Up the River Tawe  -  Video & Boat Trip

The idea of asking a Welsh harpist to play to people on a boat trip  up the River Tawewas driven by a deep rooted curiosity, a love of music and Wales
- the country where I was born. Unbeknown to me, was the reality of this river, which takes us on a journey  through time, a pertinent landscape revealing the histories and present day realities of the Lower Swansea Valley. A land once poisoned by industry, now reclaimed by the local community and city of Swansea.

The Swansea smelters developed great skill in the construction and management of the reverbatory, and found it particularly suitable to the great variety of finely pulverised  ores of every conceivable composition, which reached their port from all parts of the world.  The Vivians' Hafod tip, reputed to be one of the highest copper slag tips in Wales, covered  a five-hectacre site alongside houses specially built for the workers.  'The hardy moss clings to, and even thrives on soilless rock. It dies on the copper slag bank.' from 'New Land for Old.' The Environmental Renaissance of the Lower Swansea Valley.  Stephen J lavendar, University College of Swansea. 1981

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