Well this month the word of the month means quite a lot to me, having heard it through my childhood.
Hiraeth “here-eyeth” (roll the “r”) is a Welsh word with no direct English translation. Doesn't stop us English language speakers though!!!
The definition that our group found was "a homesickness for a home that you cannot return to or that never was"
But when I ran that definition past my Welsh speaking mother, she said, "that's not really what it means though, there isn't a good translation, I've always used it to mean a longing for home."
Growing up over here in Canada and then moving overseas I believe that I have experienced both definitions of the word hiraeth.
As a child I used to have a longing for Wales, somewhere that I had never lived permanently and wasn't born to. I know friends growing up thought it was strange that I identified so strongly with Wales, and missed it when I wasn't there. I was lucky as a child that I was able to visit as often as we did, and to this day driving over the bridge and into Wales makes me smile, and a deep part of me feels like I'm coming home. Perhaps it is the mystical country itself, steeped in history and legend, or more likely, it is the family that still live there that make it like home to me. I don't honestly expect anyone else to understand the feeling unless, like me, you grew up immersed in the home culture, in another land. Tied to the traditions and culture, but separated from the family that brings it all together.
The most recent experience with hiraeth was when we lived overseas from 2010-2014. Our adventure was something that we will never forget, and we wouldn't change any of it. We were excited to go, and knew that it wouldn't be easy. For the most part it was amazing, beautiful locations and lots of travel with great new friends for support.
However, there were many times while we were living abroad that I would feel an deep rooted sadness and longing for Alberta. It would feel like every cell in my body wanted to go home and the feeling was overwhelming at times. I was living in some of the most interesting places, but all I wanted was the hay bales, mountains and prairies of home. I missed random things like the friendliness of Albertans, two-stepping, rodeo and summer thunderstorms, big blue skies, campfires, soft snow, skiing, pine trees and roads that went straight for hundreds of kilometres. Once again, I think people thought I was crazy for being so delighted when I came home to visit and saw these things again. I've been home for nearly three years now and these random moments still bring me an intense joy that I didn't have before.
I saw a shirt recently that said "The mountains are calling and I must go" and I think that may begin to describe the feeling of 'Hiraeth'. It is "a call to home" whether that be somewhere you grew up, or somewhere you cannot return to or have never lived. If you listen closely to your inner voice, you might just find that you have your own hiraeth!!!!
Bringing this word to pictures was difficult. My original idea did not go as planned unfortunately as my photoshop skills are fairly limited and you can't do this particular combination in lightroom. I did what I could and it is the first picture. What I wanted was a picture of Reese or myself with the mountains in the background, but not a clearcut, here she is in front of the mountains picture. A blurred, artsy, grainy black and white that to me defines what hiraeth means visually. The blurring of lines, both by country, location and in the soul.
Below are some photos from our day out in the mountains trying to capture what hiraeth meant. I chose the ones that filled me with that joyful feeling of home!
The following are photos that invoke that same feeling
And then that leads us to the hiraeth from my childhood, the beautiful country of Wales!!!!! Here are some images that invoke that " I must go" feeling. If you have never been to Wales, I would highly recommend adding it to your travel plans one day in the future.
While only a few pictures on this blog post are original pictures taken for this photo assignment, I hope you enjoyed my visual collection of what brings me hiraeth and I hope it inspires you to find your own visual representation of hiraeth.
Next you should check out the talented Ana at Los Baltasar for her take on hiraeth.
Hiraeth “here-eyeth” (roll the “r”) is a Welsh word with no direct English translation. Doesn't stop us English language speakers though!!!
The definition that our group found was "a homesickness for a home that you cannot return to or that never was"
But when I ran that definition past my Welsh speaking mother, she said, "that's not really what it means though, there isn't a good translation, I've always used it to mean a longing for home."
Growing up over here in Canada and then moving overseas I believe that I have experienced both definitions of the word hiraeth.
As a child I used to have a longing for Wales, somewhere that I had never lived permanently and wasn't born to. I know friends growing up thought it was strange that I identified so strongly with Wales, and missed it when I wasn't there. I was lucky as a child that I was able to visit as often as we did, and to this day driving over the bridge and into Wales makes me smile, and a deep part of me feels like I'm coming home. Perhaps it is the mystical country itself, steeped in history and legend, or more likely, it is the family that still live there that make it like home to me. I don't honestly expect anyone else to understand the feeling unless, like me, you grew up immersed in the home culture, in another land. Tied to the traditions and culture, but separated from the family that brings it all together.
The most recent experience with hiraeth was when we lived overseas from 2010-2014. Our adventure was something that we will never forget, and we wouldn't change any of it. We were excited to go, and knew that it wouldn't be easy. For the most part it was amazing, beautiful locations and lots of travel with great new friends for support.
However, there were many times while we were living abroad that I would feel an deep rooted sadness and longing for Alberta. It would feel like every cell in my body wanted to go home and the feeling was overwhelming at times. I was living in some of the most interesting places, but all I wanted was the hay bales, mountains and prairies of home. I missed random things like the friendliness of Albertans, two-stepping, rodeo and summer thunderstorms, big blue skies, campfires, soft snow, skiing, pine trees and roads that went straight for hundreds of kilometres. Once again, I think people thought I was crazy for being so delighted when I came home to visit and saw these things again. I've been home for nearly three years now and these random moments still bring me an intense joy that I didn't have before.
I saw a shirt recently that said "The mountains are calling and I must go" and I think that may begin to describe the feeling of 'Hiraeth'. It is "a call to home" whether that be somewhere you grew up, or somewhere you cannot return to or have never lived. If you listen closely to your inner voice, you might just find that you have your own hiraeth!!!!
Bringing this word to pictures was difficult. My original idea did not go as planned unfortunately as my photoshop skills are fairly limited and you can't do this particular combination in lightroom. I did what I could and it is the first picture. What I wanted was a picture of Reese or myself with the mountains in the background, but not a clearcut, here she is in front of the mountains picture. A blurred, artsy, grainy black and white that to me defines what hiraeth means visually. The blurring of lines, both by country, location and in the soul.
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| This is the photo that I was trying to catch Hiraeth in....it didn't quite turn out like I had envisioned but I've come to love it anyways! |
And then that leads us to the hiraeth from my childhood, the beautiful country of Wales!!!!! Here are some images that invoke that " I must go" feeling. If you have never been to Wales, I would highly recommend adding it to your travel plans one day in the future.
While only a few pictures on this blog post are original pictures taken for this photo assignment, I hope you enjoyed my visual collection of what brings me hiraeth and I hope it inspires you to find your own visual representation of hiraeth.
Next you should check out the talented Ana at Los Baltasar for her take on hiraeth.
Rachel, I can totally relate to growing up in your home country but having another country that is just as home as yours. You always seem to long for what you can't have but that is what makes it that extra special when you do go back.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Wales but I'm going to have to go with your Canada shots as faves. I definitely need to plan another Canadian Rockies holiday, this time with my little man.