The Breton Connection

Celtic Languages News: Demonstration in Paris to defend the teaching of Breton and other lesser used languages

2019-12-01T08:26:00.001-08:00

Celtic Languages News: Demonstration in Paris to defend the teaching of Breton and other lesser used languages: About a thousand people gathered yesterday Saturday, November 30, 2019, in Paris, in front the Ministry of Education. Coming from Britta...

Cornwall is dead

2019-02-09T02:47:00.001-08:00

If things aren't turned around our future will be nothing but the memory of a people that once existed, a memory of a society that, little by little, went to nothing amongst the great sameness. So it will happen to Brittany that which has happened to Cornwall, swallowed as it was by London, despite the fact that later the people voted the strongest for Brexit, why so?

Ma ne vo ket cheñchet penn d'ar vazh e vo hon dazont nemet memor ur bobl bet bev, memor ur gevredigezh aet tamm-ha-tamm da get e-touez an heñvelded meur. C'hoarvezout a rayo gant Breizh pezh a zo c'hoarvezet gant Kerne-Veur a zo be lonket gant Londrez en desped d'an dud o dues votet, war-lerc'h, ar muiañ evit ar Brexit, perak 'ta ?

The above is translated from the Breton original which can be found in the opinion piece written by GG Gwen in issue 713 of the Breton language newspaper Ya ! It is one example of what can be read about Cornwall in Breton media / social media at the current time. The thinking is along the lines of: Cornwall is dead - totally absorbed by greater London - nothing but a Celtic fossil - only of use and consideration as a warning for Brittany to change its ways. Some academics, in the very laudable effort to discuss the future of Brittany, have even gone so far as to coin the term Cornwallisation to describe the death of traditional Breton culture. Take the below as an example which can be found in Le Peuple Breton.

There verdict is severe: " a process of 'cornwallisation' is in operation, a neologism used to describe the change suffered by that British region henceforth integrated into the catchment area of greater London and which has lost its original identity. Without a rapid reaction regarding this change, Brittany, as a distinct entity, will also be dissolved.

Leur verdict est sévère : « Un processus de « cornouaillisation » est à l’œuvre , néologisme utilisé pour décrire l’évolution subie par cette région britannique désormais intégrée au bassin du grand Londres et qui a perdu son identité originale. Sans réaction rapide à cette évolution, la Bretagne se diluera aussi en tant qu’entité particulière ».

Have any of our Breton 'friends' seen fit to write anything anywhere criticising this insulting use of the name of our country? Some time ago, I posted about this situation on the Brenow Facebook page, a place dedicated to promoting links between Brittany and Cornwall. Have any of our Cornish academics or leading lights of the Cornish movement made the slightest effort to defend our honour?

It's not much but I'll be cancelling my subscription to Ya ! and the Peuple Breton won't be picking up the relay. I'd advise anybody who cares to do the same and explain why.

Towards a Euroregion Brittany and Wales. Room for Cornwall?

2018-08-20T06:40:00.001-07:00

Vers une Eurorégion Bretagne et Pays de Galles: Le Premier ministre gallois, Carwyn Jones, sera à Lorient le lundi 6 août, durant l’Interceltique. Il nous parle du Brexit et de la création d’une Eurorégion, espace commun de coopération.

The Breton language by Sorosoro

2018-02-26T06:08:00.000-08:00

For an excellent summary of the Breton languages past and present status visit the Sorosoro website by clicking here: Breton « Sorosoro

Sorosoro is a program that contributes to the safeguard of endangered languages across the globe. The website offers videos, maps and written information.

A Breton dies in Afrin

2018-02-26T05:44:00.003-08:00

Kendal Breizh - Breton independence campaigner and anarchist killed in Afrin fighting alongside the Kurds: Kendal Breizh est mort au Kurdistan aux côtés d’un autre camarade

His revolutionary and libertarian ideals led him to be interested in the political experiment in Rojava, and then to join the Kurdish forces and their allies (Arabs, Yezhidis etc). He shared with them their anti-imperialist, anti-fascist, anti-sexist, ecological stances and support for libertarian municipalism, respecting the right for all peoples to master their own destinies.

Ses idéaux libertaires et révolutionnaires l’avaient conduit à s’intéresser à l’expérience politique du Rojava, puis à s’engager aux côtés des forces kurdes et de leurs alliés (arabes, yézhidis…). Il partageait avec elles des idées anti-impérialistes, anti-fascistes, anti-sexistes, écologiques et pour un municipalisme libertaire, respectant le droit de tous les peuples à maitriser leur destin.

An article on the wider subject can be found here from the French national France 24 website: Far left on the front lines: The Westerners joining the Kurds' fight in Syria

Stourm ar Brezhoneg (English Subtitles)

2018-02-26T05:24:00.001-08:00

Stourm ar Brezhoneg (English version) from Hugo Massa on Vimeo. A documentary on some of the grassroots initiatives that keeps the Breton language and culture alive in Northern Finistere. Entirely directed and produced by Hugo Massa.

"Stourm ar Brezhoneg - The Struggle for The Breton Language" highlights the daily fight of independent citizens and community-based organizations for the saving of the linguistic heritage of Brittany.

The usage of Breton has declined for the past 200 years, as have the other minority languages in France. The total population of Breton speakers has been divided by ten since the last century. Its decline stands among the fastest in France. The common memory of the repression of the language, mainly led by the public schools of the French Republic, reminds us the relative recentness of the imposition of French as the sole and unique national language.

After having exposed some of the reasons that explain the decline of the language - including the acceptation by the Breton speakers of the "worthlessness" of their language under cultural an economic pressures - the film reviews some of the meaningful characters and community initiatives that have participated, since the 1970s, to the revival of the language. These characters from the Northern Breton region of Finister all share the pride of having contributed to the renewal of the family transmission of the language and to the reversal of the Breton "negative identity".

Through this case, the film aims to demonstrates the possibilities of creative community organization and mobilization around issues relating to the intangible heritage in jeopardy.

A breton name ruled to be illegal in France - BREIZH AMERIKA

2017-10-23T10:03:00.001-07:00

A breton name ruled to be illegal in France - BREIZH AMERIKA

Kernev-Veur : Panelloù difesonet er c'hirri-boutin

2017-09-03T05:04:00.001-07:00

Kernev-Veur : Panelloù difesonet er c'hirri-boutin

An article here in the Breton language newspaper Ya! concerning the vandalism of Cornish language phrases on buses in Kernow.

Piran Statute will represent a bond between the Cornish and Breton nations

2017-08-10T03:14:00.001-07:00

Piran Statute will represent a bond between the Cornish and Breton nations

The legislative elections in Brittany

2017-06-05T03:49:00.001-07:00

The legislative elections in Brittany | Kernowpolitico: notes from the periphery

Ar c’herneveureg, yezh-c’hoar ar brezhoneg – Radio Kerne

2017-01-05T08:48:00.003-08:00

Ar c’herneveureg, yezh-c’hoar ar brezhoneg – Radio Kerne: Ar c’herneveureg, yezh-c’hoar ar brezhoneg.

Cornwall podkast « A’ whye wor kewsel kernewek ? » Komz a rit kerneveureg ? Hiziv an deiz e vez kavet ur mil den bennak gouest d’ober gant ar c’herneveureg, yezh geltiek Kerne Veur a zo bet adsavet e-kerzh an XIXvet kantved. Koulskoude ne oa ket mat ar jeu eviti a-raok, dre ma oa aet da goll er bloavezhioù 1700. Bet eo bet Benjamin oc’h atersiñ Ronan Trémel a ra war-dro kentelioù kerneveureg e Kallag. Ul levr evit deskiñ e-unan a oa bet embannet ivez gant Ken George : Holyewgh an Lergh.

Yn kres an mor / e kreiz ar mor

2016-12-15T05:35:00.001-08:00

An nice Cornish translation here of Me zo ganet e kreiz ar mor (I was born within the sea / among the waves) original written by Jean-Pierre Calloc'h

My Yw Genys Yn Kres An Mor from Anima-Mundi on Vimeo.

The Breton original can be heard sung here below.

The idea of Breton nationality defended at the UN

2016-12-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

The French language article can be found here: Genève : la question de la nationalité bretonne présentée et défendue devant l'ONU - 7seizh.info

More on the organisation - the Association for the nations of the hexagon [France] - responsible for this can be found on the UNPO website here: ANH Offers Platform for Union Agreement between Savoy and Brittany

On 18 April 2015, a Savosian delegation travelled to Brittany to meet with the representatives of the KAD (Kelc’h And Dael, meaning Circle of the Parliament), a Breton entity which aims at recreating a Parliament of Brittany, and sign a union agreement within the Association des Nations de l’Hexagone (Association of Nations of the Hexagon, ANH). This association aims to unite the various peoples of France and work for the recognition of national or ethnic minorities, in accordance with the 1995 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorites and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1992. ANH also struggles for these minorities' right to self-determination.

ANH was founded in order to promote cultural and economic links between the regions, and the overall multicultural richness, of France. Among its objectives are the following: promoting the recognition of minority languages, creating symbolic pairings between cities of each region, and promoting regional think tanks.

The presidents of the Savosian and Breton sections of ANH, Fabrice Dugerdil and Stéphane Domagala, have co-signed a mutual union agreement for the obtaining of the status of minority for their peoples, in accordance with the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

Meanwhile, ANH has been working on the opening of a music department within the association. ANH President Stéphane Domagala has met with the famous Breton band Manau, which has expressed its support to ANH. ANH is now planning to contact more artists willing to represent their minorities and promote their culture, whether Alsatian, Basque or Savosian, in order to put in place a music festival bringing all these peoples together.

ANH has also opening a sports department, joined by the Ninjutsu Club of Saint Brieuc. The association is now wishes to diversify the sports represented and aims at putting in place a championiship with teams representing their minorities.

Cornouailles - l’histoire de la résurrection d’une langue

2016-11-14T05:28:00.002-08:00

Cornouailles - l’histoire de la résurrection d’une langue

La Cornouailles est une des six Nations de langue celtique et en est la deuxième plus petite communauté après l’île de Man. Ne disposant pas de la même reconnaissance que les autres peuples celtiques du Royaume-Uni, ils ont pourtant réussi le pari de « ressusciter » leur langue. Cornouailles - Eurominority

Ar manifesto komunour troet e kerneveureg | Support from Brittany

2016-10-28T08:43:00.001-07:00

Ar manifesto komunour troet e kerneveureg | Bretagne Info

The translation of the Communist Manifesto into Cornish has been reported on the Breton website Bretagne Info - Indépendance et Socialisme, a site associated with the left-wing group Breizhistance. Thanks to them for promoting the Cornish cause in Brittany.

Ra vo Breizh ha Kerne-veur dishual ha sokialour!

Merch yr Eog/ Mer'ch an Eog

2016-10-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

Merch yr Eog/ Mer'ch an Eog , Theatr Genedlaethol, Pontio - Art Scene in Wales

At its heart is a collaboration with Theatr Piba from Brittany, producing a play in three languages: Welsh, Breton and French.

Un ton nevez eus tu-all mor breizh - Ya !

2016-09-18T04:47:00.001-07:00

Un ton nevez eus tu-all mor breizh - Ya ! Ya Bzh / Keleier e brezhoneg - kazetenn enlinenn | Ya ! Ya Bzh / Keleier e brezhoneg - kazetenn enlinenn

KENAVO MARTIAL- Tributes Paid To Breton Language Campaigner

2016-09-15T11:56:00.001-07:00

Tributes Paid To Breton Language Campaigner « The Celtic League

Europe? Yes, but a democratic one - Comments from Brittany

2016-09-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

The regionalist candidate for the French presidential elections, Christian Troadec, had the following to say on the European Union:

In reality, the European Union is a wilfully unfinished construction because the member-states have struggled hold on to all their powers. And today the principal decisions are not taken by the Commission but by the member-states via the "European Council" (the heads of state or heads of government deciding by consensus) or via the Council of Ministers.

Even if, after numerous reforms, a power of co-decision making has been given to the European Parliament in a certain number of areas, the system has stayed "intergovernmental" in that it is still the member-states that decide. One must add that MEP's, elected in a national framework, are supposed to support the view point of their state, above all political divisions. This is the system of a Europe of member-states i.e that of national self-interest.

The complexity of the system is often denigrated by those that put it in place. They often denounce, often hypocritically, the "Brussels Technocracy" that is only interested in creating absurd norms and interferes in everything.

It is this complexity that serves a good number of politicians so that they may blame the EU for their own failures. The slogans are well known: "It's the EU's fault!" or "Brussels insists that...".

The debate around Brexit has been an eye-opener in this regard. The critics of the EU have said everything and its opposite, but in response, the arguments to defend Europe were weakened by the impossibility to show what was the place of EU-citizens in decision making, and what exactly was their influence. The opacity, the complexity of the system serves as a pretext to blame the EU for the failure of certain member-states' policies and their leaders.

The whole article can be found here: L’Europe oui, mais une Europe démocratique ! The French section from which the above was translated is here below. Please feel free to comment on my translation.

En réalité l’Union Européenne est une construction volontairement inachevée parce que les États se sont efforcés de ne rien lâcher de leurs pouvoirs. Et aujourd’hui les décisions principales ne sont pas prises par la Commission mais par les États dans le cadre du « Conseil Européen » (les Chefs d’États ou de gouvernement se prononçant en principe par consensus) ou dans le cadre du « Conseil » des ministres.

Même si au fil des réformes, un pouvoir de co-décision a été reconnu au Parlement Européen dans un certain nombre de domaines, le système est resté « intergouvernemental » en ce sens que ce sont toujours les États qui décident. Il faut ajouter à cela que les députés européens, élus dans un cadre national sont sommés de soutenir le point de vue de leur État, au besoin par delà les clivages politiques. C’est le système de l’Europe des États, c’est à dire celle des égoïsmes nationaux !

La complexité du système est souvent dénigrée par ceux qui l’ont mis en place. Ils dénoncent souvent de façon souvent hypocrite la « technocratie de Bruxelles » qui n’aurait que le souci de créer des normes absurdes et qui se mêlerait de tout.

C’est cette complexité qui sert d’argument à bon nombre de responsables politiques pour faire porter à l’Union la responsabilité de leurs propres échecs. Les formules sont bien connues : « c’est la faute de l’Europe ! » ou encore « Bruxelles exige que …».

Les débats autour du Brexit ont été révélateurs à cet égard. Les détracteurs de l’Union Européenne ont tout dit et son contraire, mais en face les arguments pour défendre l’Europe étaient affaiblis par l’impossibilité de montrer quelle était la place des citoyens européens dans les décisions et quelle était leur influence. L’opacité, la complexité du système servent de prétexte pour faire porter à l’Europe l’échec de la politique de certains États et de leurs dirigeants.

Breton Team Take Part In GAA World Games 2016

2016-08-07T04:54:00.001-07:00

Breton Team Take Part In GAA World Games 2016 | Transceltic - Home of the Celtic nations

Alsace: The Last Chance?

2016-08-05T04:59:00.001-07:00

Alsace : The Last Chance ? from Lucas Goetz on Vimeo.

OK, it's about Alsace but much of it applies to Brittany as well. Well worth a watch to understnd the problems facing minority languages within the French state.

After Brexit, a message of hope from Brittany.

2016-07-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Lavaret o deus “leave” hag “out”, da lavaret eo ‘kuitaat’ hag ‘er-maez’. N’eo ket deomp-ni da varn anezho evel-just, met ur wech c’hoazh e teu diouzhtu war hor muzelloù al lavar kozh “ar Saozon milliget !”, hag e chomomp un tammig sabatuet. Kement a liammoù hon eus savet gant Breizh-Veur abaoe hanter kant vloaz ma ouezomp mat e kendalc’himp da vont di, hag int-i da zont amañ, nemet marteze e kousto keroc’h dezho peogwir ec’h izelaio al lur saoz. Gant ma ne vo ket lakaet en arvar ar B.A.I. !

They have said 'leave' and 'out'. Obviously, it is not for us to judge them, but once more that old saying "perfidious Albion!" hovers on our lips, and we stair in disbelief. So many connections we have created with Great Britain over 50 years, we know we will continue to go there and they come here except, maybe, it will cost them more because the pound will be weaker. Here is hoping the B. A. I * will not be put in danger.

Anat a-walc’h e oa e votfe Bro-Skos evit chom en Europa : o c’hoant da vezañ dizalc’h diouzh Bro-Saoz a zo atav ken kreñv, hag ar “Brexit” a roio tro dezho da lakaat war-sav ur referendom all. N’hon eus ket santet an hevelep c’hoant e Kerne-Veur ’lec’h ma vedomp eizhteiz ’zo. Er c’hontrol, niverus ’oa ar panelloù “leave” er vro-se, bet sikouret kalz koulskoude gant an Europa evit he hentoù. Gwir eo ivez ez eus deuet kalz tud da chom e Kerne-Veur evit o retred, hag eo echu amzer ar vengleuzioù-staen ha zoken ar pri-gwenn. War zisteraat eo aet Kerne-Veur, ha pa ’z a fall an traoù e vez ret atav kavout ur bouc’h da vazhataat, amañ an Europa !

It was fairly obvious that Scotland would vote to stay in Europe; wanting to be independent from England is still so strong and "Brexit" will give them the opportunity to set up another referendum. We have not felt the same desire in Cornwall where I was eight days ago. On the contrary, the "leave" posters were numerous in this country (Cornwall) aided a lot nevertheless by Europe for its roads. It is also true that a lot of people have come to live in Cornwall for their retirement, and finished is the time of the tin mines, and even china clay, Cornwall has faded, and when things go badly it is always necessary to find a cow to beat (scape goat), this time Europe.

Kenderc’hel a raimp koulskoude da vont di, rak kalz eus hor gwrizioù a zo eno, hag an doare ma ’z omp bet degemeret e St-Day, e Kea, e Sclerder, e St-Neot… a lavar deomp ez omp breudeur, hag eo a bouez bras evidomp ’vel evito magañ an darempredoù-se a dosta hor broioù an eil ouzh eben. Disparti ar “Brexit” ne ’z a ket betek donded hor c’halon, hag an harzoù a zo graet evit bezañ treuzet !.

We will continue to go there however because a lot of our roots are there, and the way in which we were welcomed in St Day, Kea, Sclerder, St Neot.... tells us we are brothers, and it is so important for us, as for them (the Cornish), to nurture these connections that bring our countries closer one to another. The seperation of "Brexit" will not reach the depths of our hearts, and borders are for being crossed!

The original article by JOB AN IRIEN can be found here; Brexit - Ya ! Ya Bzh / Keleier e brezhoneg - kazetenn enlinenn | Ya ! Ya Bzh / Keleier e brezhoneg - kazetenn enlinenn

* Don't know what BAI is.

Blogging Brittany

2016-05-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

Blogging Brittany – Breton, language revitalization, linguistics, travel, crepes, cider, and life

Le gouvernement britannique cesse dʼaider le cornique !

2016-05-12T01:20:00.001-07:00

Le gouvernement britannique cesse dʼaider le cornique !

Les Bretons soutiennent la langue cornique - Petitions24.net

2016-04-23T01:34:00.001-07:00

Les Bretons soutiennent la langue cornique - Petitions24.net

In 2002, le Cornique a été reconnu comme une langue minoritaire. Depuis 2003 Londres versait une subvention de plus de 150 000 Livres Sterling pour le développement de la langue cornique. Hier le gouvernement britannique a décidé d'arrêter cette subvention du jour au lendemain. Nous Bretons , ayant une langue soeur du Cornique, soutenons par solidarité nos amis corniques. Et signons la pétition pour que soit renouvellé l'aide à la langue cornique.

Ni Bretoned a gomzomp ur yez henvel-tre ar gerneweg (kerneveureg), c'hoant hon-eus da ziskouez hon kengred gant hon mignoned a bro-Gernow (Kerne-veur) sinan a reomp ar sinadeg evid diskouez hon kengred : Les Bretons soutiennent la langue cornique - Petitions24.net