Leeks.

Though a part of the United Kingdom and in union with England since 1282, the nation of Wales has preserved its own distinctive culture, language, holidays and music. Leeks for sale at Kroger. ... Leeks for sale at Kroger. ... Binomial name Allium ampeloprasum (Linnaeus) J. Gay The Leek (Allium ampeloprasum var. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... For broader historical context, see 1280s and 13th century. ... One of the most influential doctrines in history is that all humans are divided into groups called nations. ... This article is about the country. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ...

Wales is primarily represented by the Welsh Dragon, but other national emblems include the leek and daffodil. The Welsh words for leeks (cennin) and daffodils (cennin Pedr, lit. "(Saint) Peter's Leeks" are closely related and it is likely that one of the symbols came to be used due to a misunderstanding for the other one, though it is less clear which came first. The flag of Wales is The Red Dragon (Welsh: Y Ddraig Goch). ... A national emblem symbolically represents a nation. ... Binomial name Allium ampeloprasum (Linnaeus) J. Gay The Leek (Allium ampeloprasum var. ... Species ????? Daffodils are a group of large flowered members of the genus Narcissus. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...

Holidays

The patron saint of Wales is Saint David, Dewi Sant in Welsh. St. David's Day is celebrated throughout the country on 1 March, which some people argue should be a public holiday in Wales. Other days which have been proposed for public commemorations are 16 September (the day on which Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion began) and 11 December (the death of Llywelyn the Last). Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes. ... The Flag of Saint David. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... // 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr declared Prince of Wales by his followers. ... Seal of Owain Glyndŵr The Banner of the Arms of Owain Glyndŵr showing his parentage Owain Glyndŵr [], sometimes anglicised as Owen Glendower (1359–c. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Arms used by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Llywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf (c. ...

However, the traditional seasonal festivals in Wales were Calan Gaeaf (Hallowe'en-type holiday on the first day of winter), Calan Mai, and Midsummer. Additionally, each parish celebrated a Gŵyl Mabsant in commemoration of its native saint. Calan Gaeaf is the name of the first day of winter in Wales. ... Halloween (disambiguation). ... Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... In Wales, May 1 is a holiday known as Calan Mai or Calan Haf, which means the first day of summer. ... Midsummer refers to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the religious celebrations that accompany it. ...

The Welsh Dragon depicted on the Welsh flag.

Image File history File links Flag_of_Wales_2. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Wales_2. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Wales is The Red Dragon (Welsh: Y Ddraig Goch). ...

Music

Main article: Music of Wales Wales is a part of the United Kingdom, but is a culturally and politically separate Celtic country. ...

Wales is often known by the phrase "the Land of Song" (Welsh: Gwlad y Gân) and its people have a renowned affinity for poetry and music. The Chinese poem Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong (Song Dynasty) Poetry (from the Greek , poiesis, making or creating) is a form of art in which language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ...

Perhaps the most well-known musical image of Wales is that of the choir, in particular the male voice choir (Welsh: côr meibion). While this is certainly a part (though of greatly diminished importance) of the current musical life of the nation, it is by no means the only or the oldest part, and the choral tradition does not really stretch back significantly beyond its heyday in the 19th century. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Much older is the tradition of instrumental folk music. The harp has been closely associated with Wales for a very long time, and one kind of harp, the triple harp is uniquely Welsh. Other specifically Welsh instruments included the crwth and the pibgorn, though both fell out of general use by the end of the 18th century. Due to Nonconformist Christian disapproval, the instrumental folk tradition fell into decline through the 19th and early 20th centuries, but has since seen a revival and is now arguably as strong as ever. The principal instruments are the harp and the fiddle, but many other instruments are used, and both the crwth and pibgorn are again being played by a small but growing number of people. “Folk song” redirects here. ... The harp is a stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicular to the soundboard. ... It is the Triple Harp which lays claim to the prime place in the history of the harp in Wales. ... A modern crwth in its case The crwth is an archaic stringed musical instrument, associated particularly with Wales, although once played widely in Europe. ... A pibgorn is a Welsh musical instrument of the hornpipe family which uses reeds similar to those in a bagpipe chanter. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... The term fiddle refers to a violin when used in folk music. ...

Wales also has a long tradition of folk song which, like the instrumental tradition, and for the same reasons, was long in decline but is now flourishing again. One notable kind of Welsh song is cerdd dant which, loosely, is an improvised performance following quite strict rules in which poetry is sung to one tune against the accompaniment of (usually) a harp to a different tune. Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. ... Cerdd Dant or Penillion is the art of vocal improvisation over a given melody. ...

In the mid- to late 1990s new Welsh music became unexpectedly fashionable, with the chart successes of bands including Manic Street Preachers, Catatonia, the Stereophonics and The Oppressed. These groups helped the media at the time invent the epithet "Cool Cymru", an answer to Britpop's "Cool Britannia". Prior to that, Welsh acts including The Alarm, Shakin' Stevens and Bonnie Tyler had all had high profiles, but there had never been much of a movement. For the band, see 1990s (band). ... It has been suggested that Jenny Watkins-Isnardi be merged into this article or section. ... Catatonia were a popular music band from Wales who gained a national following in the United Kingdom in the mid-late 1990s. ... Stereophonics are a rock band from Wales with original members Kelly Jones, Richard Jones (no relation to Kelly) and Stuart Cable, who grew up together in Cwmaman in the South Wales valleys. ... A skinhead/Oi! punk rock band from Wales. ... Britpop was a British alternative rock genre and movement that was at its most popular in Great Britain in the mid 1990s. ... Cool Britannia is a media term that was used in the late 1990s to describe the contemporary culture of the United Kingdom. ... The Alarm are a Welsh alternative rock band, who were most popular in the 1980s. ... Shakin Stevens (born Michael Barrett, 4 March 1948) is a Welsh rock and roll singer born in Cardiff, who has the distinction of being the top selling UK singles artist of the 1980s. ... Bonnie Tyler (real name Gaynor Hopkins born on June 8, 1951 in Skewen, Neath) is a Welsh singer. ...

Around this time, groups such as Super Furry Animals and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci rose to popularity, and artists such as Tom Jones, John Cale, and Shirley Bassey had something of a renaissance. Super Furry Animals (also known as SFA, the Furries and the Super Furries) are a Welsh rock band, with leanings towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. ... Gorkys Zygotic Mynci are a Welsh popular music band. ... Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, KBE (born 7 June 1940), known by his stage name as Tom Jones, is a Welsh popular music singer particularly noted for his powerful voice. ... John Davies Cale (born March 9, 1942) is a Welsh musician, songwriter and record producer. ... Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, DBE (born January 8, 1937), is a Welsh singer, perhaps best-known for performing the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). ...

The Welsh music industry is currently in good health, with boundless creativity from many lesser known groups, and labels such as Ankstmusik, Crai, and Boobytrap. And, in recent years, a large alternative and punk scene has sprung up from the Valleys towns in south Wales, of which Lostprophets and Funeral for a Friend have achieved notable international success. Picture Frame Seduction from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, West Wales created their own disturbing punk sound in 1978, and in 2003 they signed to Grand Theft Audio Records in Los Angeles, USA. They were once dubbed the "Welsh Sex Pistols" due to their attitude towards the music establishment in the UK. Look up Creativity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ankst is a Welsh independent record label formed in 1988 at Aberystwyth University. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music[1] or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Lostprophets are a Welsh alternative metal/alternative rock band formed in 1997. ... For the Elton John song, see Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. ... Picture Frame Seduction is a hardcore punk rock band from Haverfordwest, Wales, UK. The bands influences included their peers of the day Charged GBH and Discharge. ... Haverfordwest (Welsh: Hwlffordd) is the county town of Pembrokeshire, in south-west Wales. ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: ) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ... West Wales is the west area of Wales bordered by South Wales to the east. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... The Sex Pistols were an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. ...

You guys suck!

Religion

The Flag of Saint David.

The largest religion in Wales is Christianity, with 72% of the population declaring to be Christian in the 2001 census. The Presbyterian Church of Wales was for many years the largest denomination and was born out of the Welsh Methodist revival in the eighteenth century and seceded from the Church of England in 1811; it had 34,819 members in 2004. The Church in Wales is now the largest with an average Sunday attendance of 41,500 in 2004. It forms part of the Anglican Communion, and was also part of the Church of England, but was disestablished by the British Government under the Welsh Church Act 1914. The Roman Catholic Church makes up the next largest denomination at 3% of the population. Non Christian religions are small in Wales, making up less than 2% of the population. 18% of people declare no religion Image File history File links Flag_of_Saint_David. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Saint_David. ... The Flag of St David The Flag of St David is normally a gold cross on a black field, although it appears in many forms including a black cross on a gold field, or with an engrailed cross. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... The Presbyterian church of Wales (Welsh: Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru), also known as The Calvinistic Methodist Church (Welsh: Yr Eglwys Fethodistaidd Galfinaidd), is a denomination of Protestant Christianity. ... The Welsh Methodist revival of the 18th century was one of the most significant religious and social movements in the history of Wales. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... Flag of the Church in Wales The Church in Wales (Welsh: Yr Eglwys Yng Nghymru) is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six dioceses in Wales. ... The Anglican Communion uses the compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. ... The Welsh Church Act 1914 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom under which the Welsh part of the Church of England was separated and disestablished. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...

Sport

Main article: Sport in Wales The most popular sports in Wales are football and rugby union. ...

The national sport of Wales is rugby union. However, in Mid and North Wales football is more commonly played. Map of the World showing the most popular sports by nation. ... A rugby union scrum. ... Look up Football in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Main article: Rugby union in Wales Rugby union is the national sport of Wales and is considered a large part of national culture. ...

See also

• Welsh cuisine
• Welsh literature
• Welsh mythology
• Eisteddfod
• Welsh language
• History of Wales
• Welsh hat
• List of Welsh people

Welsh cuisine is the cuisine of Wales. ... The term Welsh literature may be used to refer to any literature originating from Wales or by Welsh writers. ... Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Welsh lady with hat The Welsh hat worn by women as part of Welsh national costume is a tall stovepipe-style hat. ... List of Welsh people is an incomplete list of Welsh people alphabetically within categories. ...

External links

• Welsh Culture Official site from South West Wales Tourist Board
• Welsh writers