Tam Kernewek, the Cousinjack.Org Website, and Through the Gatherings
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Tam Kernewek “ A bit of Cornish” Volume 32 Issue 2 Summer 2014 Minority rights for Cornish people An Evening with Benjamin Luxon and Bert Biscoe A CELEBRATION OF CORNISH POETRY, STORY AND SONG Internationally esteemed Cornish baritone Benjamin Luxon will share memories of growing up in Cornwall and his successful operatic career. Ben, one of Cornwall’s The Cornish are to be recognised as a national most famous sons, will be joined by Bert minority group for the first time, Chief Secretary Biscoe, poet, songwriter, historian, racon- Danny Alexander has announced today, 4/24/14. teur and politician in celebrating our rich heritage and ancestry. Bert, a Cabinet The Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister said the Member of Cornwall Council, Truro, for 17 decision meant for the first time Cornish people years is well know for his Cornish advoca- would receive the same rights and protections as cy and dedication to passing on Cornish other minorities in the UK. tradition as well as working as one half of It means they are classified under the European a duo with Cornish poet, Pol Hodge, and touring Old Cornwall Societies, Women’s Institutes, Festivals, schools, fields and Framework Convention for the Protection of Na- hilltops to perform in verse and song. tional Minorities the same as the UK's other Celt- ic people, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. Ben Luxon was born and raised in Redruth and by 1961 had an Mr Alexander, who is making a visit to Bodmin established reputation as a singer. Over a 30-year career Ben today, said: "Cornish people have a proud history sang with most of the world’s major symphony orchestras in many of the leading opera houses of the world. He was appoint- and a distinct identity. I am delighted that we ed a CBE in 1986. have been able to officially recognise this and afford the Cornish people the same status as other In addition to his opera works, Ben Luxon developed a reputation minorities in the UK." as a concert-giver and recitalist with an unusually broad reper- Communities Minister Stephen Williams added: toire ranging from early music to contemporary song, music hall and folk music. "This is a great day for the people of Cornwall who have long campaigned for the distinctive- Loss of hearing ended his operatic career, but a life-changing ness and identity of the Cornish people to be rec- cochlear implant has allowed him to develop a second career. ognised officially. In 2012 Ben returned to Cornwall to work in an adaptation of the novel TIN for the stage. Ben played Charles East, the mine’s Cornish American Heritage Society American Heritage Cornish "The Cornish and Welsh are the oldest peoples beleaguered owner, in this colorful story which Miracle Theatre on this island and as a proud Welshman I look and the English Touring Opera presented at the World Heritage forward to seeing Saint Piran's Flag flying with Sites in Cornwall. extra Celtic pride on March 5 next year." The announcement follows previous commit- continued on page 27 ments, which included formal recognition of the Cornish language. continued page 38 25 President’s Message ________________________________________________________________________________ The pieces are fitting together and we’re getting set for your arrival in Milwaukee at the 17th Gather- ing in August! This is such an opportunity for us all to share. Please be sure to check out all the ar- ticles on the Gathering! We enjoy and promote our local societies, but the Gathering is one of our on- ly big opportunities to unify and synergize our efforts FOR THE FUTURE (yes, all caps!). How fortu- nate we are to have our Cornish Cousins in our home associations to share and celebrate our herit- age. As we grow older and our memberships grow smaller, how will we continue? What will be im- portant? The Cornish American Heritage Society needs to address this. At present CAHS brings us together through Tam Kernewek, the CousinJack.org website, and through the Gatherings. How can we go beyond these instruments? How do we attract new members? Representatives from the dif- ferent affiliated societies will meet during the Gathering, and our presentations will also ponder this, such as at the general session on Saturday afternoon: “How Can We Pass On The Tradition?” In the coming months I will be working with representatives from affiliated associations to be prepared to address this directive: How do we keep going strong? Your society should already have been contacted for a representative. If not, or if you have an idea to pass along independently, please contact me at [email protected]. Wicked Winter in Cornwall! Dateline: 10 Feb, 2014 “It's been serious for 48 days with winds up to 100 mph, spring tides, Atlantic swell, 40 foot waves crashing 250 feet in the air on coastal defences and continuous rain; the wettest weather since records began in the C18th . The southern half of England is water logged; as more rain falls the levels rise. Cornwall and Devon have had a really bad time. There are Severe Flood Warnings (danger to life, several have been lost). 60 sq miles of Somer- set are under water and the Thames is breaking its banks in 14 places. All three rail links to London from Cornwall and Devon at Dawlish etc. have been cut either by flooding, land falls or being washed away. In Porthleven harbour great 4 tonne baulks of timber in place to protect the harbour were thrown about like matchsticks and smashed up many boats.” At their St. Piran’s Pasty Luncheon, the Greater Kansas City Cornish Society discussed how to effectively send aid to those affected by the storms and flooding in Cornwall. Mary Siegle did some checking online and found that online contributions can be made via the Cornwall Community Foundation which has a Cornwall Storms Fund at: www.justgiving.com/Cornwall-Emergency-Storm-Fund and a Cornwall Flood Fund at: www.justgiving.com/CornwallFloodFund You can specify the amount you wish to donate in GBP or USD (or a variety of other currencies). A credit card can be used to make a donation with a reasonable fee charged for the international payment/currency conversion. The exchange rate, of course, may vary from one day to the next. (Top 2 photos are Porthleven and bottom one Botallack) Greater Kansas City Cornish Society 26 Evening con’t: where he also performed as a percussionist, sang in the Liturgical Choir, led the Fighting Many attendees will recognize Bert Biscoe from his appearances Irish Band as a drum major and studied at our Cornish Gatherings in Ely, MN and Bowmanville, ON, and conducting with Walter Ginter and Carl Dewhelans, the Homecomings to Stam. He went on to earn master of music Cornwall, in 2002, 2004 and 2008. degrees in instrumental music education and wind conducting at Northwestern Uni- Ben’s Bardic name, Caner Canow, versity. means Singer of Songs; Bert is Vyager gans Geryow, Travels with Before joining the music faculty at Loyola Words. University, Mr. Taylor taught band at elementary, middle school and high school levels in Chicago’s northern suburbs, his bands receiving numerous Bert Biscoe is a politician. He is cur- superior ratings and awards. rently Cabinet Member of Cornwall Council Transport and Waste. As a percussionist, Mark Taylor performs with the Chicago Brass Band, named North American Brass Band Association champion in 2004 and Bert led the successful campaign to get the Cornish on the U.K. runner-up in 2008. The CBB recently returned from its enormously suc- Census. The Census of 2001 was the first which enabled people cessful Summer 2013 Tour to the Netherlands to compete at the Brass to identify themselves as Cornish under the White: British cate- Band World Championships. gory by writing in the word ‘Cornish’. On Friday afternoon of the Gathering, Mark Taylor will present an overview A leading campaigner for Cornish recognition as a cultural minor- of the history and development of brass bands in the UK, with particular ity group in British law, at the announcement of that decision on emphasis on early Cornish bands and their successes. Works by Cornish April 24, 2014, the BBC quoted Bert as saying “I very much wel- composers and arrangers will also be featured. Finally, he will provide a come that the Cornish as a group can stand equally beside all preview of musical selections to be performed by the Milwaukee Festival other groups in British society”. Brass that evening in “Impressions of Cornwall”. The Cornish National Library project proposed a new partnership between Cornwall Council, a number of Cornish Institutions MEET some of the other Presenters! (Royal Institution of Cornwall; Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Socie- ty and others) and key repositories including the Public Records David Holman is an experienced family historian living near St. Austell, Office, the Cornish Studies Centre and various other collections Cornwall. He is currently Chairman of the within and outside of Cornwall to build a facility to combine excel- Federation of Family History Society and lent environmental storage conditions with high quality curatorial former Chairman of the Cornwall Family His- and conservation care and a modern study resource and public tory Society. David has successfully re- exhibition space. Bert is one of the initial project team and will searched his own family in Cornwall back to talk on the objectives, process and outcomes of the Cornish the 17th Century – and has located relatives in National Library being developed at Redruth. Wisconsin! David is no stranger to the Cornish who have And, Bert is looking forward to working with participants on rudi- met him at genealogical seminars in Mineral ments of song-writing, thinking creatively about being Cornish Point or at previous Cornish Cousins Gather- Americans, exploring personal creativity, singing and laugh- ings and experienced his expert assistance in ing! The results, hopefully, will be a ‘17th Gathering Song’ for all Breaking Down Brick Walls in their family to sing together.