News from Kernow Matters To Us

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

27 Mis Whevral 2017

A Esyly wheg,

Update on Levant and the National Trust

About a dozen campaigners met with the local MP, Derek Thomas, at Levant Mine on Friday 24th February, 2017, to discuss the conduct of the National Trust, and its imposition of parking charges and a clutter of unsightly signboards on a World heritage Site and one close to many Cornish hearts. 

It was clear that Mr Thomas is, himself, totally unimpressed with NT's conduct, and is supportive of the campaign, as long as it continues to run on a peaceful, but forceful, basis.

Most importantly, he has undertaken to gather as many of his parliamentary colleagues as possible to support Lord Chris Patten's recent call in the House of Lords, for an independent Inquiry into the autocratic conduct of the NT, its apparent unaccountablity, and its total lack of regulation. He was told that this should also question the suitability of Dame Helen Ghosh to head the NT, given her previous poor record at DEFRA, which was also recently highlighted in a damning Press report.

As Lord Patten is himself a Tory, we remain hopeful that Mr Thomas is sincere in this undertaking. From our viewpoint, this is the way it should go, as this call for an Inquiry has come from within the highest offices in the land.

One thing is for certain, we will not tolerate dictatorial behaviour from the National Trust, English Heritage or any other blow in charity or quango. Cornwall's history and heritage should be managed from withing Cornwall. Nothing less is acceptable!

KMTU Secretary writes to Cornwall Councillor Julian German, Portfolio Holder for Culture

Our Secretary Matt has written in hard hitting but truthful terms to Cllr. German as below:

A Cllr German Ker,

I am concerned about this "Capital of Culture" bid, and am looking for your reassurance. Perhaps you have already got the backing of the grass roots Cornish cultural communities, and I am just unaware, but I am worried that this bid already looks like a "jobs-for-the-in-migrants" sort of deal. Perhaps it is because it looks like a top-down imposition of some blow-in consultant's decision of what culture looks like, perhaps it is because these quangos endorsing the bid seem so remote from my lived experience, but mainly it is the utter lack of anything recognisably Cornish in their endorsements.

To me our culture is being exploited but not supported by things like Cornwall 365's website. For example these festivals: http://cornwall365.org.uk/cornish-cultural-calendar-2017/ happened before and despite Cornwall 365, so what the hell is their money for other than some swanky desks in Krowji for some "artsy" blow-ins? 

It seems to me that the money given to Cornwall 365 could have been spent on, say, supporting grass-roots genuine Cornish cultural groups. It seems that it is all just being syphoned off to luvvy blow-ins, and this Capital of Culture bid already looks like more of the same.

What is worse, is that if the grass roots groups are not in at the start, then will we be drafted in at the last minute to put a sticking plaster of "distinctive" culture on for free (or with whatever funding is left) once the blow-ins have taken the money and run? It just seems to me that the genuine cultural groups (as opposed to the Council Officers, National Trust officers, this partnership's officers, that trusts' officers, the other networks' officers), we never get the money that all of the officers do.

Perhaps I am jaded - seeing one project I got the funding for taken away and given to others, or being asked to produce too many miracles on too many zero budgets, or seeing the luvvies take the money and then being asked to actually do the work they were supposed to do tends to do that to me. I know that artists/drama luvvies giving "workshops" get an average £400, yet community groups such as dance troups or bands providing the actual spectacle rather than a shoddy piece of sculpture usually get £50. Remember - I used to work for one of the bodies that funded these sorts of things so I know where the money goes.

Like I say, perhaps you already have the backing of all of the language groups, all of the dance groups, the brass bands, the sports groups, the choirs, etc, and I as an ordinary member of many of these groups am just the last to know. However, it seems to me that it is English Heritage, the National Trust, Art "networks", museum partnership, and quangos like Visit Cornwall and LEP who are supporting this bid with open palms, when it is going to be various groups I am in who will have to deliver anything like what would give this bid its unique selling point and be left with nothing, or very little.

You might want to address this, because I have been taking community soundings and unfortunately to local people the bid already looks like it is "not for we" and just means diverting money from us into "high arts" and again seeing Cornish money going to parachuted-in foreign "culture" rather than into displaying, and properly supporting, our own genuine Cornish culture.

Oll an gwella

Matt 

Secretary, Kernow Matters To Us

(also member of too many groups that actually deliver Cornish Culture on a pittance)

Cornwall Heritage Trust launches new website

A link to the Cornwall Heritage Trust's new website may be found here:

https://www.cornwallforever.co.uk/

Saint Piran

Happy Piran's Day - 5th March annually and round that date!

Gool Pyran Lowen!

His story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB_2oNu9R30

Cornwall and Cornish people celebrate Piran, its National Saint of peace and his unsullied flag of a pure white cross on a black background before on and after 5th March annually with just some events listed here: 

http://www.visitredruth.co.uk/World-Heritage-Tourist-Information/St_Pirans_Festival_1664.aspx

 

https://www.visitcornwall.com/whats-on/traditional-cultural/north-coast/perranporth/st-pirans-day-celebrations-cornwall

http://www.londoncornish.co.uk/event/st-pirans-day-celebration-to-be-held-on-saturday-4th-march-2017/

https://www.richmix.org.uk/events/music/kernow-city-2017

Book Review by and with grateful thanks to  Donald R. Rawe

Ever decreasing Circles by Ann Trevenen Jenkin

This poetic view of life in her senior years by Bryallen, the first woman Grand Bard of Gorsedh kernow, is a fitting memorial to all her friends, family and travels through eight decades.

Ann is the materfamilias of an extensive family (five children and ten grandchildren). She has visited Australia, America, and most of the other Celtic lands - brittany and Ireland especially. These are presented here in fond reflections and tender feelings of her love also for the Cornish countryside, especially around Godolphin Manor, with which she has been associated for many years.

These are unpretensious verses, beautifully illustrated, which will be enjoyed by all poetry lovers and world travellers. As an old lady once told Dr. A.L. Rowse, 'Us Cornish don't travel about much, only to America and Australia.'

This charming book can be obtained from Noonvares Press, An gernyk, Leedstown, Hayle, TR27 6BA, Kernow, UK, price £6 (plus 50p if ordering through post)

KMTU Grand Book Sale

This will occur on Saturday March 25th 11-4pm at the KMTU room - An Rom Kernewek, The Venue, Unit 1 Jewell House, Tolgus Wartha,  Redruth TR15 1DG Kernow 

Our Chair, Mike has been passed a large collection of books many by Cornish authors or on Cornish subjects, most of them new!

Only 50/£1 per book with all funds going to KMTU.

If you have any spare books you want to donate then let us know. 

Anything by Cornish authors or about Cornwall and the Celtic land are welcome.

Teas and coffees available. So come along, buy some books, or just turn up for a cuppa and a good natter!

Attached: 

Abu Simbel and Levant Mine are both World Heritage Sites and deserve similar protection - please NT remove these dreadful eyesores from this wonderful coastline and just put in voluntary donation boxes instead of enforced parking charges.

Gool Pyran Lowen - Happy Pirans Holiday!