| No. 16 | Winter - Spring, 1995 | [IMAGE] KEVREN[IMAGE]| Special Web Page Edition |
The Australian Newsletter for those who love the Cornish Language!

Kevren - Link No. 16 1995 (Winter-Spring) A link for those in Australia who love the Cornish language

EDITORIAL

I am very grateful for the input from readers and the three groups of organisations who are promoting our wonderful Cornish Language!
I need more input though for the next edition (No17) due January, 1996. Please write! This should be provided with Sawsnek translation of any Cornish and be helpful to learners or devotees of Cornish in Australia. Poems, such as in this issue, are fine and short original or copied items welcome.
"The concept of Kevren is based on a degree of civilised dialogue between proponents of the different ‘systems’! I hear on the grape-vine from outside the Cornish world that a drag- out "brawl" over the language occurred in international Celtic forums recently! I can only ask each person and group to stop for a few relective moments and ask themselves what their personal contribution will do for the whole of Cornwall of the next generation! Not memorials, -but for the Cornish children being born now!" Editor

Canadian Correspondent Jeffrey Shaw of 588 Lauder Avenue, Toronto, M6E 3J6 Ontario, Canada has written (in Kemmyn) following seeing reference to Kevren in the KDL Annual. You may write to him (in Cornish or English) about relative experiences in learning Cornish from a distance.
Cornish Bard Harry Woodhouse of 'Trenoweth', Porthpean, St. Austell PL26 6AU, Cornwall has a book - Cornish Bagpipes - Fact or Fiction? @ £5.99 ea. plus £2.25 p&p (air). Order direct!

AGAN TAVAS Unified Ray Chubb, Gordon Villa, Sunnyvale Road, Portreath Kernow, UK

KOWETHAS AN YETH KERNEWEK (The Cornish Language Fellowship) Kemmyn Secretary: Jane Ninnis 'Fentenwyn', Top Hill, Grampound Road, Truro, Kernow, UK

CUSSELL AN TAVAS KERNUACK Kurnuack or 'modern' Neil Kennedy, Tregenza Vean, Antron Hill, Mabe, Penryn TR10 9HH, Kernow, UK ('An Garrack' magazine)

KERNEWEK DRE LYTHER Australia (Correspondence Course in Cornish - Australian contact: Lilian James 13 North Boulevard Tea Tree Gully SA 5091 (08) 264.5837 Kemmyn (or Unified)

CANBERRA CORNISH LANGUAGE GROUP Matthew Spriggs (06) 247.5614 home. 249.2217 work. Write c/o "ANH, RSPAS, ANU, Canberra 0200 ACT Australia Kernuack or ' modern''

NSW 'Taste Cornish’ Sessions Overview in Sawsnek and Kemmyn introduction Chris Dunkerley (02) 876.2893 21 Cliff Rd Epping 2121 Any takers to allow a start?

LYTHER Beth Vayne (KDL Studhoryes) 112 Terras Narangga, Pleg an Mor Moonta, Soth Ostrali 5558, Ostrali (Kemmyn) Chris Ker, My re dhegemmeras an dhiw Gevrenn, gonna meur ras dhis ragdha. Dell grysav, yma edhomm dres eghenn, yn Ostrali rah lyther-nowodhow a'n par ma hag ynno derivasadow, nowodho, skrifow ha lytherow skrifys yn po Kernewek kemmyn po Kernewek unys ha Sowsnek rag studhyoryon an yeth Kernewek hag erell. A-gynsow, gans pw gour, my a lavurgas dhe Gernow ha gewys veuv gans Jori Ansell dh'y glas yeth Kernewek yn Pennsans. Da o Keskewsel gans studhyoryon yeth erell an eyl dh'y gila. A wosa, ni a lavurgas dhe Sutton Coldfield may trygons Ray Edwards, Dyller KDL ha'y wreg guv Nora. Pur hweg o agan trygas gans helder a'n gwella. My a wayt ty dhe besya gans dha ober da ha degemmeres meur a skoedhya. Gorhemmynadow a'n gwella.' (112 Narangga terr. Moonta Bay SA 5558 )

Dear Chris, I have received the two Kevren-Links. Thank you very much for them, I believe there is a great need in Australia for a news letter of this kind with information, news, essays and letters written in either Common Cornish or Unified Cornish and English for students of the Cornish language and others. Recently, with my husband. I travelled to Cornwall and I was invited by George Ansell to his Cornish language class in Penzance. It was good to converse with other Cornish language students, one to another. Later we travelled to Sutton Coldfield, where Ray Edwards, Editor of KDL, and his kind wife Nora live. Our stay there was very pleasant, with hospitality of the best. I hope that you will continue with your good work and receive much support.'

*Lilian James has had a quick trip to Cornwall to receive the London Cornish Association's Paul Smales Award for a significant contribution by Cornish people outside Cornwall. Much of this was for her work for the SA Cornish Association but her work for the language over 10 years also played a large part! Congratulations Lilian! * A Proclamation Gorsedd is to be held in Canberra on October 15th. As part of the Cornish Association of the ACT Cornish Encounter Weekend (which corresponds with the Floriade Festival) this ceremony will be held bringing the blue robed Bards and the Cornish Language to Australia's National Capitol. The ceremony is in Unified Cornish as approved by the Bardic Council. Lilian James (just back from Cornwall receiving the Paul Smales award) and Stephen Amos are leading, with the Lady of the flowers being 13yr old Lowenna Dunkerley who is practicing her Cornish for the occasion. The Speaker of the ACT legislative Assembly will welcome the Bards. (A report in Kevren 17!) * Music is a great form for easily presenting the language to the public! Two recent developments in Sydney have brought the language before a new public! 1. Firstly the short lived (10 months) but enthusiastic Cornish Association of NSW choir made a point of including Cornish language pieces. The Grace, and Cornwall Forever, in Cornish were among the first songs performed for members of the Association. These were in Unified and the pronunciation was well handled by the mixed Australian and Cornish born group. 2. A Celtic folk-rock group - The Ragged Band, headed by a CANSW member Carrl Myriad consists of 2 Irish and 2 Cornish musicians. Until recently they have performed Irish songs but are now adding Cornish language songs such as Sweet Nightingale, An Lader (The Robber) , and An Aweseth (The Lark) to their repertoire. (In both cases the singing is in Unified, and they have been tutored in pronunciation and intonation by me as best I could! Editor) * There have been no challenges to the contention that Kevren was the first Cornish language related publication sent out via e-mail! I am sure it will not be the last! Also quite a lot of work is being done with multi-media and Australian aboriginal languages - Cornish must not get left behind! * Australia wide round-up! Along with the activities mentioned elsewhere in Kevren, we do a sweep of what's been happening! # Teaching continues in Canberra with the ACT Association group using the Modern or Kernuack form. # Lillian James is actively working with Kemmyn and the Kernewek Dre Lyther course of Ray Edwards. Her students are in SA, Victoria, and QLD (see cover story). # In QLD the new Cornish Association started off well with Cornish and English greetings at their first major function in Brisbane which attracted over 60 people. Their Newsletter carries ... "Newodhow Kernewek" proudly on the masthead. # In WA the Piskey Post contains items on the Cornish language from Lambert Truran (who learnt Unified in Cornwall in the 1950's). # In Victoria Stephen Amos regularly holds sessions for interested members of the CAV, and in September a Penseythun Gernewek (Cornish Weekend) is being held lead by the indominable Lilian James. # A similar weekend is planned by Lilian for Adelaide soon! # At the Dept. of Community Programmes at the University of Newcastle (NSW) Dr Charles Penglase is running a distance education course in Modern Cornish. (Details are available from the Editor of Kevren!) # Charles Penglase spoke to the Cornish Fayre Day of the CANSW in June. Cornish is not dead in Australia! Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek Whatever your version of Cornish you are welcome to join the Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek (The Cornish Language Fellowship) Annual Subscriptions(including the excellent 16 page monthly An Gannas Magazine (Kemmyn)) is £ 15.00. James Hawken, 3 Hawksland Cottages, Higher Tremarcoombe, Liskeard, Kernow, UK. DYDH LOWEN Beth Vayne (Kemmyn) Dy' Sul o y'n mis Cortheren ha yeyn o an gewer. Yth esa ow dew har a-dhiworth kernow a'ga esedh a-d ro dhe'n voes ow tybri aga hansel. Yn- medhav, "Yma gonis y'n skiber war bargen-tir ogas dhe Kadina hedhyw dhe unnek eur- bennath an greun ow tevi. Y fydh pur dhe les dhywgh. A garsewgh hwi mos ena?" "Karsen, dhe .. dhe wir", yn- medhons i. "Da" a leveris vy. "Res yw dri agan kadaryow agan honan." Ni a dhredhedhas an skiber dhe unnek eur marnas pymthek. Pur goynt o gweles an menyster a'y sav a-dhelergh das goera avel moes yn mysk K evren - Link No. 16 1995 (Winter-Spring) Page 4 A link for those in Australia who love the Cornish language Continued from page 3. toulys ha jynnweyth an bargen-tir. Wosstalleth ni a ganas nebes hympnys a rassans rag an drevas. Ena an menyster a sevis yn-bann dhe gewsel orthyn. Distowgh an glaw a dhallathas koedha war an to a sten, muer y dros. Ny ylli denvydh klywes an pregoth. Ytho an menyster a esedhas war y gader. Woas berr dermyn ev a seris arta. Yth eas an werin ow minhwerthin. Distowgh an glaw a goedhas arta, brassa an tros. Teyrgweyth y koedhas an glaw pan sevis an menyster. Yth esa an bobel ow hwerthin ughel aga lev lemmyn. Byttegyns, wor'tiwedh soensys veu an greun ow tevi. Dhe hanterdydh, arloedhesow an eglos a bareusas kefywi splann. Pur dha o. Dohajjydh ow gour a lywyas agan kerens a-dro dhe Moonta Mines rag gweles an gwelyow istorek ha pur dhe les o dhedha. Dhe seyth eur ni a gavas boes dhe'n boesti yn Moonta. Pur lowen o agan herens wosa dydh lowenek. A Happy Day - It was a Sunday in July and the weather was cold. My two friends from Cornwall were sitting around the table eating their breakfast. I said, "There is a service in a barn on a farm near Kadina today at 11 o'clock - a blessing for the growing grain! It will be very interesting to you. Would you like to go there?" "We would indeed", they said. "Good", I said. "We must bring our own chairs!" We reached the barn at quarter to eleven. It was very strange to see the Minister standing in front of a hay-stack as a a table among the tools and farm machinery. Firstly we sang some hymns of thanks for the harvest. Then the Minister stood up to speak to us. Immediately the rain began to fall on the roof of tin, great it's noise! No-one could hear the sermon so the Minister sat on his chair. After a short time he stood again. The people were smiling Immediately the rain fell again and the noise was greater. Three times the rain fell when the Minister stood. The people were laughing louder now. However finally the growing grain was blessed. At midday the ladies from the church prepared a splendid party. It was very good. In the afternoon my husband drove our friends around Moonta Mines to see the historic sights and it was very interesting to them. At 7 o'clock we had food at the restaurant in Moonta. Our friends were very happy after a joyful day! OLVA Marjorie Trevanion Y whren-ny esedha ryp dowrow Tamar Hag ola, pan berthyn-ny cof a splander Marthys a whelyow sten hendus Kernewek. Rosow a'n gwyth bal yu lemmyn tawesek; Ny wra seny pygolow a'n whelyow na fella; Nyns yu clewys na moy jyn stampys y'r ur-ma; Dredhevyans a'gan hendasow yu yn-tyen shyndys. Trystans a'gan bo rak tus truan ha munys Hep ober rak dyndyl yn-ta aga bewnans. Nyns us le vyth omma yn Kernow rak skyans A’n stenoryon fur, nep a wor sten an gwella. Soweth! Eghan! Res yu dhedha dyvroa. Kellys yu mebyon Kernow. Scryfys wosa deryvadow bos deges an whel sten dewetha. (Unified) Lamentation Marjorie Trevanion We sat down by the waters of the Tamar and wept, when we remembered the great glory of the metal mines of our Cornish forefathers. The wheels of the mine works are now silent; no longer do the picks of the pits sound; no longer are heard the stamping engines now; the buildings of our ancestors are completely broken. I mourn for the unhappy and impoverished people, without work to earn a good living. There is nowhere here in Cornwall for the knowledge of the skilled miners, who have the best understanding of metals. Alas, also they have to emigrate. Lost are the sons of Cornwall. Written after the news that the last copper mine had closed.
AN VULVORAN Dick Gendall

Me ath clowaz en eglos euh an vylgy,
Conna mar wheag, ma meppig teag,
Pell thur an plassow salez ve,
Tho ve devethez theze, ma meppig teag.
Theze me vedn rei ma vertew gwerthias,
Theze ma lowenez gwethias rei.
Cusk agoy thom gwily moar,
Cusk gen ve, ma meppig teag, ha trig gen ve,
Pell thur cavow kesadow an beaz,
Pell thur cavow kesadow an beaz.

Nag eze mernaz whecca vel ma bownaz,
Nag eze mernaz veeth en gwlascor ve,
Pell athor an beaz a deez merwal.
Deez eker gen ve, ma meppig teag,
Che a veath pednzhivik pednzhivigian,
Che a veath pednzhivik euhall, brauz,
Rowlia teez covaithack luck,
Rowlia mawe ha moze keffreze oll leb ew teag.
Deez eker gen ve en dadn an moar,
Deez eker gen ve en dadn an moar.

Gwear ma lagadgow vel dowrow an vylgy,
Rooz ma bleaw, ma meppig teag,
Gwidn war an todn an devran ve.
Oll me a rei tha ge, ma meppig teag.
Medall ma deffreh veath gurrez oll adro theze,
Ha ma gwessiow theze leb vadnam rei,
Down et agon gwily moar,
Agoy down, ma meppig wheag, gon honen oll,
Pell thur cavow kesadow an beaz,
Pell thur cavow kesadow an beaz.

© RRM Gendall 3/9/94
Tregrill Vean Menheniot, Liskeard PL14 3PL.
Thanks Dick! This is a Cornish (Modern) version of Mermaid, sung in English by the late Brenda Wootton.

Chris Dunkerley (Cornish Bard - Kevrenor)
Editor
21 Cliff Road, Epping,
New South Wales 2121 Australia
Home Phone: ( 61) (2) 9876.2893, FAX via my office: (2)9372.8277, Office No: (02) 9339.7452
No e-mail yet! Only snail mail!

Kevren Home Page

Kevren 17 (latest - in development)

Chris Dunkerley, Kevren Editor
kevrenor@ozemail.com.au

Copyright © 1997 Chris Dunkerley, The Cornish Bard Kevrenor, Kevren Newsletter Editor
This Web Page was created using WebEdit 2.0 (win16) standard software, Friday, 28 March 1997
Most recent revision Saturday, 12 April 1997 - but the text was originally written in 1995.