“Kammewgh aberth yn Hwedhel Kernow” a lever Bardh Meur Kernow / “Step into Cornwall’s Story” says the Grand Bard of Cornwall
Lannstevan o pennsita a Gernow y’n oos an yurleth ha duketh ha le pur wiw rag solempnitys Gorsedh Kernow. Res yw dhyn leverel meur ras dhe Margaret Young, mer a Lannstevan ha dhe dus an dre a’ga dynnergh mar vryntin. Ynwedh ni a wor grassow bras dhe’n Kessedhek Ordena Leel ha’ga ober kales yn unn bareusi solempnita Gorsedh Kernow ha pub hwarvos oll an Esedhvos. Meur ras.
Da yw genev avel Bardh Meur a’gas dynerghi oll, gwestoryon, kanasow Kembra ha Breten Vyghan ha’n dus oll a-dro dhe’n kylgh ma, dh’agan Gorsedh Kernow omma hedhyw.
Lanson was the capital of Cornwall in the days of the Earldom and Duchy and a fitting place for the ceremonies of Gorsedh Kernow. We thank Margaret Young, Mayor of Lanson and the people of the town for their fantastic welcome. We also owe a depth of gratitude to the local organising committee and all their hard work in preparing for the Gorsedh Kernow Ceremony and all the Esedhvos events. Meur ras.
It is my pleasure as Bardh Meur to welcome you all, guests, delegates from Wales and Brittany and all the people around the circle, to our Cornish Gorsedh here today.
Lannstevan yw an daras dhe Gernow, le mayth yw tremenyas dynnerghys yn Kernewek ha’y dhiberth a Bow Saws. Omma y wrons i metya gans chanj yn gonisogeth dell yw diskwedhys henwyn Kernewek war arwodhyow, mappys ha satnav, gans neb leveryans koynt. Dres an nebes dydhyow eus passyes Lannstevan re beu ow kemeres plesour dre gowlwriansow gonisogeth Gernow. Dy Yow yth esa Gool Lyvrow splann hag a dhiskwedhas ertach lyennek krev a Gernow hag a dhsikweth les heb hedhi yn dyllansow nowydh Kernewek. An gorthugher gwaynyoryon piwosow ha kestrivians Gorsedh Kernow o arbennik yn sur. Omma yth esa genen lies gwaynyer ow kanesedhi pub rann a wonisogeth dyblans a Gernow dhyworth fylmyow hag ilow dhe rannyeth ha’n yeth Kernewek y honen. Res yw dhyn ni perthi kov bos an wonisogeth dyblans ma a hwrug gwaynya ragon ni Savla Kenedhlek Minoryta.
Lanson is the gateway to Cornwall, a place where a traveller is welcomed in Cornish as they leave England. Here they meet with a change in culture as Cornish language names appear on signs, maps and satnav, with some strange pronunciation! Over the past few days Lanson has been celebrating Cornish cultural achievements. On Thursday there was a marvellous Book Festival which demonstrated Cornwall’s strong literary heritage and highlighted the continuing interest in new Cornish publications. The Gorsedh Kernow awards and competition winners evening was particularly special. Here we had many winners representing every part of Cornwall’s distinctive culture from films and music to dialect and the Cornish language itself. It is important to remember that it is this distinctive culture that won us international recognition as a National Minority.
Orth keskussulyans Gorsedh Kernow de ni a leveris meur a-dro dhe ertach Kernow ha tornyaseth. Yns i kothmans po eskerens? Ni a dhyskas fatel wrug tornyaseth treylya dres an ugens bledhen eus passyes hag a yll bos nerth rag sostena honanieth gonisogethel Kernewek. Ni a viras yn-rag orth dermyn a dheu yn le may fo tornyaseth rann skeusen erbysek moy ledan yn Kernow. Ni a gavas y hwra meur kregi war’n vaner gonisogeth a Gernow yw diskwedhys ha’n vaner kerthow kepar ha’n yeth ha hengov an werin yw devnydhys po tebeldhyghtys. Yth esa ervirans kler bos res dhe Gernow (ha’y thus autour) ha’n Gernowyon a’ga thenkys gonisogethel ha nyns yw maynys kenwerthel a-ves.
At the Gorsedh Kernow Conference yesterday we talked much about Cornwall’s heritage and tourism. Are they friends or foes? We learned about how tourism has changed in the last twenty years and can be a force for sustaining Cornish cultural identity. We looked towards a future where tourism is part of a much wider economic picture in Cornwall. We found that much depends on the way Cornish culture is portrayed and the way assets such as the language and folk tradition are used or abused. There was a clear conclusion that Cornwall and the Cornish must be the author of their cultural destiny and not outside commercial interests.
Aswonvos Kernow avel le diberthys yw rann bosek a’gan istori dibarow hag ertach gonisogethel. Mar pydh prow orth gonisogeth Gernow a dornyaseth ytho yth yw res bos meur a war dastewynnya hemma yn maner yw avonsys hag argemmynnys. Omma, yn tiryow Kastel Lannstevan an dhadhelva a-dro dhe gowethyans Kernow gans tornyaseth gonisogethek yw a’n jydh yn gwir. An Gastel yw dyghtys a-lemmyn gans Ertach Pow Saws. Aga usyans ynkressya a Gernewek war arwodhyow ha styryans a lies aga leow yw res bos keslowenhes. Mes aga usyans heb let dhe’n garm-argemmynna fals “Kammewgh aberth yn hwedhel Pow Saws” dhe avonsya aga leow yn Kernow nyns yw mar dha. Yth yw nagh a’gan istori diblans hag aswonvos laghel avel Kenedhlek Minoryta.
The recognition of Cornwall as a place apart is an important part of our unique history and cultural heritage. If tourism is to benefit Cornish culture then much more care must be taken to reflect this in the way it is promoted and advertised. Here in the grounds of Lanson Castle the debate about Cornwall’s relationship with heritage tourism is very topical. The castle is currently managed by English Heritage. Their increasing use of Cornish in the signage and interpretation of many of their sites is to be congratulated. But their continued use of the false advertising slogan “Step into England’s story” to promote their sites in Cornwall is not. It is a denial of our distinctive history and legal recognition as a national minority .
Avonsyans Kastel Dintagel gans Ertach Pow Sows avel tir-Disney Arthurek a dhisev hwedhel an oos owrek Kernow gans moy a les ha gwirvos dell yw leverys gans hendhyskonieth gwir a’n le. Ni a wormel aga usyans a’n yeth Kernewek mes Gorsedh Kernow a elow orth Ertach Pow Saws dhe dhenagha hwedhel spyrys yw herdhyes avel “Hwedhel Pow Sows” hag yn le, dhe dhiskwedhes golowyans gwir ha leverel hwedhel gwir a Gernow.
The promotion of Tintagel Castle by English Heritage as an Arthurian Disneyland undermines the far more interesting and real story of Cornwall’s golden age told by authentic site archaeology. We applaud their use of the Cornish language but Gorsedh Kernow calls upon English Heritage to reject the fairytale that is paraded as “England’s story” and instead, show real enlightenment and tell Cornwall’s true story.
Dr Merv Davey / Telynyor an Weryn
Bardh Meur Kernow / Grand Bard of Cornwall
Lannstevan / Launceston
2nd September 2017