V Tree
A large V shaped pine tree on the Antony estate near Torpoint...
Seaton Beach
Located at the bottom of the Seaton River valley this sand and shingle beach is popular with families. At low tide it joins up with Downderry around the headland...
Seaton River
The Seaton River as it flows out of the valley and through the village of the same name...
Portwrinkle
Looking down over the one time fishing village of Portwrinkle. In the background is the start of Whitsand Bay as it stretches 4 miles down the Rame Peninsula...
Is it, as one looks at a map, being born on the left hand side of the river Tamar?
Is is accident of geographic location of where you were whelped?
I ask this as a resident of Cornwall, who has lived here a 'bleedy' long time, who 'has' actually worked as a teenager in the now 'extinct' Cornwall mining industry (Mount Wellington Mine), who used to work in the Cornish Agricultural industry (and I don't speak any Eastern European Language) on a farm as a herdsman. I ask as someone who has previously run my own businesses in Cornwall employing & training local people in attaining nationally recognised qualifications. But I'm not Cornish born.
Is Cornish genetically proveable by DNA as a seperate race?
In which case... DNA wise is it not possible there are a damn site more people living in some old former mining towns in America & Australia who might have claim to be 'Cornish' through strength of genetic composition more so than 2nd, 3rd or fourth generation accident of birth Cornish here?
I ask because I often find I am more knowledgeable of certain aspects of Cornwall & Cornish history, even Celtic culture, than the average Cornishperson.
When I have asked "What 'exactly' a person is 'proud' of in being Cornish for", I have been met with blank expressions.
Is it a state of mind?
"All for one"...and yet I find an incredibly high levels of racist, biogoted, zenphoibic attitudes, often from people who have never even had a conversation with an Indian, Pakistani, Pole or a Latvian.
Of ALL the 20 or so people who originally made up the support team for a homeless Cornish born teenager, only ONE was Cornish born(and his parents were not Cornish)...the rest were concerned incomers.
What about those 'dipped with the tar brush' of more Spainish origin in certain parts of Cornwall (or is this an old wives tail?)
I love this county/country/peninzula..'out crop', for its rugged beauty, I sometimes despair & despise it for its mean spirited, inward looking isolationist dogma, often rooted in past achievement of over two centuries ago.
I'm sure its been asked before, but what is the quintessential 'thing' that makes 'being Cornish'?
I'm gonna get some flack now, but...
What qualifies as being 'Cornish'?
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Perhaps remaining quiet might account for why Cornwall was ecconomically poorer than some of the East European countries wanting to join the European Union?
I remember when some Kent Coal Miners (the most militant of all) came down to Cornwall looking for work around the time of the Coal miners stike. They took one look at the Cornish mining industry...and went back home, not willing to work in such conditions and without union protection & representation. I was the mine works committee member for our shift, one said to me "Cornish miners might be strong in Arm...but their thick in head"...he added the Cornish mining industry would become extinct...he was right!
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First you need to understand that race, ethnicity, nationality and citizenship are not the same thing at all.
Much the same as any other ethno-national identity whether English, Scottish, Russian or Basque, it is ones perception of ones own identity. Let me ask you, what makes someone English?
Everyone will have their own definition of what Cornishness is, a thousand Cornwalls and a thousand ways of being Cornish. However what must be accepted is that there is a pole of Cornish national identity that exists in Kernow in much the same way as any other national identity.
In the past populations shared a lot more DNA but today to find any kind of genetic fronteer in Europe is impossible I'd say.
There are racists and bigots in the Duchy but it is far from the most xenophobic part of the UK. After living in Lincoln I can attest to that.
It was meant as a joke pinkpasty, I'm sure you have all the qualifications. Being 'Cornish' is up to the individual but 'my' criterion is believing in the Cornish Nation, that's all.
The Kent coalminers became extinct before Cornwall's tin miners and I think our demise was the price of tin at the time rather than union protection. However, times change and we are in there fighting again in a small way. Interestingly, there is talk of a new coal-fired powerstation in Kent!
I took it as a joke Mike, hence = lol.(laugh out loud)
I guess they will be getting their coal for the powerstation from Poland then, lol.
It was concern about 'health & safety' in Cornwall without Union rep. that curled the Kent miners toes towards Cornwall I think.
Yes, back in the 80's the production/extraction cost of Cornish tin exceeded the open market price. If I remember correctly Malysia was able to extract tin far cheaper by aluvial river dredging, than hard rock mining.
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If you want to think you're Cornish then you are Cornish.
If you're from Cornwall and you're the 52nd generation of a fishing family from Newlyn, and you think you're Welsh, then you've got to ask questions about what your own definiton of Welsh is.
Identity, like nationality is a creation of individuals and a creation of the chaos of histories leaders, geography and natural disasters.
You can evolve identity, like nationality in the direction you want as an individual.
It depends on what your own motivations and objectives are!
I don't want to criticise your question as it's a good one but, as I'm sure you are aware, it is very complex. The nexus of factors which have created the sense of Cornish national identity are legion but at the end of the day you either see yourself as Cornish or not.
If you really want to find out more then I'd recommend the following books in that order:
Cornwall a concise history / Bernard Deacon
Cornwall a History / Prof Philip Payton
Our Future is History - Identity, Law and the Cornish Question / John Angarrack
West Britons - Cornish Identities and the Early Modern British State / Mark Stoyle
On the Cornish Democrat blog you will find links to pdf files of further reading on questions of Cornish identity as well as many more books to read.
In my more progressive moments I see my Cornishness, and by extension my Cornish nationalism, as a project. An effort to learn more about the past of the land that gave rise to me, my family and the community I grew up in.
It is also a project in terms of creating an empowered and self confident community proud of its past, forward looking and open to all.
...and yes, I realise it is complex Fulub, thats why I asked...as it is not the same for all I suspect?
I wanted to explore how others felt being 'Cornish' was quantifiable and tangiable.
Inclusive and not excluding & hostile
I know a great many people who see being Cornish as a very negative thing and nothing to be proud of at all...
...which is why I wanted to explore what aspects made it a positive identification for people, in particular in achievements of the here and now, not three generations ago or more.
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I could not agree more. There is only one question that needs to be asked, and answered: Are you Cornish, English, or other? There can only be one positive and unambiguous reply to that.
The existence of divergent views occur because the lies and deception have a more profoundly negative, and contrived, consequence for the Cornish people than for anyone else within this island.
Van solution to housing shortage
Amid a review of the lack of affordable property in rural areas, a Cornwall van dweller gives her views.
Success stories spotlighted at Cornwall Business Awards
An organic baby clothing company from the Lizard Peninsula has tonight been crowned CornwallÂ’s Business of the Year, as the Cornwall Business Awards shone the spotlight on success stories throughout the region.
JULIA TO PRESENT CORNWALL FACEBOOK PETITION TO PARLIAMENT
A petition calling on Facebook to recognise Cornwall as a region will be presented to Parliament next week by Julia Goldsworthy MP.
Business champions revealed
Success stories spotlighted at Cornwall Business Awards An organic baby clothing company from the Lizard Peninsula has been crowned CornwallÂ’s Business of the Year, as the Cornwall Business Awards shone the spotlight on success stories throughout the county.
Cyclist seriously hurt in crash
A cyclist in his 50s is in a serious condition in hospital after an accident in Falmouth on Sunday.
Crews tackle building blaze
Firefighters using breathing apparatus tackle a blaze at a derelict building in Cornwall.
Diabetes 'is no extra road risk'
Diabetic insulin users have no more car accidents than those without the condition, research shows.
ShelterBox team in 'good spirits'
ShelterBox volunteers pack another 1,000 survival boxes to send to the Burmese cyclone zone.
