Editing Culture of Wales (section)

==Symbols==
{{main article|National symbols of Wales}}
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| footer    = Daffodils and leeks, two of the national symbols of Wales
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| image2    = Leeks bg.JPG
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[[File:Welsh Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch).svg|thumb|Red Dragon of Wales]]
National symbols of Wales include the [[Welsh Dragon|dragon]], the [[Narcissus (plant)|daffodil]] and the [[leek]]. A story of soldiers wearing the leek during battle to make it easier to identify them is recounted in the 17th century, attributed to [[Saint David]].{{sfn|Davies|Jenkins|2008|p=455}} The earliest certain reference of the leek as a Welsh emblem was when [[Mary I of England|Princess Mary]], daughter of [[Henry VIII]], was presented with a leek by the yeoman of the guard on [[Saint David's Day]] in [[1537]].{{sfn|Davies|Jenkins|2008|p=455}} The colours of the leek were used for the uniforms of soldiers under [[Edward I of England]].<ref name="bbcleek">{{cite web |last1=Carradice |first1=Phil |title=The leek, national emblem of Wales |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/531cbdfa-be23-3bfa-b37e-446b779a94ec |publisher=BBC Wales |date=28 February 2013 |access-date=12 April 2016}}</ref>

The Red Dragon [[standard (flag)|standard]] was most likely introduced to the British Isles by Roman troops who in turn had acquired it from the [[Dacia]]ns.{{sfn|Davies|Jenkins|2008|p=732}} It may also have been a reference to the 6th century Welsh word ''draig'', which meant "dragon".<ref name="dragonimport">{{cite web |title=Is the Welsh dragon the most important object in Welsh history?|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/welsh-dragon-most-important-object-3012086 |publisher=WalesOnline |date=29 April 2013 |access-date=12 April 2016}}</ref> The standard was appropriated by the Normans during the 11th century, and used for the [[Royal Standard of Scotland]]. [[Richard I of England]] took a red dragon standard with him on the [[Third Crusade]].<ref name="dragonwar">{{cite news|title=The dragon and war |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/flag_war.shtml |publisher=BBC Wales History |access-date=12 April 2016}}</ref>

Both symbols were popular with [[House of Tudor|Tudor]] kings, with [[Henry VII of England]] (Henry Tudor) adding the white and green background to the red dragon standard.<ref name="dragonwar"/> It was largely forgotten by the [[House of Stuart]], who favoured a [[unicorn]] instead.<ref name="dragonimport"/> By the 17th and 18th centuries, it became common practice in Great Britain for the gentry to wear leeks on [[St. David's Day]].<ref name="bbcleek"/> In 1807, a "a red dragon passant standing on a mound" was made the King's badge for Wales. Following an increase in nationalism in 1953, it was proposed to add the motto ''Y ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn'' ("the red dragon takes the lead") to the flag. This was poorly received, and six years later Queen [[Elizabeth II]] intervened to put the current flag in place.<ref name="dragonimport"/> It has been proposed that the [[flag of the United Kingdom]] be [[Flag of the United Kingdom#Wales representation|redesigned]] to include a symbol representing Wales, as it is the only nation in the United Kingdom not represented in the flag.<ref>{{cite news |last= Deacon |first= Thomas |date= 12 September 2018 |title= Why Wales isn't represented on the Union Jack |url= https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-isnt-represented-union-jack-15138001 |work= WalesOnline |access-date= 17 December 2020}}</ref>

The daffodil is a more recent development, becoming popular during the 19th century. It may have been linked to the leek; the Welsh for daffodil (''cenhinen Bedr'') translates as "St Peter's leek". During the 20th century, the daffodil rose to rival the prominence of the leek as a symbol of Wales. Prime Minister [[David Lloyd George]] ensured that the daffodil had a place in the investiture of [[Edward VIII|Edward, Prince of Wales]].<ref name="bbcleek"/>

The [[traditional Welsh costume]] and [[Welsh hat]] were well known during the 19th and early 20th centuries. [[Queen Victoria|Princess Alexandrina Victoria]] (later Queen Victoria) had a hat made for her when she visited Wales in 1832. The hat was popularised by [[Sydney Curnow Vosper]]'s 1908 painting ''[[Salem (Vosper painting)|Salem]]'', but by then its use had declined.<ref>{{cite news |title=St David's Day: Leeks v daffs – true icons? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12602857 |publisher=BBC News |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=12 April 2016}}</ref>

Welsh people may sometimes engage in gentle self-mockery and claim the [[sheep]] as a [[national emblem]], due to the 3 million people in the [[Wales|country]] being vastly outnumbered by some 10 million sheep and the nation's reliance on [[Sheep farming in Wales|sheep farming]].<ref>{{cite web  |title=Sheep |url=https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/livestock/sheep |website=Farming Connect |publisher= Business Wales |access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="So, just how many sheep are there in Wales?">{{cite web |title=So, just how many sheep are there in Wales? |url=https://meatpromotion.wales/en/news-industry-info/so-just-how-many-sheep-are-there-in-wales |publisher=Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Production Cymru}}</ref> The importance of sheep farming led to the creation of the [[Welsh Sheepdog|Welsh sheepdog]].

[[Welsh lovespoons]] are traditionally crafted wooden spoons which a suitor would give to his beloved. The more intricacies of the design served a dual purpose, as it demonstrated the depth of their feelings to the beloved, and their crafting abilities (and therefore potential to generate income to look after the family) to their potential suitor's family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wales.com/about/culture/national-symbols-wales|title=National symbols of Wales|date=3 July 2019|website=Wales}}</ref> The earliest known dated lovespoon from Wales, displayed in the St Fagans National History Museum near Cardiff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://museum.wales/collections/online/object/f4abd0cc-fa6b-3267-ad6c-2502fd012fc8/?field0=string&value0=lovespoon&field1=with_images&value1=1&field2=string&value2=1667&index=0&_ga=2.250078916.374818557.1642156820-37399111.1593593817|title=Lovespoon|website=Museum Wales}}</ref> It is believed to have been crafted in 1667, although the tradition is believed to date back long before that.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-first=John |editor1-last=Davies|editor1-link=John Davies (historian)|editor2-first=Nigel |editor2-last=Jenkins | editor2-link=Nigel Jenkins| editor3-first=Baines |editor3-last=Menna|editor4-first=Peredur I. |editor4-last=Lynch|title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press|page=523 |location=Cardiff |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}</ref>