SPEECH TO RECEPTION AS
PART OF
‘EAST MEETS WEST’
May I welcome
you here this evening and on behalf of the people of Thetford and the
surrounding area, welcome you to our community as part of the East Meets West
activities.
To our
Japanese friends present; Kon’nichiwa. Yokoso.
Myself and
Thetford Town Council are delighted that flint is being recognised in this way
and excited to learn about the similarities and differences with obsidian. Flint
has long been a part of our heritage, our culture and more visibly of course
our architecture.
The
activities over the past few days and tomorrow would not have been possible
without the work of a number of people which I would like to recognize this evening:
Melissa
Hawker (Ancient House Museum of Thetford Life, part of Norfolk Museums Service)
Jan Summerfield (English Heritage), and Simon Kaner (The Sainsbury Institute for the
Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures).
The
Brecks-Nagawa Exchange Committee, the Centre for Japanese
Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich; Meiji University, Meiji University
Center for Obsidian and Lithic Studies; Nagawa-machi Obsidian Museum; University of Tokyo,
Faculty of Humanities,
Thetford Town Council, the Young Obsidian Ambassadors and their supporters and
Ancient House Teenage History Club.
Particularly
thanks to our own Councillor Armes for providing the food this evening.
Thetford
has also long been a location for learning opportunities - learning is embedded
within Thetford’s heritage;
– Since the
year 631 there’s been a seat of learning on the site of the Grammar School –
originally this would have been a religious foundation and a place for sons of
the wealthy to be educated. It’s also a place where flint was used as well! The
monastic houses across the Town would have drawn pilgrims interested in
ecclesiastical learning and prayer from across the country.
- And
Thetfordians themselves have never been afraid to assist others with learning
as well, even when occasionally they didn’t want to learn. Thomas Paine of
course was born in Thetford in 1737 and sought to educate through his various
writings including ‘Common Sense’ and ‘the Rights of Man’.
I was very
honest at Grimes Graves yesterday evening and admitted that I had in fact not
been there previously. In my defence, Thetford is so rich in heritage I’ve
clearly just been learning about all the other stuff in the my 30 years. So no,
I’ve not been knapping… there’s a lot to take in.
East Meets
West continues and develops further that culture of learning. Today Thetfordians continue to make their mark
on the world by cross cultural partnerships and embracing the spirit of
partnership. The worlds first twinned Archaeological sites are evidence of
that.
Yesterday
Deputy Mayor Mr Saito kindly gave my an obsidian pendant which I have been
wearing today alongside my Mayoral chain. I’d like to return the favour and
present a flint themed gift to him this evening.
I hope the
remainder of your stay with us is enjoyable and interesting.
