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About Project
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Mu dheidhinn a' phroisect

About the Project

Ann an 1995, bha buill Chomunn Eachdraidh Bharabhais agus Bhrù an sàs ann a bhith a‘ cruinneachadh nan ainmean-àite ionadail.  Bha iad sin a’ gabhail a-steach àirighean, aibhnichean, cnuic, an cladach , lochan agus rathaidean.  


In 1995, members of the Comunn Eachdraidh Bharabhais agus Bhrù worked to collect and gather their local placenames. These were of sheilings, rivers, hills, coastal features, lochs and roads.


Chaidh na h-ainmean àite fhaighinn bho Aonghas Macleòid (Angaidh Eubaidh, 25 Brù), Ailean MacMhathain (Ailean Dhòmhnaill Stoban, 7 Brù) agus Anna Mhoireasdan (Anna Dhàidh,.3 Àiridh an Tuim) a thug seachad ainmean-àite Shiadair agus Bhaile an Truiseil le taic bho Coinneach Iain MacDhùghaill (Coinneach Iain Choinnich ’An Eòghainn, 54 Barabhas Iarach).  Bha Angaidh a’ tuigsinn gun robh na h-ainmean-àite cudromach agus gun robh àireamh nan daoine a bha sa choimhearsnachd aig an robh fios mun deidhinn a’ sìor lùghdachadh.  Chruinnich Angaidh na h-ainmean-àite sin agus rinn e clàr mòr agus chaidh lethbhreacan a dhèanamh dheth agus bha fear dhiubh air a’ bhalla san t-samhail àirigh a thog iad eadar Brù agus Àrnoil.  Tha am map sin fhathast ri fhaicinn san là an-diugh.  


These placenames were collected from Angus Macleod (25 Brue), Allan Matheson (7 Brue) and Anna Morrison (3 Airidh an Tuim) who gave the placenames for Shader and Ballantrushal with help from Kenneth John MacDougall (54 Lower Barvas). Angus recognised that these placenames were important and that the number of community members who knew them were diminishing with time. Angus collected these placenames and made a large map, of which hard copies were printed with a publicly available map being on display in the replica sheiling built between Brue and Arnol. This map is still on display today.

An uair a chunnaic an neach-ealain Màiri am map ainmean-àite, bha ii gu mòr dhan bheachd gun robh e air leth luachmhor agus gum bu chòir dhan fhiosrachadh a bhith air a cho-roinn na bu phoblach.  Bha Màiri an dòchas gun cuireadh seo dìon air na h-ainmean-àite agus gum biodh barrachd cothrom aig daoine air an fhiosrachadh. 

When artist Mairi saw the placenames map, she felt strongly that it was of great worth and that it should be made more publicly available. Mairi hoped this would safeguard the placenames and allow for greater access to the information. 

Ann a bhith a’ dealbhachadh a’ mhapa às ùr, bha Màiri a’ leantainn a’ mhapa a bha ann gu ìre mhòr, ach chuir i filleadh eile de dh’fhiosrachadh ris tro fhuaim, a’ leigeil leis na h-ainmean-àite agus na sgeulachdan co-cheangailte riutha, agus bàrdachd agus òrain a bhith air an cluinntinn.  Tha Màiri an dòchas leis gu bheil ùidh às ùr aig daoine anns a’ Ghàidhlig agus ann an cultar na Gàidhlig gun toireadh seo tuigse de na modhan-obrach cultarail aig ìre phearsanta, a’ ceangal ri chèile daoine agus an àrainneachd.  Chlàr Màiri sreath de chòmhraidhean le Aonghas Macleòid agus Tarmod MacAoidh a tha mar bhun-stèidh de na clàraidhean.  Bha bacadh air tuilleadh cruinneachaidh de ghuthan bhon choimhearsnachd gu mòr ri linn a’ mhòr-ghalair Covid19 ach tha Màiri an dòchas tro thìde gun cuir a’ choimhearsnachd tuilleadh ghuthan, sgeulachdan, còmhradh agus dealbhan ris agus gun tog iad suas agus gun atharraich iad seo gu bhith na thasglann feumail a bhios a rèir am feumalachdan. 

 

In redrawing the map, Mairi stayed faithful to the original, but added a further layer of information through sound, allowing the placenames and their associated stories, poems and songs to be heard. Mairi hopes that at a time when there is renewed interest in Gaelic language and Gaelic culture this would allow an insight into the cultural practices at a personal level, marrying human and environmental encounters. Mairi recorded a series of conversations with Angus Macleod and Norman Mackay which have formed the bedrock of sound tracks. The gathering of other community voices was largely restricted due to the Covid19 pandemic, however Mairi hopes that in time the community will add more voices, stories, conversation, photographs and build and change this as a useful archive that adapts to suit their needs. 

 

Bithear ag ràdh ri muinntir na coimhearsnachd nach eil sa mhòinteach mun cuairt air Barabhas agus Brù ach àite ‘falamh’, ‘fàsach’, ‘donn’, ach tha am map seo a’ toirt dùbhlan dha na beachdan sin – ma sheallas tu ris na h-ainmean-àite tha iad a’ toirt beachd dhut air cho beairteach agus farsaing ’s a tha eadar-obrachadh mhic an duine air a bhith san àrainn shònraichte seo.  Gu math tric tha na h-àirighean air an ainmeachadh air na daoine a bha a’ fuireach annta, agus an uair a sheallas tu gu dlùth, chì thu gu bheil àite agus daoine a’ tighinn ri chèile, glè thric thar ghinealaichean, a’ cur daoine ris a’ bheachd-smuain a tha againn mun mhòinteach.       

 

Community members have been told that the moors around Barvas and Bru are ‘empty’, ‘a wilderness’, ‘just brown’, but this map challenges these views – if you look at the placenames they give you an idea of how culturally rich and far reaching the human interaction has been in this special environment. The sheilings are often named after the people who lived in them, and when you look closely, you will see the meeting of place and people coming together, often over generations, re-peopling our notions of the moor.

 

Fhuair am pròiseact seo taic airgid bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig agus cha b’ urrainn dha a bhith air a choileanadh às aonais an taic choibhneil a fhuaras bho Chomunn Eachdraidh Bharabhais agus Bhrù.  Taing shònraichte gu Angaidh Eubaidh agus Noraidh a thug seachad an ùine agus an eòlas.  

 

This project has been funded by Bord na Gaidhlig and couldn’t have been done without the kind support of The Historical Society of Barvas and Bru. Special thanks to Angaidh Eubaidh and Norrie – who were so generous with their time and insight. 

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