Give cultural heritage assets a boost with new Gaelic Toolkit

Visitors to Scotland are increasingly interested in the country’s cultural heritage and particularly Gaelic, which is why the Cairngorms National Park Authority is encouraging communities and businesses to use Scotland’s Gaelic heritage as an economic asset, while helping to create distinctive experiences for the Park’s two million visitors. And help is at hand with the launch today (Tuesday 18 May) of the Cairngorms National Park Heritage Interpretation Toolkit.

This is a simple step-by-step guide aimed at supporting local communities and businesses to develop cultural heritage projects. The toolkit provides broad advice on using Gaelic, with the goal of encouraging users to feel confident in applying the language within their projects. This could be something as simple as including select words or phrases, which can bring an added element of interest and meaning for visitors, or something more comprehensive such as Gaelic-specific interpretation in key locations.

The toolkit is a practical guide with suggestions about how to increase the use of Gaelic. Many of the same steps could also be helpful to projects using Scots or Doric

Gaelic language is fundamental to Scotland’s identity as a nation. Research has calculated that the potential economic value of Gaelic as an asset to the wider Scottish economy could be up to £148.5m a year. It has deep-rooted connections with the very landscape itself and also plays a crucial role within Scotland’s heritage and culture through traditional music, literature, poetry and song. Utilising Gaelic can enrich projects through unique insights helping establish a sense of culture and place for the audience.

Bruce MacDonald, who led the project for the CNPA explained: “Gaelic terms and phrases can be incredibly descriptive, nuanced and evocative for visitors. Language is all around us in one form or another and its use by both communities and businesses can bring much more depth and interest to a project, therefore creating a more distinctive, authentic experience for visitors.”

A previous project led by Bruce – The Shinty Trail – was the ‘road test’ for the Heritage Interpretation Toolkit. The Shinty Trail tells the story of this historic sport in Badenoch and its deep-rooted connections with other aspects of traditional Highland culture in the area. The Shinty Trail also illustrates the strong ties which the Gaelic language has within the history of the sport. A case study is available about The Shinty Trail which the CNPA hopes will serve as a useful guide for those embarking on their own cultural heritage projects.

Dr Fiona MacLean, CNPA Board member and cultural heritage professional said: “When used effectively, Gaelic can be a useful asset in engaging the audience by creating a unique sense of culture, people and place. I think the Heritage Interpretation Toolkit will prove to be a really useful resource for communities and businesses in the Park and beyond as we try to meet the expectations of visitors who have a real thirst for Gaelic and our rich cultural heritage.”

Many thanks to Bòrd na Gàidhlig for supporting the development of this resource!

Thoir spionnadh do mhaoin dualchais chultarail leis an t-Inneal Gàidhlig ùr againn!

 Tha barrachd ùidh aig luchd-tadhail a dh’ Alba ann an dualchas cultarach na dùthcha, gu sònraichte Gàidhlig. Mar sin, tha Ùghdarras Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh a’ brosnachadh choimhearsnachdan agus ghnìomhachasan gus dualchas Gàidhlig na h-Alba a chleachdadh mar mhaoin eaconamach, oir faodaidh seo eòlasan sònraichte a’ cruthachadh don dà mhillean neach-tadhail a th’ aig a’ Phàirc. Gus taic a thoirt do dhaoine eile seo a dhèanamh, tha an t-Inneal Eadar-Mhìneachadh Dualchais againn ga chuir air bhog an-diugh (Dimàirt 18mh Cèitean 2021).

Tha an goireis seo ag amas air taic a thoirt do choimhearsnachdan agus gnìomhachasan ionadail gus pròiseactan dualchais chultarail a leasachadh. Tha an t-inneal a’ toirt seachad comhairle mu bhith a’ cleachdadh Gàidhlig, leis an amas daoine a bhrosnachadh gus an cànan a chleachdadh taobh a-staigh nam pròiseactan aca fhèin. Dh’ fhaodadh seo a bhith rudeigin sìmplidh mar cleachdadh faclan no abairtean sònraichte a bheir ùidh agus luach do luchd-tadhail.

Tha an t-inneal a’ toirt seachad stiùireadh practaigeach, le beachdan air mar as urrainn dhut Gàidhlig a chleachdadh nas trice taobh a-staigh pròiseactan. Dh’ fhaodadh mòran de na h-aon ceumannan a bhith cuideachail do phròiseactan a’ cleachdadh Albais no Albais ear-thuathach cuideachd.

Tha an cànan Gàidhlig bunaiteach do dhearbh-aithne na h-Alba agus tha rannsachadh a’ sealltainn gu bheil an cànan a’ toirt a-steach suas ri £148.5 millean do dh’ eaconamaidh na h-Alba gach bliadhna. Tha ceanglaichean domhainn aig a’ chànan le cruth-tìre na h-Alba agus tha pàirt cudromach aige cuideachd ann an dualchas agus cultar na dùthcha tro cheòl traidiseanta, litreachas, bàrdachd agus òrain. Faodaidh Gàidhlig pròiseactan a saoibhreachadh tro lèirsinnean gun samhail a chuidicheas le bhith a’ cruthachadh faireachdainn de chultar agus àite.

Mhìnich Brus Dòmhnallach, a stiùir am pròiseact airson CNPA: “Faodaidh faclan is abairtean Gàidhlig a bhith gu math tuairisgeulach, cumhachdach agus tòcail dha luchd-tadhail. Tha an cànan timcheall oirnn ann an aon dòigh no dòigh eile agus agus, tro choimhearsnachdan is ghnìomhachasan a ’cleachdadh an cànan, faodaidh e barrachd doimhneachd agus ùidh a thoirt do phròiseactan, mar sin a’ cruthachadh eòlasan nas sònraichte dha luchd-èisteachd.”

Chruthaich Brus cuideachd Slighe na Camanachd a chaidh an uairsin a’ chleachdadh mar teamplaid airson an goireas seo. Tha Slighe na Camanachd ag innse sgeulachd an spòrs eachdraidheil ann am Bàideanach agus na ceanglaichean domhainn a th’ aige le taobhan eile de chultar traidiseanta na Gàidhealtachd san sgìre. Tha an goireas cuideachd a’ nochdadh na ceanglaichean làidir a th’ aig an cànan Gàidhlig le eachdraidh an spòrs. Tha rannsachadh cùise ri fhaighinn air Slighe na Camanahcd, a tha Ùghdarras Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh an dòchas a bhios na stiùireadh feumail dhaibhsan a tha a’ tòiseachadh air pròiseactan dualchais aca fhèin.

Thuirt an Dr Fiona NicIllEathain, ball de Bhòrd CNPA agus proifeasanta dualchais chultarail: “Nuair a thèid a chleachdadh gu smaoineachail faodaidh Gàidhlig a bhith na ghoireas feumail airson luchd-èisteachd le bhith a’ cruthachadh faireachdainn de cultar, daoine agus àite. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gum bi an t-inneal na ghoireas air leth feumail dha coimhearsnachdan agus gnìomhachasan sa Phàirc leis gu bheil sinn a’ feuchainn ri coinneachadh iarrtas luchd-tadhail airson Gàidhlig agus ar dualchas cultarach beairteach.”

Mòran taing do Bhòrd na Gàidhlig airson taic a thoirt do leasachadh an goireis seo!

Cliog an seo airson an Inneal Eadar-Mhìneachadh Dualchais: https://cairngorms.co.uk/toolkit-heritage/

Cliog an seo airson Rannsachadh Cùise Slighe na Camanachd: https://cairngorms.co.uk/shinty-study/

Faodar Slighe na Camanachd fhaicinn ann am Beurla agus Gàidhlig an seo: https://cairngorms.co.uk/discover-explore/heritage/the-shinty-trail/