During the day, the students participated in several fantastic workshops hosted by practitioners who are experts in their field who kindly and generously gave up their time to work with the youngsters. 

One such workshop was led by Andrew Johnson, a Cornish language tutor. During the hour-long workshop, the students learnt some basic Cornish greetings, how to decipher local place names but also to say ‘I am proud to be from Cornwall’ - Gothus ov vy dhe vos Kernewek!

The students had two incredible workshops where they learnt sea shanties. Gary Hooper, Tristan Netherton and Chris Netherton from The Stuns’ls Shanty Group, worked with Music Teacher Ms Ashton to teach the students ‘Cornwall My Home’. The students discussed locations mentioned in the song as well as the importance of faith and belonging to fisherman with such a perilous job. 

Gideon Barrett and Chris Legg, both from Barrett’s Privateers, and Kevin Brinn from The Stowes worked with students to teach each group an upbeat sea shanty and explained the history and importance of sea shanties to sustain morals and as a way of storytelling and keeping history alive. Students learnt ‘Drunken Sailor’, ‘A Sailor Ain’t a Sailor’, Sloop John B’ and ‘South Australia’ with actions and drumming. 

River, one of the Year 8 students, said, ‘I really enjoyed the whole day, but my favourite bit was working with Kev, Gids and Leggy, learning ‘A Sailor Ain’t A Sailor’. I enjoyed learning the movements as they were fun, and I got to sing with students I wouldn’t normally do this with’.

In their final workshop with Miss Welch, students learnt all about sailing iconography and its use in Sailing Tattoos. An art teacher as well as a local artist, Miss Welch explores this theme in her own work and was keen to show the students about how sailors used symbolism to express and recognise their achievements and journeys on the sea with a strong sense of morals and pride. The students then designed their own tattoos using iconic images such as The Swallows, used to symbolise when a sailor, had travelled over 5000 nautical miles, and The Anchor, used to show a sailor steadfast. 

The students came together in the afternoon and performed their shanties accompanied by the professionals for one another. The day was rounded off with the whole year group standing together to sing ‘Cornwall my Home’ 

QUOTES :

School Admin Staff: ‘It was so brilliant to hear everyone singing so heartily, it really made us tap our feet’. ‘So good to hear students singing local shanties. ‘Really warmed our hearts – we want to hear it every day!’.

Mr Saberton, Head of Y8: ‘It was a wonderful day for all the students, I really enjoyed the opportunity to sing with them’.

Sharon Ashton, Music Teacher: ‘The students really appreciated how music can be so energetic and were captivated by the harmonies.

Miss Welch is hoping the day will become a regular event in the school calendar and once again would like to thank everyone who came in and all who worked with the students, helping to make it such an informative and enjoyable day. Without the kindness and generosity of spirit shown by professionals in the Cornish Community, this day could not have happened. Who best to teach how our Cornish Maritime History is alive and so important, but the experts who are living it every day? More images from the day can be seen on the the creative department’s Instagram page @looeca_creative. You can even listen to soundbites from the student’s sea shanty performances.