, eventually someone may name a species after you. This is my least favourite way to name species because it may not tell you anything about the species at all, but it is nice to give honour to those that are important to us or those who have put in a lot of work in the field. For example, in honour of Sir David Attenborough’s 90^th birthday a dragonfly was named after him, taking the name Acisoma attenboroughi. Attenborough has inspired so many scientists that he has around 34 species named after him currently. There is a shovel head worm named Magelona johnstoni which is named after Dr George Johnston, one of the first scientists to describe shovel head worms.

While the names can be taken from words in any language they must be spelt out in the Roman alphabet, ensuring they can be universally read. Many binomial names are formed of words from ancient Greek but have been Latinised. Typically, if you have selected a physical feature it is translated into Greek or Latin. There are several books specifically written for helping scientists translate and create new species names.

To Latinise the name, you have selected you have to make sure it follows the rules of Latin grammar. This is where it gets a little complicated as you have to start considering the genus name of the species. Latin has masculine, feminine and neutral words, you can tell this by how the word ends. The gender of the genus name will affect the ending and gender of your species name.

And with that information you are just about ready to name your species!

It might seem like a lot of things to consider when you are naming a new species, believe me I never expected to know this much about Latin grammar! But these rules are incredibly important to ensure we can orderly name and keep track of each of the fascinating organisms that are discovered and allows everyone to universally understand which animals scientists are talking about. Especially when you consider that there are over 12,000 known marine bristleworms globally and that number is increasing.

Once all of the drawings and descriptions are complete, the scientific paper goes through a peer-reviewed process where other experts in the field consider your decision to describe and name the new species. If the reviewers agree the species is formally described and those that were involved are now the species authorities. In scientific journals the species name will be written down followed by the names of those who described it and the year it was described. So, while you might not name a species after yourself, whenever the species is mentioned you will get recognition for the work you have done.

So, what will our new species be called?........Well, you’ll have to stay tuned to find out........

Heddiw, mae Cymru’n genedl fodern, amlethnig, amlddiwylliannol, ac mae llawer o’n teulu, ffrindiau a chyd Gymry wedi’u gwasgaru ledled y byd. Rydyn ni wedi bod yn byw trwy amseroedd digynsail, mae ein byd yn newid. Felly wrth i Ddydd Gŵyl Ddewi agosáu, rydyn ni am weld os yw hunaniaeth Gymreig yn newid hefyd.

Rydym yn colli’ch croesawu i oriel Cymru yn Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru lle rydym yn archwilio hunaniaeth Gymreig ac yn gofyn ichi rannu eich syniadau amdani, felly hoffem glywed gennych yn fawr iawn. Gofynwn i chi rhoi UN GAIR i ni – dim ond UN GAIR i ddisgrifio Cymru neu Gymreictod ar hyn o bryd. Gallai fod yn beth, yn emosiwn, yn lliw, beth bynnag ydyw i chi, nawr.

Un Gair am Gymru

Rydym am wybod a yw pethau megis cennin Pedr neu gawl neu gysyniadau fel ‘hiraeth’ neu ‘cwtch’ yn ein cynrychioli ni o hyd, neu a oes yna bethau a theimladau eraill sy’n dod i’r amlwg fel eiconau neu fel syniadau am Gymru gyfoes.

Mae gennym ddiddordeb mewn clywed gan bawb ac unrhyw un sy’n byw yng Nghymru, neu unrhyw un sy’n uniaethu fel Cymry – o ba bynnag gefndir ethnig neu ddiwylliannol, waeth ble rydych chi’n byw yn y byd ar hyn o bryd.

Byddwn yn casglu’ch holl eiriau gyda’i gilydd ac yn gwneud rhywbeth hardd gyda nhw i’w rannu gyda chi ychydig cyn Dydd Gŵyl Ddewi.

Mae croeso i chi drydar eich gair neu greu Instagram i’w rannu, ond cofiwch ychwanegu’r hashnod #gairamgymru i’ch post fel y gallwn ddod o hyd iddo a’i gynnwys yn ein hymatebion. Fel arall, e-bostiwch eich gair atom gan ddefnyddio:

ungairamgymru@amgueddfacymru.ac.uk.

A chofiwch rannu hyn gyda ffrindiau a theulu ledled Cymru ac ar draws y byd.

Lansiodd Arddangosfa Gobaith Amgueddfa Wlân Cymru ym mis Ebrill 2020, ar ddechrau’r cyfnod clo cenedlaethol. Nod y project yw creu sgwariau lliw enfys 8” neu 20cm gan ddefnyddio hoff dechneg y crefftwr – gweu, ffeltio, gwehyddu neu grosio. Bydd y sgwariau wedyn yn cael eu rhoi at ei gilydd gan wirfoddolwyr Amgueddfa Wlân Cymru gan greu carthen enfys enfawr a gaiff ei arddangos yn yr Amgueddfa ac yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau, Abertawe. Yn dilyn yr arddangosfa caiff carthenni llai eu creu o’r garthen enfawr a’u rhoi i elusennau amrywiol.

Hoffem ddweud diolch yn fawr i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu at y project hyd yn hyn, mae’r ymateb wedi bod yn anhygoel ac rydym wedi derbyn dros 670 o sgwariau o bob cwr o’r wlad! Rydym yn ddiolchgar am bob sgwâr a dderbyniwn, ynghyd â’ch negeseuon caredig a dymuniadau gorau. Mae’n hyfryd clywed bod cynifer ohonoch wedi teimlo bod creu’r sgwariau hyn wedi helpu yn ystod y cyfnod digynsail a heriol hwn. Er nad oes modd i ni gyfarfod, rydym yn un mewn ysbryd, gobaith a chymuned.

Aeres Ingram yw ein cyfrannwr mwyaf toreithiog ar hyn o bryd, mae hi wedi gwau 70 sgwâr ar gyfer y flanced! Wrth siarad am y prosiect, meddai:

"roedd gwau’r sgwariau ar gyfer y flanced enfys wedi fy helpu'n fawr yn ystod y cyfnod clo ac fe roddodd ymdeimlad o berthyn a chyflawniad i mi, gan wybod fy mod yn ymwneud â rhywbeth pwysig a hefyd helpu rhai mewn angen. Edrychaf ymlaen at weld y darnau wedi’u gwnïo gyda’i gilydd a’r flanced orffenedig."

Cafodd Arddangosfa Gobaith ei chynnwys yn Wythnos Addysg Oedolion a rhyddhawyd dau fideo o’r Grefftwraig Non Mitchell yn dangos sut i greu sgwâr wedi’i ffeltio a’i wehyddu. Os hoffech greu sgwar, gymrwch olwg ar rhain:

  

Rhannodd elusen Crisis (de Cymru), sy’n cefnogi pobl ddigartref, wybodaeth am Arddangosfa Gobaith ar eu tudalennau Facebook a chreu pecynnau yn cynnwys gwlân a chyfarwyddiadau i’w hanfon at ddefnyddwyr y gwasanaeth i’w helpu i gymryd rhan.

Lluniwyd y sgwariau hynod gain mewn lliwiau, arddulliau, pwythau, a chynlluniau amrywiol. Dyma hanes rhai o’r sgwariau a’u crefftwyr...

Sgwâr o liwiau'r enfys wedi'i wau ar gyfer y flanced obaith

Crewyd y sgwâr hwn gan ein Gwirfoddolwr Gardd Susan Martin. Mae Susan wedi troellli edafedd ei hun a’i liwio’n naturiol. Mae’r lliwiau enfys yn dod o gymysgu glaslys, llysiau lliw a’r gwreiddrudd gwyllt â gwyn i greu effaith ysgafnach a brethynnog, gellir dod o hyd i’r holl blanhigion hyn yng Ngardd Lliwurau Amgueddfa Wlân Cymru. Derbyniodd Gardd Lliwurau Naturiol yr Amgueddfa Wobr Gymunedol y Faner Werdd sy’n newyddion arbennig! Mae rhagor o wybodaeth am yr Ardd Liwurau ar ein gwefan.

Sgwâr wedi'i weu a logo Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau arno ar gyfer ein blanced obaith.

Lluniwyd y sgwâr hwn gan y Gwirfoddolwr Crefft Cristina gan ddefnyddio’r edafedd cyntaf a wnaed gan y Cynorthwyydd Amgueddfa, Stephen Williams, a’r crefftwyr dan hyfforddiant Richard Collins a James Whittall wrth iddynt ddysgu i droelli. Cyfrannodd ymwelwyr yn ogystal at greu’r edafedd, gan gynnwys menyw oedd heb droelli ers ugain mlynedd, plentyn tra byddar, â mam i aelod o staff.

Sgwâr wedi'i weu a logo Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau arno ar gyfer ein blanced obaith.

Crëwyd y sgwâr hyfryd hwn gyda logo’r Amgueddfa gan Gynorthwyydd Oriel Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau, Ruth Melton.

Rydyn ni’n edrych ymlaen at groesawu’r Gwirfoddolwyr Crefft yn ôl i’r Amgueddfa y flwyddyn yma a dechrau ar y gwaith o greu’r garthen. Cadwch lygad barcud ar ein gwefan a’n tudalennau cyfryngau cymdeithasol i gael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf.

Diolch i The Ashley Family Foundation a  Sefydliad Cymunedol Cymru am gefnogaeth gyda’r prosiect.

Y dyddiad cau ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer cyfraniadau yw 31/03/2021. Cliciwch yma am wybodaeth ar sut i gymryd rhan.

Diolch unwaith eto am eich holl gefnogaeth.

 

 

 

Have you ever asked yourself the question “What’s behind the gallery doors of National Museum Cardiff”? Well, if you have then this blog might be for you. The specimens and objects you see in the galleries are just a fraction of those we have in the museum’s collections. So why do we have so many? Specimens in the galleries do suffer when exposed to light while on display, and occasionally from being touched by little sticky fingers! To help protect them, we regularly swap fragile objects on display with those in our stores. We also change objects round for the different exhibitions we produce. Objects behind the scenes are also used for a whole variety of different activities such as education and research. 

While we may not be able to put all of our specimens on display, we do like to share as many of them as we can via our social media channels. In the Natural Sciences Department, we do that via the @CardiffCurator Twitter account. Each week, we might share our worm highlights on #WormWednesday, some of our fantastic fossils on #FossilFriday and various other amazing specimens on other days of the week via various alliterations! 

Of course, the festive season is no different and each year we promote Christmassy objects via a #MuseumAdvent calendar. For 2020, our calendar has been inspired by the ‘Nature on your doorstep’ program which the museum has run throughout lockdown aimed at reconnecting people with nature. One of the main activities has been photo bingo, where we challenged people to find and photograph a number of objects. For winter bingo, we released a card at the end of November with 24 wintery things, such a robin, holly, frost and a sunset. Behind every door of our museum advent calendar, we included helpful tips and photographs from our collections, alongside live photos to help people find everything on the bingo sheet.

We are nearly half way through the calendar, but if you would like to join in why not follow the #MuseumAdvent hashtag over on @CardiffCurator and see if you can call “House” before the 24^th December.