Golden Dragon of Wales: A New Era Begins

Explore the intricate fabric of Welsh culture, the significance of the golden dragon, and a visionary outlook for Wales that encompasses five kingdoms, fifteen castles, and a modern charter inspired by the Laws of Hywel Dda.

Uniting Five Kingdoms: The Golden Dragon as Our Central Symbol

I am known as Goldie The Grey.

The mention of gold invites further exploration, while the grey is clear in its meaning.

But what is the story behind the golden dragon?

There is a tale that begs to be told. So, grab your favourite drink—be it coffee, tea, or something a tad stronger. Settle in and allow yourself to be enveloped by the visions I share through storytelling.

Beginning the Quest of Discovery

One might expect this journey to start with a sword, an ancient prophecy, or a mysterious figure emerging during a tempestuous night.

My journey, however, begins with the task of digitising my mother’s paperwork for preservation.

This is quite the responsibility, wouldn’t you say?

Family documents often hold more than mere information. A name morphs into a question. A branch evolves into a journey. Before long, you find yourself contemplating a family tree, reflecting on how much of your identity you truly understood before embarking on this exploration.

Along the way, the narrative expanded beyond the simple act of storing my mother’s documents.

Uncovering the Names That Bind Us

As I trace my lineage, I discover that I am thirty-five generations removed from Rhodri Mawr.

This connection holds immense importance. Tracing generations is vital because a family tree signifies more than just a link between a king and a modern descendant.

There are many individuals between us.

These are people with families to nurture, children to raise, sorrows to endure, and decisions to make.

These are lives that deserve more than a fleeting mention as we acknowledge an illustrious name.

I am eager to learn about them as well.

I want to create space for family stories that do not neatly fit into a chart.

The House of Rhodri, as I am beginning to call it, is quite unconventional.

A House Abounding in Varied Identities

Witches. Mages. Shamans. Seers. Healers. Empaths. Mystics.

These titles describe elements of the mystical experiences woven into my family’s history.

Not everyone would choose the same terms. Each generation may have understood these words differently.

I do not suggest every ancestor left behind documentation confirming their unique gifts.

My mother already had her hands full with paperwork.

Yet, these terms contribute to the language I use to comprehend our family: love, intuition, mystical practices, inspiration, care, and experiences that often require more time to articulate than to feel.

I can share these stories without expecting uniformity in interpretation.

They deserve to be acknowledged on their own terms.

Finding My Unique Voice

I describe some experiences as shamanic, while others resonate with a mage-like essence. Inferred

These terms currently encapsulate my meaning most effectively.

The stories that accompany them warrant their own narrative. I do not wish to obscure them in borrowed mystery or imply that I have simplified them merely by assigning a mystical label.

This space fosters belief.

This space also welcomes inquiry.

As I recount this narrative, I aim to distinguish between what I remember, what my family has conveyed to me, what I can verify, and what I perceive through my own mystical experiences.

The golden dragon can hold deep significance without being absolute evidence of everything.

Claiming My Own Kingdom

Before anyone gets too excited:

I am not claiming a throne.

I am asserting stewardship over a kingdom.

The ethereal kingdom of Wales is how I describe the mystical landscape of this narrative: ancestry, imagination, belonging, and the vision of what can still be achieved.

As Above, So Below.

On the map, this vision begins to take shape.

Gwynedd.

Powys.

Seisyllwg.

Next, Dyfed and Gwent.

Five Names, Five Colours: Envisioning a Unified Wales

This map stems from an interest in Rhodri’s realm. The discussion extends beyond mere history.

The family narrative stretches beyond the initial three coloured regions. As it grew, so too did the vision.

It is important to clarify this distinction:

We are not rewriting history while pretending it always appeared this way.

We are envisioning a future.

Our five-kingdom map serves as a proposal articulated through narrative and art. Its borders delineate an idea rather than a claim that every part once belonged to a single ruler at a specific time in history.

The House of Rhodri is the name under which I am weaving this concept.

The Castles Under the Guardian Dragon

Then the castles emerged.

In discussing five kingdoms, we must identify the locations within our vision.

Fifteen castles became our initial landmarks.

These are not the sole castles in Wales, nor do they encapsulate the entirety of the story. They are fifteen sites from which we can begin to weave our narrative threads.

In Gwynedd, we recognised Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech.

In Powys, we identified Powis, Montgomery, and Dolforwyn.

In Seisyllwg, we noted Cardigan, Dinefwr, and Carreg Cennen.

In Dyfed, we acknowledged Pembroke, Carew, and Manorbier.

And in the broader Gwent, we named Caerphilly, Cardiff, and Chepstow.

Here they stand.

Fifteen Castles, Five Kingdoms, One Vision for Wales

Within our vision of the House of Rhodri, each castle stands beneath the golden dragon.

This is how we position them within the narrative; not by suggesting they were all built by our ancestors, nor that their histories began with us. Each castle has its own legacy, and this declaration does not change its current guardianship or stewardship.

We envision how these sites might belong to a shared future.

Some may enter our family narrative through memories. Others through uncharted connections. Some may serve as places where we pause, reflect, and consider what we wish the next chapter of Wales to embody.

Naming them brings the vision into focus.

You can mention “five kingdoms” and leave people imagining nearly anything.

But mention Caernarfon. Mention Dinefwr. Mention Pembroke.

Suddenly, there are destinations to explore, questions to ask, and stories to uncover.

The map begins to transform into a realm you can navigate.

Which is all well and good.

Before anyone asks where I plan to keep the keys to fifteen castles (that remains a secret!), I should remind you that this all began with the need to digitise my mother’s documentation.

We are addressing one responsibility at a time.

The Flag that Unites Us

Next, we designed a flag for this vision.

For this envisioned flag, we kept the white above and the green below, placing a golden dragon at the centre, where the red dragon typically resides. The red dragon represents primal emotion, willpower, fire, and ash. We replace it with intention, love, and fearlessness…

The white symbolises the heavens.

The green embodies the earth.

The golden dragon signifies our aspirations for the prosperity of Wales within the vision of the House of Rhodri.

To me, the colours reflect the belief that God created both the heavens and the earth. They merge the mystical and the earthly into a singular image.

As Above, So Below.

And beneath that imagery, our guiding principles:

Peace, Prosperity, Patience & Justice Under God.

• Peace – not a demand for unanimous agreement, but a commitment to avoid imposing consensus.

• Prosperity – not wealth concentrated in a few hands, but the flourishing of individuals, communities, culture, and land.

• Patience – because a future worth nurturing cannot be conjured into existence with mere proclamations.

• Justice – because none of the other promises hold value if individuals cannot expect fair treatment.

“Under God” expresses my unwavering faith and the accountability I feel within it. It is not necessary for everyone to share my beliefs.

No one should be required to profess a religion, accept a mystical assertion, or acknowledge something sacred in the dragon to enjoy equal dignity.

I would raise this flag as an invitation to contemplate a vision.

Not as permission to silence another’s voice.

What Do the Kingdoms Signify?

A map serves as an excellent foundation.

But it is insufficient as a governing tool.

Eventually, someone is entitled to pose a practical inquiry.

What does this mean for the individuals living here?

That is a valid question.

A golden dragon may be visually compelling, but it cannot resolve grievances by simply shining brighter.

The narrative requires a charter.

I do not recognise the current governmental structure as the future I envision for Wales. Yet, deep dissatisfaction, no matter how profound, is merely the start of a conversation.

If I am to articulate an alternative future, I must be prepared to explain it.

Not just who would occupy the centre of the map.

How power would be constrained.

How individuals would be heard.

How someone could disagree with the House of Rhodri and remain just as free, just as safe, and just as Welsh as anyone else.

A Modern Charter for the Future

To lay this foundation, we have chosen to draw inspiration from Cyfraith Hywel … the Laws of Hywel Dda.

This is not a literal restoration of every medieval law.

It is a contemporary charter grounded in that legacy, thoroughly examined and tailored for the people who would live under it today.

This is the proposal we are beginning to articulate.

No longer the Laws of the Sea, we advocate for the Laws of the Land …

Equal dignity.

Freedom of conscience.

Freedom of speech.

Leadership that is accountable for its decisions.

Justice that aims to remedy harm where possible while safeguarding those who have been injured.

Care for the land, the water, the minerals, the language, the traditions, and the places entrusted to us.

A meaningful voice for individuals across all five kingdoms.

These are commitments we must honour in practice, not mere phrases to place beneath an attractive image.

The charter must allow for individuals whose beliefs diverge from mine.

There must be space for the mystic and the sceptic, the religious and the agnostic, the person who finds meaning in the dragon and the individual who appreciates the artistry.

No one should need to share my mystical understanding to possess equal rights.

Justice Within the Castle Walls

In this proposed future, the castles would serve a purpose beyond their geographical location.

We envision them as venues for courts: places where justice is administered within the communities they serve.

This is not merely the current judicial system with a new flag hung above its entrance, but a proposed alternative whose authority would stem from an agreed charter and laws established openly with the consent of the people.

Our aim would be for all courts to convene within castle settings, wherever conservation, safety, and accessibility could be harmonised with that purpose. If a location could not accommodate an operating court, appropriate facilities would need to be considered without compromising the site we wish to honour.

Because a symbol is ineffective for justice if access is restricted.

Judgment would be entrusted to peers within the community governed by the new laws we propose.

“The community” must never become another term for the loudest voices within it.

A person should not lose a case because they are unpopular, unfamiliar, impoverished, or different.

Knowledge of someone’s reputation must not be confused with understanding the evidence.

The charter would need explicit protections: impartial selection, the removal of anyone with a conflict of interest, independent legal counsel, and a fair opportunity for each party to present their case.

Anyone accused would be presumed innocent unless the evidence against them meets the legal standard. They would retain the right to comprehend the accusation, receive legal aid, contest the evidence, and pursue an independent appeal.

Those who report harm would deserve safety, dignity, and support throughout the process.

Decisions must be accompanied by justifications.

The laws themselves should be public, comprehensible, and open to scrutiny and revision through agreed procedures.

No one—not a leader, not a relative, nor the founder of this vision—would have the authority to dictate a verdict.

Including me.

Especially if I happen to be standing beneath a particularly impressive dragon at the time.

Where harm can be rectified, the court would seek meaningful restoration. Where protection is necessary, it must be provided. Forgiveness may be freely offered, but never demanded from someone who has suffered.

This is the justice I aspire for these castle courts to pursue.

Not spectacle.

Not vengeance.

Responsibility, fairness, and a path forward.

These proposals envision a potential future, not courts we can establish simply by proclaiming their existence. Until any changes are legally instituted, the vision would not supplant existing courts or release anyone from their current legal obligations.

The Meaning of a House

When I use the term “House,” I intend it to convey a sense of responsibility.

My ancestry may help explain why I embarked on this journey. It does not elevate my worth above those alongside me.

It does not exempt me from the law.

And it cannot, by itself, grant me authority over those who have not chosen it.

Any future political structure would require the freely expressed consent of the populace, achieved through peaceful and lawful means.

Otherwise, we would have delineated five kingdoms without addressing the most critical question:

Whose home are we referring to?

Wales is already home to individuals with their own lives, beliefs, aspirations, and conflicts.

A meaningful vision must accommodate them.

The House, as I envision it, must be capable of listening as well as speaking.

If its proposals do not withstand scrutiny, then those proposals require further refinement.

Awakening to New Realities

When I declare that the Golden Dragon of Wales is awake, I am naming the awakening that resides at the core of this narrative.

My growing focus on family.

My quest for a language that encapsulates mystical experiences.

My desire to envision a Wales organised around belonging, responsibility, and justice.

The dragon serves as the symbol that unifies these elements.

Its awakening does not serve as proof that I possess all the answers.

It marks the commencement of my inquiry into how I intend to engage with these questions.

What does my ancestry demand of me?

What does my faith require in terms of how I treat those who do not share it?

What am I prepared to alter in my vision after listening to another’s perspective?

These questions are as integral beneath the flag as any declaration.

Our Current Position in the Narrative

This is where we stand.

A lineage being traced.

My mother’s research.

My own attempts to articulate experiences that hold significance for me.

Five kingdoms illustrated on a map.

Fifteen castles identified within the vision.

A proposed flag of white, green, and gold.

And the inception of a charter: a document to discuss, test, question, and refine.

There remains much that I do not yet know.

This is not a justification for fabricating the missing elements.

It is a call to continue seeking.

They call me Goldie The Grey.

The gold requires explanation.

The grey is self-evident.

If you arrived here expecting a demand for a throne, you may have to settle for a family narrative, a proposed charter, and an ambitious map.

All of which commenced with the quest to find a suitable place to store and digitise my mother’s research.

Peace, Prosperity, Patience & Justice Under God.

As Above, So Below.

The Golden Dragon of Wales is Awake.