PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Friday, March 24, 9.30am – 10.00pm, Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen
The cultural traditions of Scottish Travellers will be celebrated next week with an eclectic mix of music and storytelling sessions at Aberdeen’s Cowdray Hall.
Organised by the University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute, ‘A Boorach an’ a Barrie Nicht’, features a special programme of events with music, song, film, and stories with most of the contributions from members of Scotland’s Travelling community.
Scottish Travellers number between 3,000 and 14,000 out of a total population of 5.1million. The vagueness surrounding their numbers is indicative of the fact that many Travellers when faced with official surveys and investigations, such as the 10-yearly census, choose to conceal their background.
A member of the Scottish Travelling community and a well-known storyteller, Stanley Robertson, will welcome guests to next Friday’s event (March 24). Mr Robertson will then lead a presentation on the Language and Identity of Scottish Travellers, as well as launching the Elphinstone Institute’s CD project, ‘Rum, Scum, Scoosh: Songs and Stories of an Aberdeen Childhood’.
Mr Robertson recently completed a three-year research project, entitled, The Oral and Cultural Traditions of Scottish Travellers, exploring the Travelling community’s way of life. The project, which was completed last year, was co-ordinated by Dr Ian Russell, Director of the Elphinstone Institute, and led by Mr Robertson.
Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the initiative was the first of its kind in the UK and focused on the lives of Scottish Gypsy Travellers, in particular their ballad singing, instrumental playing, and storytelling.
Dr Ian Russell said: “In Scotland, for a member of this group to lead such a project is unusual as funding is difficult to achieve. Secondly, the perception of Travellers by mainstream Scottish society is generally a negative one, especially the way they are portrayed by the media.
“A significant part of the project involved Stanley visiting schools to share the heritage, leading song and story workshops, and thereby raising awareness of the importance of such traditions.
“By demonstrating the richness of the cultural tradition of Scottish Travellers to a new generation, it is intended that negative stereotyping is challenged and that there is an increased awareness of the contribution that Travelling people have made and continue to make to Scottish culture.”
Following the events of the day, A Barrie Nicht will run from 7pm – 10pm, with a host of singers, storytellers and musicians, including singer and pianist Elizabeth Stewart and fiddler Carmen Higgins.
There is no charge for the day, but places must be booked in advance through the Elphinstone Institute.
Tickets for the evening event – A Barrie Nicht - cost £4.00 (Concession £3.00) each and are available by contacting the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, MacRobert Building, King’s College, Aberdeen AB24 5UA, tel: (01224) 272996 or email: elphinstone@abdn.ac.uk Further information on Friday’s events are available by visiting www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone