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.