Nova Scotia Premier sends good-luck message to Blas

Gaels in heavily-forested Canadian province of Nova Scotia style their country as tir nan craobh or land of the trees and still refer to Scotland as An t-seann dùthaich, or the old country. For a group of musicians from that part of maritime Canada, coming to the Highlands to take part in this year’s Blas Festival there journey represents a ‘home-coming’ in many ways.
Their vibrant brand of traditional music owes much to the traditions brought to Canada by Highland emigrants in the 19th century. Many from Cape Breton are still aware of distant family ties with places in the Highlands despite being separated by the North Atlantic and more than one hundred and fifty years. For some in Cape Breton relationships are much closer. Mairi Rankin is a fiddler and dancer in Beòlach, a hugely popular and lively band from that area of Nova Scotia which will grace stages in Kingussie, Poolewe, Balintore, Glengarry and at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig during Blas. Her mother is a MacCorquodale from North Uist who went to Cape Breton in the 1970s to teach Gaelic, and stayed. Beòlach will be joined on their Highland tour during Blas by compatriot Troy MacGillivray a talented fiddler, pianist and step dancer is from north-eastern Nova Scotia.
The enduring cultural affinity with Nova Scotia was recognised officially by Highland Council through the signing, in 2002, of a Memorandum of Understanding with  the Provincial Government. This outlines areas of joint interest and cooperation to strengthen Gaelic language and culture on both sides of the ocean and particularly mentions “the unique connection that exists between the Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland and Nova Scotia on the basis of a common language, a common culture, family ties and emigration." Reflecting the Highland Council’s crucial role in the genesis of the Blas, the desirability of involving musicians from Nova Scotia in the Festival was a stated policy from the outset.
In a message to Blas from the Honourable Rodney J. MacDonald, Premier of the Province of Nova Scotia the importance of the ties between the Highlands and Nova Scotia is reiterated. He also speaks warmly of the Festival’s efforts in helping to make these connections real and meaningful in the 21st century.
“The Government of Nova Scotia recognizes the strong links that exist between Nova Scotia and Scotland. Gaelic speaking settlers from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland began establishing communities in Nova Scotia over two hundred years ago. Their legacy is still evident in the language and culture, now unique to Nova Scotia that has been passed down through the generations. The recent establishment of a Ministry for Gaelic Initiatives in Nova Scotia recognizes the fact that Gaelic Nova Scotia continues to maintain its unique linguistic and cultural store. We congratulate the Blas Festival and we wish you every success as you continue to work towards Gaelic language and cultural development and the maintenance of the strong familial ties that bind us.”

“We are delighted to have had a good-luck message from the Premier of Nova Scotia, himself a renowned fiddle player, and we are looking forward to the visit by the Cape Breton musicians attending this year’s Blas.  We are also delighted that Joella Foulds, the founder and Director of the Cape Breton Celtic Colours festival, is sufficiently excited by our programme to want to visit the festival this year too.  Gaelic language is still an important element of the lives of people in Nova Scotia, in Cape Breton island in particular, and we welcome the renewed recognition by the provincial government of the place of the language, within the cultural life of the area.”

Bho dhuthaich nan craobh chun na seann dhùthca

Tha Gàidheil ann am Mòr-roinn na h-Albainn Nuaidh ag gabhail tìr nan craobh air an sgìre aca, agus tha iad fhathast ag gabhail an t-seann dùthaich air Alba. Do bhuidheann de luchd-ciùil bho thaobh sear Chanada, bi an cuairt-san na ‘thilleadh dhachaigh’ ann am barrachd air aon dòigh.

Tha an stoidhle bheòthail aca nan ceòl tradiseanta a’ tarraing mòran bho an dualchas a thug na Gàidheil gu ruige Canada sa naoidheamh lìnn deug. Tha mòran ann an Ceap Bhreatuinn fhathast mòthaicheil dha na ceanglaichean teaghlaich le àiteachain air Ghàidhealtachd a dh’aindeoin a bhi air an sgaradh bhuapa leis a’ Chuan Siar airson corr ‘s ceud gu leth bliadhna. Do chuid ann an Ceap Bhreatuinn tha an càirdeas nas fhaisge. Tha Màiri Nic Fhraing na fìdhleir agus na dannsair ann am Beòlach, còmhlan beòthail bhon a’ cheàrnaidh sin de dh’Alba Nuadh agus bi iadsan air àrd-ùrlair ann an àiteachain lèithid Ceann Ghiuthais, Pol-iu, Baile an Todhair, agus ann an Gleann Garadh, cho math ri Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, mar phàirt de Bhlas. Sann de Chlann Mhic Corcadail a Uibhist a Tuath a tha a màthair, a chaidh a Cheap Bhreatuinn a theagaisg na Gàidhlig anns na 1970-an, agus a dh’fhuirich. Comhla ri Beòlach air an cuairt air Ghaidhealtachd bi Troy Mac Ghillebhrath, fìdhleir tàlantach, fear-piana agus dannsair-ceum bho ear-thuath Alba Nuadh.

Tha an càirdeas maireanach le Alba Nuadh air a bhi air a dhaingeachadh gu h-oifeagail le Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd, le meòraichean còrdaidh ann an 2002, leis an Riagahlatas aca-san. Tha seo a’ comharrachadh dòighean anns an urrainear obrachadh comhla gu h-àraid ann an rudan a dhaingnicheas càirdeas teaghlaich, cànain agus dualchas. A’ dearbhadh bunnaideachd na Comhairle ann a bhi a’ cuir Blas air bhonn, bha luchd-ciùil fhaighinn a Alba Nuadh na amas bhon dol-a-mach.

Ann an teachdaireachd gu Blas bhon urramach Rodney J. Dòmhnallach, Prìomhaire Mòr-roinn na h-Albann Nuaidh, dhaingnichear na ceanglaichean sin a-rithist. Tha e cuideachd a’ bruidhinn gu coibhneil air oidhirpean na Fèis na ceanglaichean sin a neartachadh anns an 21mh linn;

“Tha Rioghaltas na h-Albann Nuaidh a' toirt an air' air nan ceanglaichean làidir a th' ann am bith eadar Alba is Alba Nuadh. Thòisich Gàidheil á Gàidhealtachd is Eileanan na h- Albann air coimhearsnachdan a thogail ann an Albainn Nuaidh bho chionn chórr is dà chiad bliadhna. Tha an dìleab ann a' follais fhathast ann an cànain agus cultar, a tha a nist sònraichte ann an Albainn Nuaidh agus a chaidh ionnsachadh aig a' ghlùin. O chionn ghoirid, chaidh Ministreachd Iomairtean na Gàidhlig a chur air bhonn a tha 'mothachadh na fìrinne gu bheil Alba Nuadh a' leanaid a chumail a stòras chànanaich is chultair. Tha sinn a' toirt meal an naidheachd do Fhéis a' Bhlais agus tha sinn 'n dòchas gu' soirbhich an obair agaibh leibh mar a leanas sibh a dh' ionnsaidh leasachadh cànain agus cultar nan Gàidheal agus gléidheadh de cheanglaichean làidir an teaghlaich a tha 'gar ceangal r' a chéile”.