Background
Cornwall and Brittany have Celtic links going back centuries and have closely related Celtic languages and many other traditions that are practised in both countries. Both AberFest and the Breizh – Kernow Festival celebrate these cultures in their traditional and more recent forms.
5th–7th centuries saw a mass emigration of Cornish people to “Armorica.” These people were to become the Breton people of modern Brittany. Their language was the Brythonic Celtic language that was to become Breton language (Breizhoneg) in Brittany, the Cornish language (Kernewek) in Cornwall and the Welsh language (Cymraeg) in Wales. Although separate languages today, they remain closely related.
Throughout the centuries since the first emigrations, there have been continued links and movements of people, up to and including World War 2 when small numbers of Breton people escaped German- occupied Brittany to live in Cornwall.
While the practical working lives of ordinary fishermen were a not uncommon sight in ports in both Cornwall and Brittany in 1960s and later, other links have gone through periods of popularity including Cornish and Breton wrestling. This saw regular exchange competitions in the inter war years and sporadic interest ever since.
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