Snow White - a fairy tale of sorts

Gweneira Raw Rees

My name is Gweneira, which means ‘Snow White’ and I have seven brothers and sisters. I am the seventh child.

 

My sister Hedydd, which means ‘Skylark’, is the eighth.

 

She and I are very close but very different – I wanted to be a writer and she loved maths.

 

I stayed in Ceredigion and had two children – Hedydd, the ‘Skylark’, who was named after my sister, and Bleddyn, which means ‘Wolfman’ but who is the gentlest of men.

 

My sister moved away and became an accountant – but desperately wanted children. After years of anguish, and with the help of a few wizards, she gave birth to twin boys – Dyfri, the ‘Sea God’, who loves water and Heddwyn, the ‘Peaceful One’, who isn’t peaceful at all really but wears his heart on his sleeve.

 

I call them the miracle babies and am so happy that my sister’s dream came true.

 

As for my dream – I still want to be a writer…..

 

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I live in Aberystwyth and work for Ceredigion County Council as the Strategy for Older People (50+).  I have two children, Hedydd and Bleddyn.  I love walking, cycling, the sea, music and of course – writing.

What’s your story about?

My story is in fact three stories – it is the story of Welsh names and their meanings, it is my sister’s story in fulfilling her dream to have children and it is a story of my unfulfilled ambition to be a writer.

Why did you choose this particular story?

The fact that my name means Snow White and the fact that I have seven brothers and sisters took me down the ‘fairytale’ path and the rest just slotted neatly into place.  I also felt a need to celebrate my sister’s ‘miracle’ twins.

What did you find most rewarding about the workshop?

I found the creativity, the companionship and the laughter so enjoyable. I also loved attending a course in the Arts Centre – the place has such a lovely buzz!