TRURO — The halls of Lys Kernow (County Hall) in Truro echoed with the sounds of an ancient tongue as nearly 200 young children gathered for the dynamic “Go Cornish Celebration.” The event showcased a remarkable grassroots resurgence of Kernewek, the Cornish language, which was once declared critically endangered but is now finding a passionate new generation of speakers.
Among the pupils filling the chamber with traditional songs and stories was seven-year-old Albie, a student from Trewirgie Infants’ School in Redruth, who perfectly captured the spirit of the cultural revival.
“We used to talk this way in the old days. And I like speaking now. I enjoy the songs we sing, the Cornish books we read, all the words. It’s fun.” Albie (7), pupil at Trewirgie Infants’ School