Nonetheless, Cardiff and Wales are known to be welcoming and friendly. There is so much within Welsh culture that we want to celebrate and build on, but there are also obstacles that need to be addressed. Welshness is still perceived as whiteness, and can be narrowly defined. For us, it remains difficult to be welcomed and included in Welsh language culture if we are not already Welsh speakers.
“WE DON’T ATTEND THE EISTEDDFOD, IT’S A BRILLIANT EVENT BUT IT’S SO DIFFICULT TO CONNECT. THEY BROUGHT US IN TO PLAY THE DRUM AND SING A LITTLE BIT AND THEN IT WAS DONE (…) THEY DON’T TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS.”; “IT’S REALLY A DOWNSIDE TO MOST OF US ARTISTS NOT SPEAKING WELSH (...) I WITHDRAW WHEN I CANNOT SPEAK FOR MYSELF.”; ”THEY SHOULD REALISE THAT WE HAVE WELSH NAMES IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE WE COME FROM, IN THE SECOND LARGEST CITY OF ZIMBABWE WE HAVE THE LLEWELLYN BARRACKS. THEY SHOULD REALISE OUR EXISTING CONNECTIONS, IT’S COLONIALISM BUT WE CAN ALSO CELEBRATE THE INTERCONNECTION THAT ALREADY EXISTS.”
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