TESTIMONY: THREE POEMS is a short comic strip created as an educational resource for schools and other organisations. It is based on the poetry of Eric Ngalle Charles, who fled Cameroon when he was seventeen and spent years as an illegal immigrant in Russia. He arrived in Cardiff in 1999 and was able to claim asylum.
The poetry comic has been illustrated by Nicky Arscott, an artist living in Wales. Together the pair have tried to re-tell Eric’s story in a way that brings graphic poetry to a new audience, explores how images can be matched with language to create new meanings, and introduces topics for discussion in an accessible way. The comic’s themes include:
• exile and migration
• the experience of claiming asylum in the UK
• the role of storytelling in overcoming trauma
• personal metaphors and symbols
• home and belonging
This resource has been created for use at Key Stage 3. The guidance notes (and accompanying Powerpoint presentation) can be used in conjunction with the poetry comic. Lesson plans have been split into separate subjects, but you may prefer to select and adapt activities from across all three.
Stribyn comig byr yw TYSTIOLAETH: TAIR CERDD sydd wedi’i greu fel adnodd dysgu i ysgolion a sefydliadau eraill. Mae wedi’i seilio ar farddoniaeth Eric Ngalle Charles, a ffodd Camerŵn pan oedd yn ddwy ar bymtheg oed a threuliodd flynyddoedd yn fewnfudwr anghyfreithlon yn Rwsia. Cyrhaeddodd Gaerdydd ym 1999 a llwyddodd i hawlio lloches.
Darluniwyd y comig barddoniaeth gan Nicky Arscott, artist sy’n byw yng Nghymru. Gyda’i gilydd, mae’r ddau wedi ceisio ailadrodd hanes Eric mewn ffordd sy’n cyflwyno barddoniaeth graffeg i gynulleidfa newydd, sy’n archwilio sut y mae’n bosibl paru delweddau ac iaith i greu ystyr newydd, ac sy’n cyflwyno testunau trafod mewn ffordd hygyrch. Mae themâu’r comig yn cynnwys:
• alltudiaeth a mudo
• y profiad o hawlio lloches yn y DU
• swyddogaeth adrodd straeon i orchfygu trawma
• trosiadau a symbolau personol
• cartref a pherthyn
Crëwyd yr adnodd hwn i’w ddefnyddio yng Nghyfnod Allweddol 3. Dylai’r canllawiau hyn (a’r cyflwyniad PowerPoint cysylltiedig) gael eu defnyddio ar y cyd â’r comig barddoniaeth. Mae’r cynlluniau gwersi wedi’u rhannu’n bynciau unigol, ond efallai y bydd yn well gennych ddewis ac addasu gweithgareddau o’r tri ohonynt.
