“See there,” said Manawydan, “the door we should not open.”
– Dafydd and Rhiannon Ifans’ adaptation of Branwen Ferch Llŷr, the second branch of the Mabinogion
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With Cymru on the verge of electing a new round of politicians to our Parliament, why on earth refer to a medieval legend? What in the world does this have to do with contemporary Wales? On the face of it, nothing at all; yet it is part of our history, and although this is a fable rather than history based on concrete facts, we may interpret aspects of that fable through the lens of the present and in so doing perhaps reflect on the consequences of turning our back on reality. It is a fable of cruelty, of revenge, of disasters, but also of love, of honour and of friendship – although it is the worst aspects which receive the main emphasis. Indeed it is a dark fable (a summary of which you can read here), echoes of which resound today. A fable that reveals a lot about humanity’s discontented condition.
Shall we consider the part of the fable where the few men who survived a horrible war in Ireland spend 80 years in a hall on Gwales Island, where they forget everything bad that has previously happened to them? Manawydan warns that the door which leads to Aber Henfelen should not be opened, but in the end the door is opened by Heilyn fab Gwyn. All the memories come flooding back to them of the friends and relatives that were lost, and a surge of waves envelops them with sadness.
Why not consider this in the light of our experience of recent history? Have we not spent a similar period ignoring reality?
About eighty years ago the Second World War ended, and shortly afterwards the state of Israel was established following the genocide of the Jews and other minorities by the Nazis. There was relative peace in Western Europe for decades, living standards rose, there was enough food on the table, with housing fairly reasonably available, cheap holidays on the Continent and beyond, and the European Union came into existence. We saw amazing technological developments such as mobile phones, the internet, computers and countless others. We came to accept that such developments are to be welcomed. The Earth and the Sea were resources to be used for humanity, and those resources seemed inexhaustible.
We in the West lived comfortably most of the time, with only the occasional shadow being cast over us, such as the Cuban missile crisis. There was an oil crisis in 1973 following the Yom Kippur war between Egypt and Israel, and another in 1979 following the Revolution in Iran. But these were soon forgotten, as indeed little by little the horrors of the Nazis in the Second World War faded, not to mention the horror of the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. It became a belief that “never again” meant exactly that, as the idea of a World War and the use of nuclear weapons was beyond people’s comprehension.
But by now we see that we have been living in the hall on Gwales Island.
Our eyes have been opened to evil as the door to Aber Henfelen was opened by Trump, Netanyahu and Putin. And Western leaders failed completely in their response to the unnecessary wars in Ukraine, Palestine and Iran. Not to mention paying no attention to several other wars and massacres in Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mexico, Burkina Faso, Syria, Somalia, Mali, Lebanon, Congo, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Haiti, Cameroon.
Is it not the harsh truth that all recent history since the end of the Second World War chronicles the desire of powerful countries to undermine other countries that own something they need? Oil obviously, but also metals and minerals. Until recently, an attack on another country by the West was justified by insisting that they wanted to bring democracy to such and such a country, overthrow a dictator, and establish a state that respected Western ‘values’. Of course the price to be paid is that the wealth of those countries should be available to the West, with impossible debts placed upon them, and that political corruption is acceptable if the Government of the country in question supports us. We have been comfortable and have been able to be ‘Liberal’ here at the expense of other countries.
And hasn’t opening the door to Aber Henfelen revealed the chaos in which we find ourselves? The delight in killing that we see from Trump and Netanyahu and their ilk, without them even pretending that there is some lofty purpose. The willingness not to take any notice at all of International Law and the United Nations. The environmental destruction wrought as a result of our endless desire for ‘things’, and that has led our wounded Planet to the edge of the precipice of destruction. Capitalism’s lust has given more and more power and wealth to the billionaires, and taken power away from ordinary people. The breakdown of civilized society by the politics of hate; the desire to create an enemy from the ‘other’; the attack on human rights; the normalization of targeting and killing ordinary people in war; the denial that climate change is happening due to the impact of humanity; the fact that child poverty and homelessness exist here; the lack of faith in politicians and the cynicism that changing government does not change the system. We can look at these matters in more detail some other time.
We must also, however, recognise that this is all relevant to us, as we stand on the threshold of an Election to our Senedd. How, you may ask?
In the first place, why not think of the hall of Ynys Gwales as a parable of the Senedd as it has operated until now. Where a group of people respond to the problems of the day on the terms of a vision limited by those walls. Where there is a broad acceptance that capitalism is the wise and smart way of organizing matters. Where clichés pepper statements about ‘Future Generations’. Where any type of job is acceptable in poor and deprived areas. Where voices opposing the arms industry and offering a vision for jobs that benefit humanity are not heard. Where nuclear energy is supported despite all its dangers and its undeniable link with nuclear weapons. Where no mention is made of the dangers of Free Ports and Development Zones as sites facilitating extreme capitalism. Where there is no questioning the notions of Data Centres and Artificial Intelligence, despite their extreme demands for electricity and water. Where managing the decline of a country in a reasonably organised manner is counted as a success. Where the dead hand of Westminster is a shadow over working for the people of Cymru. A place that is ignored by Westminster when there is cross-party agreement on matters such as the Crown Estate, Police and Justice. Where there is a strange dichotomy when talking about the “country” – is it Cymru that is in question, or the Disunited Kingdom? Where members are expected to swear an oath of loyalty to a fossil from the Middle Ages. Where there has been over a quarter of a century of devolution without managing to tackle, let alone solving the problems of poverty, homelessness, health and education. Where there is too often a washing of hands when matters that have not been devolved are mentioned – as if the Cymry do not have the right to express an opinion on other matters. Where the walls of the building itself are transparent glass, but the politicians’ chamber sits behind solid wooden walls.
Yet it is a place that, despite its failings, is an institution that we have as the country and people of Cymru, and whose powers we should extend, instead of watching those powers shrink due to a lack of funding, or interference from Westminster.
So we must open the door to Aber Henfelen and face the world as it really is.
By doing that, we can see that there is a need to support candidates who are willing to push the boundaries of the possible beyond the current limited parameters. We can support socialist candidates who oppose the current capitalist system, those who stand for their communities and not for personal gain. Despite the shortcomings of the new voting system (to which more reform is needed), such people are to be found! Look at the party lists and see who is most likely to be elected. Look at independent candidates who are challenging the system in its entirety.
There is absolutely no place at all to support Reform UK Party Limited (or maybe Reform 2025 Ltd !), unless you want to support the rich and ex-Tories who proudly support Trump. Their thinking is beyond the pale in Wales – but if it becomes acceptable then it is the Cymry who will pay the price. Cutting budgets, letting down the workers, putting more pressure on the poor and the needy, privatizing the Health Service, indifference to the Welsh language. Look at what is happening in the United States if you want to see a Vision of Hell today, and remember that Farage is a supporter of Trump and counts himself as his friend.
This Election is important because it presents a clear choice in terms of what kind of country we want to be.
A country that is confident that it can solve its problems if given the autonomy and power to do so, a country that needs a stimulus and support for the creativity of its people, a country that is rich in natural resources that will be developed responsibly for the benefit of our people, a country that builds on the idea of the Nation of Sanctuary to become a Friendly and Peaceful Nation.
Or do we want to see a country that is further split by stoking division between factions, a country that delights in militarism and oppressive power, a country that is willing to remain silent in the face of injustices.
The choice is in our hands.
And yet we must recall that this election is only the beginning of the journey. The inferior, extractive, uber-capitalist, unimaginative system we live under must be changed. If the next Government leans to the left, then there will be a difficult road ahead. It will need to have a vision that challenges the boundaries of the possible, and face the fact that real improvement will not happen without a complete transformation of all the conditions that have led us to the current crisis of hope. This is not an overnight job to be achieved through social media!
Bearing in mind that the financial shackles are in the hands of Westminster, not to mention its ability to ignore the decisions of the Senedd and even undermine it completely, our new Government will face an extremely difficult task. And since Westminster itself has lost all credibility and is subject to the demands of Big Money in all its destructive guises, we will need the courage and ability of Houdini to escape from the grey and demeaning present. But unless we are bold, then winning the election will be a short term victory.
At the tail end of the legend, the small band of men take Bendigeidfran’s head to be buried in London. This was a symbolic act to protect the British Isles, after the warriors realized the horrors of their past, after opening the door to Aber Henfelen. Of course, the legend is set in a period before the British Isles were invaded by Saxons, Vikings and Normans, so poor Bendigeidfran’s head must have lost its power! But we can say with confidence that it will take more than one head – indeed the heads of the whole country – to tackle the complex problems of Cymru, and no answers will come from London.
That is the essence of our socialism: working together for the good of all in a humble and loving spirit. The antithesis is an angry society divided on purpose, impoverished in the spiritual and material senses of the word, and a ready prey for oppressive forces.
What will you tell your grandchildren about the choices you make now?
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Robat Idris is, among other things, Chair of Cymdeithas y Cymod, former Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, and member of PAWB (People against Wylfa B).