New winter course: Practising in the Gàidhealtachd / Gnàthachadh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd
Exploring, Understanding and Practising in the Gàidhealtachd. What does Gaelic culture mean to you?
A 3 part online series for those with or without Gaelic heritage, exploring a deeper understanding of what Gaelic culture means for practising in the contemporary Gàidhealtachd
REGISTER by 9th January at https://www.cognitoforms.com/ScottishArtistsUnion SignUpForSAUsPractisingInTheGàidhealtachdGnàthachadhAirAGhàidhealtachd
Friends and collaborators Rhona NicDhùghaill (a Gaelic speaker from Oban) and Alice Stillman (a new resident of Mull who grew up in Norfolk) have been working together for the past few years on a project entitled Feàrna. This work grew out of observations that, despite the best intentions, certain community and cultural projects and initiatives in Argyll had uneven levels of power and participation between newer residents, largely of English heritage, and people of Gaelic heritage with deeper roots in the area. They wanted to find more inclusive ways of working with people of all backgrounds in our increasingly mixed communities, based on greater understandings of what Gaelic culture means in the contemporary Gàidhealtachd.
They warmly invite people living or working in the Gàidhealtachd (Highlands and Islands), of any background, to join them for three exploratory, conversation-based workshops looking at some of the themes and tools that have been useful to them in their work to date. These workshops were developed with support from Culture Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS).
Workshop outline:
📆19 Jan Part 1: Fàilte, Fiosrachadh & a' Cur Aithne // Welcome, Info and the Importance of Introductions
In this session, we’ll explore the Gaelic term Gàidhealtachd (as opposed to Highlands) and reflect on our own roots and routes in and to the region. We’ll look at different cultural approaches to “introductions” or “sewing familiarity” and experiment with some of our own.
📆16 Feb Part 2: Dùthchas, Fàilte is Furan // Place-Thought and the Art of Hosting
We’ll explore how the physical landscape of the Gàidhealtachd is also a landscape of identity and memory, and how our practices can incorporate or respond to this. We’ll discuss the importance of how projects and events are hosted, the power dynamics involved and potential for relationship building that can be enjoyed.
📆16 March Part 3: Cèilidh, Brìgh is Beachdan // Cèilidh Culture, Gaelic Aesthetics and Feedback
In our final session, we’ll discuss the traditional cèilidh and how it can inform contemporary practices, along with the Gaelic aesthetics of value and meaning conveyed in the word “brìgh”. Finally, we’ll spend some time gathering feedback and further questions from the group.
⌚1pm - 3pm
📺 online
🌱 Please attend all sessions - REGISTER by 9th January at https://www.cognitoforms.com/ScottishArtistsUnion/SignUpForSAUsPractisingInTheGàidhealtachdGnàthachadhAirAGhàidhealtachd
This is a free course open to all those based in Scotland living or working in the Gàidhealtachd, whether you are a union member or not. All art practices are welcome.
Please let us know if you require BSL interpretation.
About the facilitators:
Since completing their Island Residency ‘Feàrna’ with Charts in early 2024, Rhona NicDhùghaill & Alice Stillman continue to work together to develop their methodologies, specific to practising in the Gàidhealtachd and drawing on Gaelic concepts and value systems. Their collaboration is made up of one person of Gaelic heritage, brought up in the Gàidhealtachd, and one person of English heritage, now living in the Gàidhealtachd. Both of these perspectives inform their ways of working.
Rhona's background is in community arts practice, which often features music, song and photography, as well as other collaborative expressive forms, co-created with the people she's working with.
Alice has previously lived and practiced in Spain, England, India and Italy. With a background in community development and a strong focus on diversity and intangible cultural heritage, her work is highly collaborative and participatory.
Gnàthachadh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd: Dè tha cultar Gàidhlig a’ ciallachadh dhut?
Sreath de 3 pàirtean do dhaoine bho thaobh a-staigh no taobh a-muigh cultar na Gàidhlig, a dh’ionnsaigh tuigse nas doimhne air na tha cultar na Gàidhlig a’ ciallachadh dhuinn a bhios ag obair air a’ Ghàidhealtachd.
CLÀRAICHIBH ro 9 Faoilleach aig https://www.cognitoforms.com/ScottishArtistsUnion/SignUpForSAUsPractisingInTheGàidhealtachdGnàthachadhAirAGhàidhealtachd
Tha caraidean agus co-obraichean Rhona NicDhùghaill (tè le Gàidhlig às an Òban) agus Alice Stillman (a chaidh a thogail ann an Norfolk agus a-nis a’ fuireach ann am Muile) air a bhith ag obair còmhla anns na beagan bhlidhnaichean a chaidh seachad air pròiseact air a bheil Feàrna. Thàinig an obair seo a-mach à mothachadh gun robh, a dh’aindeoin dùrachd mhath, ìrean neo-ionnan de chumhachd agus de chom-pàirteachadh ann an cuid de phròiseactan coimhearsnachd is cultarach ann an Earra-Ghàidheal, eadar daoine ùra, a mhòr chuid à Sasainn, agus daoine Gàidhealach le freumhan nas doimhne san sgìre. Bha iad airson dòighean nas ion-ghabhalaiche a lorg gus obrachadh còmhla ri daoine bho dhiofar àitichean is cultaran anns na coimhearsnachdan measgaichte againn, ’s sin air an stèidheachadh air tuigsean nas doimhne air na tha cultar na Gàidhlig a’ ciallachadh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd an-diugh.
Tha iad a’ cur fàilte bhlàth air daoine a tha a’ fuireach no ag obair air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, bho dhualchas sam bith, gus tighinn cruinn còmhla airson trì bùithtean-obrach air an stèidheachadh air còmhraidhean fosgailte, a’ coimhead air cuid de na cuspairean agus na goireasan a tha air a bhith feumail dhaibh nan cuid obrach gu ruige seo. Chaidh na bùithtean-obrach sin a leasachadh le taic bho Culture Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS).
Geàrr-chunntas nam bùithtean-obrach:
📆19 Faoilleach Pàirt 1: Fàilte, Fiosrachadh & a' Cur Aithne
San t-seisean seo, bidh sinn a’ coimhead air an fhacal “Gàidhealtachd” (an comas ri “Highlands”) agus a’ cnuasachadh air na freumhan a th’ againn, agus na slighean a thug sinn, don sgìre. Bheir sinn sùil air diofar dhòighean anns am bi daoine a’ cur aithne air a’ chèile, agus feuchaidh sinn fhìn mar as urrainn dhuinn sin a chur ann an gnìomh.
📆16 Gearran Pàirt 2: Dùthchas, Fàilte is Furan
Bidh sinn a’ meòrachadh air mar a tha cruth-tìre na Gàidhealtachd dlùth-cheangailte ri fèin-aithne nan Gàidheal, agus mar as urrainn dhuinn dòighean obrach a lorg a fhreagras air sin. Bruidhnnidh sinn air cho cudromach ’s a tha an dòigh anns an tèid pròiseactan a chur air dòigh agus cò chuireas fàilte air daoine tighinn an sàs annta, agus cuideachd a’ chumhachd a tha na lùib agus an càirdeas a dh’fhaodadh tighinn a-mach às.
📆16 Màrt Pàirt 3: Cèilidh, Brìgh is Beachdan
Anns an t-seisean mu dheireadh, bruidnnidh sinn air a’ chèilidh thradaiseanta agus mar as urrainn dhuinn ionnsachadh bho sin, cho math ri “aesthetics” na Gàidhlig a tha rin lorg san fhacal “brìgh”. Mu dheireadh, bheir sinn seachad ùine a’ cruinneachadh beachdan agus ceistean a bharrachd bhon bhuidheann.
⌚1pm - 3pm
📺 air loidhne
🌱 Nach feuch sibh a bhith aig a h-uile seisean - CLÀRAICHIBH ro 9 Faoilleach aig https://www.cognitoforms.com/ScottishArtistsUnion/SignUpForSAUsPractisingInTheGàidhealtachdGnàthachadhAirAGhàidhealtachd
Tha an cùrsa seo saor an-asgaidh do dhuine sam bith ann an Alba a’ fuireach no ag obair air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, co-dhiù a tha nam bhall den aonadh gus nach eil. Tha fàilte ro mhodh ealain sam bith.
Nach leig sibh fios thugainn ma bhios feum agaibh air eadar-theangachadh BSL.
Mu dheidhinn nan furastaichean :
Bhon a chuir iad crìoch air Feàrna tràth ann an 2024, le taic bho Charts, tha Rhona NicDhùghaill agus Alice Stillman air a bhith a’ cumail orra ag obair còmhla gus na dòighean obrach aca a leasachadh, a tha gu sònraichte a’ freagairt air obair air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus a tha air a stèidheachadh air feallsanachd Ghàidhealach. Anns a’ cho-obrachadh aca, tha cuideigin à teaghlach Gàidhealach a chaidh a thogail air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, agus cuideigin à Sasainn a tha a-nis a’ fuireach air a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Tha an dà shealladh sin a’ cur ris na dòighean obrach aca.
’S ann bho roinn nan ealain coimhearsnachd a tha Rhona, le dòighean obrach a bhios a’ toirt a-steach ceòl, òrain agus togail dealbhan, còmhla ri iomadh dòigh chruthachaidh eile a thig bho na daoine còmhla ris am bi i ag obair.
Tha Alice air fuireach agus obrachadh anns an Spàinn, ann an Sasainn, anns na h-Innseachan agus anns an Eadailt. ’S ann bho roinn leasachadh coimhearsnachd a tha i, le fòcas air iomadachd agus dualchas cultarach neo-stuthach, agus dòigh obrach aice a tha gu math co-obrachail.
