Meet the Cornish
An evening of conviviality, food, music and enjoyment awaits at ‘Meet the Cornish’ on Friday 17 May, from 6.30 to approximately 9.15 pm at the Wallaroo Town Hall. Beginning with a traditional chapel tea of pasties and dessert, the occasion offers much opportunity to catch up with friends and to meet other like-minded people with an interest in Cornish heritage who have come from all over Australia and overseas. The evening moves on to music, with a concert performance given by the well-regarded Cornish Association of South Australia choir of 25 singers, with additional items from other entertainers that sometimes feature Cornish dialect. Musical groups from the Kadina Memorial School will be featured on this year’s program. To round out the evening, all present will be invited to join in some rousing pub-style singing of well-known Cornish folk songs. Adults $35, accompanied child under 13 $20; Concert only (begins 7.45) – Adults $20, accompanied child under 13 $10.
Doors open at 6.00 pm.
Award-winning seminar series continues at this year’s Kernewek Lowender
The Cornish Association of South Australia (CASA) has held a full-day theme-related seminar on an aspect of Cornish history at each Kernewek Lowender since 2001. These seminars, whose uniqueness and quality are unmatched anywhere in the world, are recognised well beyond our shores. The 2017 seminar, “Another side of Cornish life – Music!”, the tenth in the series, received a “Preservation of Cornish Culture and Identity and the Celtic Spirit of Cornwall” Award from the Cornish Gorsedh, which was presented at the 2018 gathering in Newquay, Cornwall. Of the 24 awards presented, ours was the only one given to a person or activity from outside Cornwall itself.
The series will continue in 2019 on Thursday 16 May in the Wallaroo Town Hall, from 9 am to approximately 3.45 pm, on the theme “Cornish Australians who changed our world”. This intentionally broad theme has attracted talks covering a wide range of areas and contexts where Australians with Cornish forebears have left a lasting legacy in our society. Speakers will include Kathleen Fisher, Robyn Knight, Jan Lokan and well-known authors Kristin Weidenbach and Professor Philip Payton from South Australia; Abbey George from the Northern Territory; Vivienne Pearson from NSW and Victorians Jill Beard, Robyn Coates, Kristen Pearson and Neil Thomas. Their topics range from war-time heroism in neurosurgery, combat and mine disposal, mathematical systems, politics, missionary activities, social reforming and activism to pioneering wine-making and bringing fresh water systems to Yorke Peninsula. The Cornish have indeed made their mark on our society in a great many ways.
The cost of $65 for adults and $30 for accompanied children under 13 includes morning and afternoon refreshments, lunch and a bound copy of the seminar papers. The doors will open at 8.30 am for registration. Bookings are essential.