Welsh Keywords: Tawaf
From Planet 251
by Rufus Mufasa, Hanan Issa and Mererid Hopwood
This is the forty-seventh contribution to our Welsh Keywords series – inspired by Raymond Williams’ Keywords – which offers perspectives on words in Welsh and how shifting meanings continue to shape our society. Three poets explore the silences of ‘tawaf’ from different cultural perspectives.
Rufus Mufasa, Hanan Issa and Mererid Hopwood had been in Zoom conversations in late 2020 about Mererid’s Aber Bach poem, a work written for a National Dance Cymru/ Literature Wales project in which words from different languages were woven together. These conversations led them to Raymond Williams and his Key Words, and as part of the celebrations of his centenary the following year, 2021, they decided to get together to learn more. With a grant from Literature Wales they collaborated with T. Robin Chapman at Aberystwyth University, Euros Lewis from the film and TV company Wes Glei, Graeme Farrow from the Wales Millennium Centre, Emily Trahair from Planet, and Daniel G. Williams at Swansea University. The three of them discussed, reflected and listened together, and eventually wrote and performed a video-poem. This was released by Hushland Creative on January 26th 2023, the 35th anniversary of Raymond Williams’ passing. Its title is Tawaf. According to Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, ‘tawaf’ means the following: ‘to be or become quiet or silent, hush, hold one’s peace or tongue, stop talking, shut up, be or become mute, keep silent, be or become still’.
Sign in to read moreAbout the authors
Hanan Issa is a writer, poet and artist from Cardiff, and is the current National Poet of Wales and Hay International Fellow.
Mererid Hopwood is Professor of Welsh and Celtic Studies at Aberystwyth University and Secretary of Academi Heddwch Cymru.
Rufus Mufasa is a literary activist, rapper and performance art poet, who has had residencies with organisations including BASW, the Future Generations Commissioner and People Speak Up.
