Gwenno shares songs in Cornish to inspire new generation of speakers

The Mercury prize-nominated Cornish/Welsh singer Gwenno Saunders has said that Cornish should be more widely taught to children in the far south-west of Britain to protect the language and preserve local culture.

- Steven Morris

Gwenno spoke after visiting a school in the fishing village of Mevagissey on the south coast of Cornwall before a performance at the nearby Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Year 5 pupils at Mevagissey community primary school joined her in singing. She covered an eclectic range of subjects, from the importance and vitality of Kernewek (Cornish) to rebellions of the 15th and 16th centuries - as well as cheese.

Gwenno, whose parents are a Cornish poet and Welsh language activist, sings in Cornish, Welsh and English. She said: "The children in Mevagissey weren't that familiar with the language because they don't have access to it. I think it would be really useful for it to be on the curriculum. It's really nourishing for children to learn about local heritage and history in a language that is from the place where they live.