On what makes Cornish culture

46: summer 2006

I went to Flora Day this year, the same that I do every year without fail.

This year had an added significance, for I was very grateful to be invited to be the principle speaker at the Mayor’s luncheon in The Guildhall.

This is a huge honour as I was brought up in Helston and have danced the Flora eight times. The list of previous speakers reads like a roll call of the famous and titled in The Duchy.

It was a short, humorous speech (I hope) and I was nervous, such a room full of dignitaries would have probably heard more after dinner speakers than the Duke of Cornwall. I speak a fair bit in public and no matter how much I do it, I always suffer from a dizzy head and sweaty palms just before I stand up and speak. Maybe I should refrain from holding my breath in the minutes before my discourse.

45: On being a tight Cornishman

Issue 45, spring 2006

As each issue of Cornish World passes, I feel that the celebration of Cornish culture is getting stronger and prouder.

The St Piran events all over The Duchy (and indeed all over the world) most definitely get larger and more numerous each year as more people come forward to toast Cornish culture.

The annual march and play at Perranporth now attracts more than 2,000 patriotic Cornish, and members of parliament, councillors and religious leaders were present among the joyful throng.

The feeling at these events makes one feel wholesomely proud to be Cornish. I also feel that many of the Cornish groups are now opening dialogue with each other, planning events and agreeing on common goals; this can only further Cornish awareness even more. At the Cornish World office, I get telephone calls from telesales people in call centres far from Cornwall.

These calls always start off with something like: ‘Can I speak to the business owner, please?’ As soon as I hear these words, I check to see if my wallet is safe in my pocket and I then I begin to ask the questions.

44: The demise of farming, Granny Pengelly beating me at whist and seeing moryonenns

Issue 44, winter 2005

When people talk to me about community as in community ventures or community initiatives, I always wonder what communities they are really referring to.

When I was younger, and that was not that so long ago (well, maybe), I lived in a farming community.

When I say community, I mean just that. In our ‘block’ there were four farms and three cottages. All belonged to the same estate and all those properties were lived in by Cornish farmers or farm workers.

Everyone knew each other and liked each other, or at least tried to like each other; you know what Cornish farmers can be like.

All year round, especially at harvest time and Christmas, all the farmers and their workers helped each other out and there was a real feeling of camaraderie among us.

43: Getting a clip round the ear for spying on God

Issue 43, autumn 2005

Someone called me at the Cornish World office the other day to complain.

We get a few phone calls like that here, not many, but a few.

Most are from very observational people who pick out the smallest irregularities.

Like when Cornish World had a picture of a wave breaking over a pier with a caption saying Storms at Looe when it was really Padstow. A lot of people picked up on that. Still, I don’t mind. It keeps us on our toes and at least you know people are paying attention to what you’re writing.

Anyway, this person had called in to say that she thought Cornish World was getting too Cornish and that she might not take it anymore.