|
 Electric
Scotland's Weekly Email Newsletter
Dear
Friend
It's your
Electric Scotland newsletter meaning the weekend is nearly here :-)
You can view what's new this week on Electric Scotland at
http://www.electricscotland.com/rss/whatsnew.php and you can
unsubscribe to this newsletter by clicking on the link at the foot
of this newsletter.
See our Calendar of Scottish Events around the world at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/calendar_help.htm
CONTENTS
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Electric Scotland News
The Flag in the Wind
The Scottish Nation
Clan and Family Information
Poetry and Stories
Book of Scottish Story
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
New Statistical Account of Scotland
MacKenzie, Selkirk, Simpson
Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
Loch Etive and The Sons of Uisnach
Children's Rhymes, Children's Games, Children' s Songs, Children's
Stories
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Darling Memorial Sketch Book (New Book)
Glen Albyne (New Book)
Burns Plaque in New Zealand
2009 Homecoming Poetry and Painting Competition
ELECTRIC SCOTLAND NEWS
----------------------
Cold and snowy in Chatham right now. Problem is that when we get
snow it's so cold that it just doesn't melt and then we get another
dump of snow and so on. So I'm mostly hibernating right now :-)
-----
I mentioned last week about the Darling book and have now got that
up on the site and see below for more details.
-----
Are you working for a company that might offer discounts to our
visitors? Please get in touch if you do as I am now trying to come
up with a Membership scheme that will offer discounts on products
and services from all over the world.
-----
Always working on new projects and this week I've found myself
reading some old books online. I've always been interesting in
accounts of the pioneers and all the work they put in to settle on
their land and the challenges they had to overcome. While I
concentrate on Scotland that's not to say that other races accounts
are not of interest. Where you get a detailed account of settlement
you can well imagine a Scottish family going through the same
efforts. I am going to work on getting a few accounts up as while I
am interested in this subject I hope you'll also find them of
interest.
I also came across some of the writings of John Muir, the father of
our National Parks. While a Scot he did go to America in his youth
and then spent the rest of his life there. I was reading of his
early times when he was living on a farm with his father and other
members of his family. Was quite amazed at the things he invented.
And later he travelled over much of the USA and Canada and his
journals are most interesting. As I've been enjoying reading these
old books I thought I may as well work on them to put them up on the
site so look for these appearing in the weeks ahead.
I might add that trawling for general information on settlement
there is actually a great deal of information on Scots in Canada but
really not very much on Scots in the USA or for that matter other
countries in the world. I guess that Canada has a better system for
archiving this type of material and then making it available.
-----
Note that Steve tells me he will
definitely (note definitely) have our vBulletin system up this
weekend!
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do
check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the
link in our "What's New" section at the link at the top of this
newsletter or on our site menu.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
This weeks Flag is compiled by Donald Bain. In this issue he is
exploring some of the unfortunate impressions that people have about
Scots and Scotland.
Frankly the problem is that we are not telling a factual story about
what Scotland and the Scots are doing in the world. Perhaps the Flag
needs to create a third section "Scots Achievements" where each week
they could tell us both what Scots have done in history and what
Scots are doing today?
I will say that I have talked to a number of MSP's to see whether
they would tell us a story of Scotland of Today but I'm afraid they
have shown no interest in doing so.
In Peter's section he is talking about Candlemas...
Monday (2 February 2009) is Candlemas, the first of the Scottish
Quarter Days. It was traditionally the day that pupils used to give
gifts to their schoolmasters – originally peat for heat or candles
for light but this in time became siller or a cockerel.
Candlemas was originally a festival for the return of Spring held by
the Romans in honour of Februa, the daughter of Mars. They carried
torches through the city on February the first (the same date which
was celebrated by the Celts as the first day of Spring). This
festival was Christianized as the Purification of the Virgin Mary
and was held on February the second. In medieval Scotland it was a
day of pageants, processions and religious plays in honour of Our
lady, as we can see from the Burgh Records of Aberdeen for 30
January 1505 –
‘The provest and baillies statut and ordanit that the said craftsmen
and thair successoris sal in order to the Offering in the Play pass
twa and twa togedir socialie; in the first the flesheris, barbouris,
baxteris, cordinaris, skineris. Couparis, wrichtis, hatmakeris and
bonatmakaris togider; walcaris, litstaris, wobstaris, tailyeouris,
goldsmiths, blaksmithis, and hammermen; and the craftsmen sal
furnyss the Pageants.’
Also from the North-East comes a rhyme to help us fix the date of
Easter (alternatively just contact Jim Lynch!) –
‘First comes Cannlemas and syne the new meen,
The neist Tyesday efter that is Festern’s Een;
That meen out and the neist meen’s hicht,
And the neist Sunday efter that’s aye Pace richt.’
As this is being compiled on a cranreuch caul day prior to Candlemas,
it is too early to know the outcome of the bittie Scottish weather
lore which goes –
‘If Candlemas day be dry and fair,
The half o the winter’s to come and mair;
If Candlemas day be wet and foul,
The half o the winter’s gane at Yule.’
February can be a snell month so this week’s recipe is designed to
heat us all up! Carrot and Orange Soup is just the ticket.
Carrot and Orange Soup
Ingredients: 1 chopped onion; 1lb (450g) sliced carrots; 2 ozs (65 g
or ½ stick) butter; 2 ozs (65 g or ½ cup) plain flour; 1 pint (600ml
or two and a half cups) chicken stock; 1 pint (600ml or 2½ cups,
scant) milk; 1 orange (juice and rind); Salt and pepper; 1 teaspoon
nutmeg; 1 oz (one rounded tablespoon); chopped parsley
Method: Melt the butter and add the onions and carrots. Cook gently
(without colouring) then stir in the flour and cook for a further
1/2 minutes. Gradually add the milk and chicken stock. Season with
salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then
simmer for 20/30 minutes. Liquidise before adding orange juice
(including shredded rind) and reheat - but do not boil. Serve
sprinkled with parsley.
You can read the Flag, listen to the Scots Language, enjoy the Scots
Wit and lots more at
http://www.scotsindependent.org
Christina McKelvie's Weekly diary is available at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mckelvie/090129.htm
The Scottish Nation
-------------------
My thanks to Lora for transcribing these volumes for us.
Since the last newsletter we've added to the Supplement...
MacColl, M'Diarmid, MacDonald of Clanranald, Macgeorge, Mackenzie,
M'Kirdy and Matheson.
An interesting account of Donald MacKenzie which starts....
MACKENZIE, DONALD, an enterprising merchant, was born in the north
of Scotland June 15, 1783. At the age of seventeen he went to
Canada, and joined the great North-west Fur Company, which had been
formed at Montreal in the winter of 1783-84, in opposition to the
Hudson’s Bay Company, and in their employment he continued eight
years.
On the 23d June 1810, articles of agreement where entered into
between Mr. Astor of New York, Fr. Donald Mackenzie and other 3
Scots gentlemen, acting for themselves and for the several parties
who had agreed, or might agree, to become associated under the firm
of ‘The Pacific Fur Company.’
In July 1810, Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Hunt, at the head of a band of
adventurers who had engaged in the undertaking, set out from St.
Louis, to make the overland route, up vast rivers, across trackless
plains, and over the rugged barriers of the Rocky Mountains, to the
mouth of the Columbia river. The distance by the route travelled was
upwards of 3,500 miles, though in a direct line it does not exceed
1,800.
On arriving at their destination a small fort or trading post was
immediately erected on the south bank of the Columbia river, and
called Astoria, after Mr. Astor, the originator of the settlement.
Besides the fort, it consisted altogether of about half-a-dozen log
houses, on the side of a ridge which rises from the river to an
altitude of 500 feet. This ridge was originally covered with a thick
forest of pines, and the part reclaimed by the first occupants for
their settlement does not exceed four acres.
You can read the rest of this account at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/mackenzie2.htm
You can read all these entries at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/index.htm
Clan and Family Information
---------------------------
Got in some pictures of Clan MacThomas lands in Glenshee, Scotland
with thanks to Cathy, the Convenor of the US & Canadian Branch of
Clan MacThomas Society for sending me in these pictures...
You can see these at
http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/m/macthom2.html
I might add that when I was there in 2004 the cockstane was
accessible through a gate and went up an avenue of trees. In this
picture the trees have all gone!
Poetry and Stories
------------------
John sent in another poem, "Granda - Nae A Dozent Lad" at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel300.htm
And of course more articles in our Article Service from Donna and
others at
http://www.electricscotland.com/article
Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
Our thanks to John Henderson for sending this in for us.
This week have added...
Charlie Graham, the Tinker
Here is how it starts...
The notorious Charlie Graham belonged to a gang of tinkers, who had
for a long time travelled through the country, and whose
headquarters were at Lochgelly, in Fife. They were to be found at
all markets, selling their horn spoons, which was their ostensible
occupation. But there was a great deal of business done in the
pickpocket line, and other branches of the thieving art. About
Charlie there were some remarkable traits of generosity. In the
midst of all the crimes he committed, he was never known to hurt a
poor man, but often out of his plunder helped those in a strait. His
father was in the same line, and was long at the head of the gang;
but being afterwards imprisoned for theft, housebreaking, etc., he
was banished the county, banished Scotland, and publicly whipped. On
one occasion he was banished, with certification that if he
returned, he was to be publicly whipped the first market-day, and
there after to be banished. Old Charlie was not long away when he
returned, and was apprehended and conveyed to Perth jail. A vacancy
having occurred in the office of executioner, the first market-day
was allowed to pass without inflicting the sentence, upon which
Charlie entered a protest, and was liberated. In various ways he
eluded justice,— sometimes by breaking the prison, and sometimes for
want of evidence. The last time he was brought in, he was met by an
old acquaintance, who asked, “What is the matter now?" to which old
Charlie replied, "Oh, just the auld thing, and nae proof;” which
saying has since become a proverb. But this time they did find
proof, and he was again publicly whipped, and sent out of the
country. One of his daughters, Meg Graham, who had been bred from
her infancy in the same way, was every now and then apprehended for
some petty theft. Indeed, she was so often in jail, that she got
twenty-eight dinners from old John Rutherford, the writer, who gave
the prisoners in the jail a dinner every Christmas. Meg, in her
young days, was reckoned one of the first beauties of the time; but
she was a wild one. She had been whipped and pilloried, but still
the root of the matter remained.
Young Charlie was a man of uncommon strength and size, being about
six feet high, and stout in proportion. His wrist was as thick as
that of two ordinary men; he had long been the terror of the
country, and attended all markets at the head of his gang, where
they were sure to kick up a row among themselves. Two of their women
would commence a battle-royal in the midst of the throng, scratch
and tear one another’s caps, until a mob was assembled, when the
rest were very busy in picking pockets. In this way they were
frequently very successful.
The rest of this story can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/story76.htm
The other stories can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
-----------------------------------
Added four more pages which include Clocks, Clock Golf, Clog,
Closet, Clot, Cloth, Yarns and Weaves, Cloth Ball, Clothes and their
Treatment.
You can read about these at
http://www.electricscotland.com/household/c.htm
New Statistical Account of Scotland
-----------------------------------
Added the account of the Parish of Colinton from the Edinburgh
volume which you can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/household/c.htm
MacKenzie, Selkirk, Simpson
---------------------------
The Makers of Canada, By Rev. George Bryce, D.D. (1910)
We're completed the Simpson biography which now completes this book
with...
Chapter IV - As Civil Ruler
Chapter V - A Journey Round the World
Chapter VI - In His Letters
Chapter VII - Before the Imperial Parliament
Chapter VIII - Canada's Debt to the Fur Companies
Here is how Chapter VIII starts...
THE infant life of Canada was nourished by the fur traders. The new
impulse given to France in the last year of the sixteenth century by
Chauvin's charter to trade for furs held within it untold
possibilities for the development of Canada. French gentlemen and
soldiers came forth to the New World seeking excitement in the
western wilds, and hoping also to mend their broken fortunes. There
were scores of such at Quebec and Montreal, but especially at Three
Rivers on the St. Lawrence. Nicolet led the way to the fur country;
Joliet gave up the church for furs; Duluth was a freebooter, and the
charge against him was that he systematically broke the king's
ordinance as to the fur trade; La Salle sent the first vessel—the
Griffin—laden with furs down the lakes, where she was lost; the
iron-handed Tonty deserted the whites and threw in his lot with the
Indians as a fur trafficker; and La Verendrye, one of the greatest
of the early Frenchmen charged with making great wealth by the fur
trade, says in his heart-broken reply to his persecutors: " If more
than 40,000 livres of debt which I have on my shoulders are an
advantage, then I can flatter myself that I am very rich."
Shortly after French Canada became British, it was seen that so
lucrative a traffic as that in pelts should not be given lip. Curry,
Finlay and Henry, sen., pluckily pushed their way beyond Lake
Superior iii search of wealth, and found it. The Montreal merchants
trade the trade up the lakes the foundation of Montreal's commercial
supremacy in Canada; and the North-West Company, which they founded,
only did what the great English company had been doing with their
motto, "Pro pelle cutem " for a hundred years on the shores of
Hudson Bay.
It is evident to the most casual observer that the fur trade was an
important element in the building up of Canada, not only in wealth
but also in some of our higher national characteristics. The
coureurs de bois and the canoemen stood for much in the days of our
infancy as a new nation.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/makers/simpson8.htm
You can read the other chapters at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/makers/
Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
----------------------------------------------
By George Anderson and Peter Anderson of Inverness (1850)
Making more progress with this book and have added the following
chapters...
Section VI
ROUTE THIRD
Aberdeen to Inverness by sea, and through the Counties of Aberdeen,
Banff, Elgin, and Nairn
Route through Buchan to Peterhead and Banff
Mid Road, from Aberdeen to Banff, by Old Meldrum and Turriff
The Upper, or Great North Road, by Huntly to Inverness
Branch A. Inverness to the field of the battle of Culloden, to Clava,
Castles Dalcross, Kilravock, and Cawdor, to Fort-George, and to the
Findhorn
Battle of Culloden, or Drummossie Moor
Ancient Stone Monuments at Clava
Dalcrossor Dacus Castle
Kilravock Castle
Cawdor (anciently Calder) Castle
Section VII
ROUTE FOURTH
Inverness to Tain, Golspie, Wick, Thurso and John o' Groats
Branch A. Beauly to Strathglass, Glen Strathfarar, Glen Cannich,
Glen Affrick, and thence to Kintail
Passes from Strathglass to the West Coast
Glen Strathfarar, branching off from Strathglass at Struy
Glencannich
The Chisholm's Pass and Strath Affrick
Branch B. (The Black Isle). Inverness, by Kessock Ferry, to Dingwall,
Redcastle, Avoch, Fortrose, and Cromarty
Branch C. Dingwall to the Western Coast of Ross-shire
1st. Branch Road, Strathgarve to Ullapool
2d. Branch Road from Auchnasheen to Lochs Maree, Torridon, and
Gairloch
3d. Branch Road from Jeantown to Shieldaig and Applecross
Branch D. Bonar Bridge to Tongue, Duirness, and Cape Wrath
Here is what Route IV: Inverness to Tain, Golspie, Wick, Thurso and
John o' Groats covers...
The Aird; Clachnaharry; Geological Note, 1.—Loch Beauly; Bunchrew,
2.—Phopachy; Kirkhill; Moniack, 3.—Valley of the Beauly, 4.—Priory,
6.—Muir of Ord; Stone Pillars; Cilie Christ; Brahan; Conon House, 6
—Dingwall, 7.—Evantown Balcony; Novar; Clan Munro, 8.—Ferrindonald
and Easter Ross, 9.—Short road from Alness; Ardross, 10.—Upper road
to Tain; Invergordon Castle; Kincraig, &c.; Poor's House, 11.—Invergordon;
Coast Villages; Tarbat House, 12.—Balnagown Castle, 13.—Aultgraat;
Tain; St. Duthus' Chapel and Church; Monastery of Fearn; Tain
Academy; Excursion to Tarbet Ness and Fearn; Agricultural
Improvements, foot-note, 14.—Meikle Ferry; Bonar Bridge; Ardross,
15.—Enter on Sutherland; Dun Cruich; Spinningdale; Ospisdale; Skibo;
Clashmore, 16. Dornoch; Geyzen Briggs; Palace and Cathedral; Burning
for Witchcraft; Links, 17.—Tumuli; Stone Coffins and Cairns,
18.—Little Ferry; Mound; Loch Fleet; Skelbo Castle,
19.—Improvements, 20.—Golspie; Dunrobin Castle, 21.—The Catti;
History of the Earls of Sutherland, footnote; Brora Quarries; Coal
Basin; Geology, 22.—Strath and Loch Kilcalmkill; Cole's Castle, 23.—Loth;
Port Gower; Helmsdale, 24.—The Ord of Caithness; Dunbeath,
25.--General Features of Caithness; Improvements, 26.—Braal Castle;
Oldwick Castle, 27.—Wick and Thurso; Herring Fishery, Account of;
Wick and Pultneytown, 28.—History of Caithness, foot-note; District
Road to Houna and John-o'-Groat's House; Old Castles, Horrible
Stories of; Battle of Alt-a-Mhairlich, 29.—Houna; John-o'-Groat's
House; Duncanshy, 30.—Pentland Firth, Detention of Vessels, and
Dangers of, 31, and foot-note. Houna to Thurso; Improvements;
Peasantry; Pavement Quarries, 32.—Thurso Bay; Holburn Head; The
Clett, 33.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/guide/part20.htm
All of these can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/guide/
Loch Etive and The Sons of Uisnach
----------------------------------
By R. Angus Smith (1885)
Moving ahead with this book and added this week are chapters...
Chapter IX - Conor MacNessa
Chapter X - Queen Hynde
Chapter XI - The Beregonium Theory
Chapter XII - Chiefs of Streamy Etha
Chapter XIII - The Fort of the Sons of Uisnach commonly called
Beregonium
Chapter XIV - Keills - Connel and its Cairns, etc.
Chapter XV - A Walk about Keills and Barcaldine
Here is how the chapter on "A Walk about Keills and Barcaldine"
starts...
Cameron —We can never finish Keills, there is so much interesting
matter, but we can run over and go again into the Ledaig strawberry
garden; if we walk high enough up and exactly under the great
overhanging rock, we shall see a hollow part, scarcely a cave, it is
so small. In this Mr. John Campbell found the urn of which I showed
you a drawing yesterday, but we can go into the house and see the
urn itself.
Margaet.—I should be afraid to live under such a rock, beautiful as
it is. I saw some sheep on the top ; do they never fall over?
Shepherd.—Very seldom; one fell close beside me in the garden. It
never moved, it was struck quite dead at once.
Margaet.—And can you go up to the top of the rock?
Ossianite.—Yes; and a beautiful walk it is. Let us go by the end of
the house to the south, and up along the little wood and the small
brook. You see the path steep, but look now what a beautiful sward
is above, and what a view! One wonders in this weather if heaven can
be finer. I brought with me a cup to drink out of this well of
Fingal.
O'Keefe.—Oh, this is the well that is said to have communicated with
the well in Dun Uisnach; but you surely do not believe it?
Ossianite.—This hill, Dui Rhaile an Rigla, is named by us from
tradition, the fort of the Town of the King; and I do not doubt that
there were people enough to drink of the well. I used to be told
fine stories of this water—that it flowed down in pipes to Dun Mac
Uisnachan, and that it supplied the heroes of Fingal with drink, and
perhaps with this they made the heather ale which they drank out of
shells in Selma. But I have learned to be satisfied with the
romance, even when the facts do not appear strong. There is an old
man down there who tells you that he saw the pipes that led the
water along the fields between the two Duns, and these pipes were
made of lead. Now this is too much even for me.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/etive/chapter15.htm
You can read all these chapters at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/etive/index.htm
Children's Rhymes. Children's Games, Children' s Songs, Children's
Stories
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Book for Bairns and Big Folk by Robert Ford (1904).
The pages we have up so far are...
Rhymes of the Nursery
Counting-Out Rhymes
Children's Rhyme-Games
Merry-ma-tanzie
The Mulberry Bush
A Dis, a Dis, a Green Grass
Looby Looby
I Dree I Droppit it
Here is the Merry-ma-tanzie rhyme for you to read here...
"Merry-ma-Tanzie" is solely a girls' game, of which boys, however,
may be interested spectators. The counting-out rhyme having put one
in the centre, the rest join hands in a ring about her, and moving
slowly round, they sing:—
Here we go round the jingo-ring,
The jingo-ring, the jingo-ring,
Here we go round the jingo-ring,
About the merry-ma-tanzie.
Twice about and then we fa',
Then we fa', then we fa',
Twice about and then we fa',
About the merry-ma-tanzie.
Choose your maidens all around,
All around, all around,
Choose your maidens all around,
About the merry-ma-tanzie.
Replying to this invitation, the one in the centre chooses two from
the circle, and retires with them a short distance away. During
their absence the ring-band proceeds as before, and sing with
imitating gesture:—
Sweep the house ere the bride comes in,
The bride comes in, the bride comes in,
Sweep the house ere the bride comes in,
About the merry-ma-tanzie.
When those who left return, the one who was in the centre takes up
her original position, as also do the others, and the ring moves on
again with:-
Here's a bride new come home,
New come home, new come home
Here's a bride new come home,
About the merry-ma-tanzie.
Then follows "Mary Anderson is her name," with the usual repeats,
and "Guess ye wha is her true love," "A bottle o' wine to tell his
name," "Andrew Wilson is his name," "Honey is sweet and so is he,"
(or Apples are sour and so is he,") "He's married her wi' a gay gold
rill," "A gay gold ring's a cank'rous thing," But now they're
married we wish them joy," "Father and mother they must obey."
"Loving each other like sister and brather," "We pray this couple
may kiss together," all, of course, sung with their repeats as
above; and the game may be played until every little girl has
revealed her little sweetheart's name, which, to be sure, is the
motif of the play.
You can read the other pages at
http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/bairns/index.htm
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
-----------------------------
Beth has sent in the February issue and here is her Editor's
letter...
Anam Cara = Soul Friend
What does it mean and should you have one? Let us take you on a
journey that not many people know about and understand. Read and
learn more about what your Celtic ancestors knew and loved - an anam
cara.
In the Celtic tradition, there is a beautiful understanding of love
and friendship. The Gaelic term for this is anam cara. Anam is
Gaelic for soul and cara is friend in Gaelic, so anam cara means
“soul friend.”
In the early Celtic church, a person who acted as a teacher,
companion or spiritual guide was called an anam cara. Originally it
meant someone in whom you confided or confessed, revealing your
innermost feelings. When you have an anam cara, you are joined in an
ancient and eternal way with the “friend of your soul.”
The Celtic understanding did not set limitations of space or time on
the soul. In everyone’s life, there is a great need for an anam cara.
In this love, you are understood as you are without mask or
pretension. As the superficial, lies and half-truths of social
acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. When you feel
understood, you feel free to release yourself into the trust and
shelter of your soul friend.
The anam cara can be considered God’s gift. Friendship is the nature
of God. This perspective discloses the beautiful fulfillment of our
immortal longing in the words of Jesus, who said, “Behold, I call
you friends.” Jesus is the secret anam cara of every individual. In
friendship with Him, we enter the tender beauty and affection of the
Trinity.
In the embrace of this eternal friendship, we dare to be free. A
Trinitarian invocation captures this Celtic spirituality thought:
“The Sacred Three, My fortress be, Encircling me, Come and be round
My hearth and my home.”
Where there is a depth of awareness, there is a reverence for
presence. Where consciousness is dulled, distant or blind, the
presence grows faint and vanishes. Consequently, awareness is one of
the greatest gifts you can bring to your soul friend. Many people
have an anam cara of who they are not truly aware. Their lack of
awareness cloaks the friend’s presence and causes feelings of
distance and absence. Sadly, it is often loss that awakens presence,
but by then it is too late. It is wise to pray for the grace of
recognition.
In our culture, people talk incessantly about relationships. You
find it everywhere - in TV, radio, film and in the news media.
Technology and media want you to believe that they are uniting the
world. In reality, all they deliver is a simulated world.
Accordingly, they make our human world more anonymous and lonely. In
a world where computers replace human encounters and psychology
replaces religion, it is no wonder that there is an obsession with
relationship.
In the Celtic tradition and especially in the Gaelic language, there
is a refined sense of the sacredness that the approach and
relationship to another person should embody. The word “hello” does
not exist in Gaelic. The way that you encounter someone is through
blessing. You say, “Dia Dhuit,” God be with you. They respond, “Dia
is Muire dhuit,” God and Mary be with you. When you are leaving a
person, you say, “Go gcumhdai Dia thu,” May God come to your
assistance - or, “Go
Gcoinne Dia thu,” May God keep you.
The greeting is framed at the beginning and at the end with
blessing. Regularly throughout conversation in Gaelic, there is
explicit recognition that the divine is present in others. This
presence is also recognized and embodied in old sayings such as,
“the hand of the stranger is the hand of God.” The stranger does not
come accidentally; he brings a particular gift and illumination.
If this sounds like a sermon on Celtic spirituality, it was not
meant to be one. Many people, upon hearing about the ancient Celts,
think of them as savages and illiterate. This Celtic understanding
of an anam cara proves they had a better understanding of the
spiritual realm than some folks have today. So much for being
savages and illiterate! As we have said many times before, we can
learn a lot from our Celtic ancestors.
Thank you, Rich and Rita. In thinking of friends with whom I can be
myself as described here...I’m so fortunate to have many anam cara’s.
Of course, from what I read here, an anam cara must be the same
understanding friend back. So, for Valentine’s and always - I wish
you to be - and to have anam cara friendship in your life!
You can read the two sections at
http://www.electricscotland.com/bnft/
Darling Memorial Sketch Book
----------------------------
As mentioned last week we now have this entire book up for you to
read. Our thanks to Ranald, the great grandson of this man, for
sending this into us.
The first chapter starts...
JAMES DARLING was born at New Farm, a little hamlet near Dalkeith,
on January 22nd, 1820. His father held a place of trust on the home
farm of the late Duke of Buccleuch. Both his parents are described
by those who knew them well as distinguished by their intelligent
and cheerful piety, shining out in their daily life with a light
that could not be hidden. The mother is specially remembered as
having been tidy and orderly in her household management, and in her
expenditure out of the not too abundant income knowing how "to make
a little go a far way." Their son often spoke with grateful emotion,
in later days, of the unspeakable advantage of having "come of a
godly seed." In the simple family prayers and the practical religion
which pervaded and inspired the whole domestic life, the youth
breathed an atmosphere of godliness. And the good influence of all
this was constant. Like many who have thus grown up in Christian
homes, he was never able to name the day of his "new birth." The
divine change was gradual and imperceptible. But there came a time,
probably not far beyond his twelfth year, in which he became
conscious of "the new life," and when onlookers were not slow to see
that there was "some good thing in him toward the Lord God of
Israel." He passed through the usual course of instruction at the
parish school, and was a favourite with his teacher as well as on
the playground. One of his schoolmates who still lives tells us that
he never was a bold, rollicking boy, but rather needed to be drawn
out, especially to boisterous play.
The family traditions lead us to conclude that he was naturally
"quick tempered." And this feature in his character never entirely
disappeared, but showed itself at times even in his later days. But
he was not in the Scottish sense "dour" "nursing his wrath to keep
it warm." His anger did not resemble the dark lowering cloud which
is slow to dissipate, but rather the April shower which is soon
followed by the sunshine.
A surviving brother in Aberdeen, in referring to some of the
distinctive features of his character, dwells with a brother's
congenial sympathy on his veneration and devoted attachment to his
parents, delighting even to the end of his days to expatiate on
their virtues, which, as he would sometimes remark, made it easy for
him to love them. And this filial piety includes much. It never
comes alone, but draws many other good affections after it. Respect
for the fifth commandment has, many a time, led the way to obedience
to the first.
You can read this book at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/darling/index.htm
Glen Albyne
-----------
or Tales of the Central Highlands
AN early writer, speaking of Fort-Augustus with its loch and
Government galley, calls it "the most centrical point in the
Highlands" or the "umbilicus" of the North. Geographically this
description is no doubt tolerably accurate; but until recently this
centrical spot has been completely severed from all the cords that
bind to civilisation and the south, unless indeed we except the
tourist steamers of a well-known Glasgow company, which ply up and
down the Caledonian Canal for some two months in the summer, and
which are popularly termed—not without a sense of humour—"the swuft
boats." Within the last few years, however, this naval centre has
been connected with the main arteries of traffic that run from
London to Fort-William and Mallaig, on the extreme west coast of
Inverness-shire, and as it is now becoming a favourite resort of
holiday seeker, tourist and sportsman, this booklet is written to
try to enhance the pleasure of a visit to the district. In these
pages it is in no way intended to enumerate all the spots of
interest in the neighbourhood, much less to give a complete history
of the Great Glen; all that is aimed at is to jot down a few items
in connection with the folk-lore, place-names, history, manners,
customs and superstitions of the country, which may be worth the
attention of the stranger and help to while away an idle hour. All
description of scenery has studiously been avoided as containing a
tacit insult to the reader, whom we may leave to judge with his own
senses the beauties of the scene and nature's charms.
We now have the first couple of chapters up which you can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/albyne/index.htm
Burns Plaque in New Zealand
---------------------------
Our thanks to Jack for sending us in information on a new plaque
revealed this week in New Zealand to Robert Burns and the Scottish
Settlers. You can see a couple of pictures and learn more at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nz/burns.htm
2009 Homecoming Poetry and Painting Competition
-----------------------------------------------
Stand Bruce sent in notification of this competition along with an
application form which you can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/banff/2009comp.htm
And that's it for now and hope you all have a good weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
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