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Articles by Alistair Heather
Independence will rejuvenate Scotland’s democratic spirit — Yes
We need more democracy in Scotland. It will be good for us. Independence, and the final shifting of the vast majority of powers from Westminster to Holyrood will rejuvenate – or even birth for the first time – the democratic spirit in parts of the country where it’s been historically weak. I grew up in Angus surrounded by wise, interesting folk who really cared about their communities and did what they could to offset the bad and promote the good. None of them ever considered politics.
Braw Beginnings: Famous First Lines in Scots
In celebration of Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022, we’ve teamed up with Scots expert and writer Alistair Heather to translate the first lines of some of the world’s most popular books into Scots. It’s estimated that the Scots language has 1.5 million speakers – a number which is growing all the time. Not only is Scots the most widely spoken indigenous Scottish language, but it is also the largest minority language in the UK.
Is celebration of Burns missing the point if we're ridiculed for speaking Scots?
“Dinnae speak oary.” We Scots Speakers have heard it all. Wir language may be fine on the terraces at the fitba, maybe, but ye widnae use it in a job interview. Roch men might get awa wi it on a building site, but it’s no a way for nice lassies to speak. It’s a couthy hame language, no a public one, we’re telt. I’ll no kid on that it was a shock, then, when Glasgow Uni researchers flagged up just such an incident in the life of Rabbie Burns.
Shift yersel owre, Rabbie, an mak space fir a national lassie
Burns Nicht is here aince mair. Aa owre this guid green warld, Scots an their sympathisers will pit oan their best tartan breeks, kilts, sashes an bunnets, an heid for a local dinner. Ae dey a year we aa breenge oot fae oor hidden neuks, oor mooths aflame wi Burns’ Scots an oor bellies aflame wi strang hielan uisge-beatha. We haver on aboot the values o freedom an equality, resistance tae tyranny, an aa that Scotland stauns fir in this tapsalteerie warld.
How much do you actually know about the Battle of Culloden?
By Alistair Heather // BBC The Social contributor There’s a gaitherin oot at CuIloden ilka year. It is a memorial o the deid, on baith sides. But there’s mair tae it than thon. It’s a live culture discussion, showin the pooer o Scottish history an its connection wi the present. It’s also a tourism event that brings siller in tae rural airts an pairts. The battlefield is a muir high up the braes aboon Inverness, the lang sweep o the Firth ablow.
The Declaration o Arbroath is the Maist Important Letter ye Havnae Heard o
By Alistair Heather | BBC The Social Contributor (See below for the English version of this article) The Declaration o Arbroath wis pit thegither at Arbroath Abbey in 1320, an sent aff tae the Pope. It gied Scottish arguments aboot how the freedom-lovin Scots were ane o the great ancient nations o the earth, an how they’d fecht against English domination “fur sae lang as but ae hunner o us aye draw breith”. So how come ye havnae heard o it? We’ll get tae that.
Declaration 700 Celebration #GifttheGig
We've all seen the damage that COVID 19 is doing to Scotland's already precarious folk music industry. It will have lasting damage. On April 4th, we were due to hold a big celebration of the Declaration of Arbroath in the Webster Theatre. It was sold out months in advance, and the artists all put in work preparing their performances. We want to weigh them in a wee bit to make up for a fraction of their lost earnings.
independence - self-determination - autonomy
The story wis screivit in stane. A lively Scotland wid be crushed by a ferocious Ireland. Superstar full-back Stuart Hogg micht weel gang the length o the pitch an score glorious consolation tries, but it wouldnae gie us the win. The younger, safter boys in blue wid be claucht in the knuckles o Ireland’s scrum an smothert. We’d hae aa the licht, but no eneuch heat tae burn. Murrayfield opened its muckle metal mou an roared. Owre saxty thoosan Scots voices chauntit “Flower o Scotland”.
independence - self-determination - autonomy
Alistair Heather previews the Scots language shows at the Edinburgh Festival. Anithir Festival Fringe lours. Curtains are tae raise aa ower Embra as thirty thoosan fowk, performin in twa thoosan shaws tak the stage. Whiles walein a shaw fae oot the thrang can be a guessin gemme. Tae help yis oot, wiv previewed a mixter-maxter o shaws whit a hae ae connection; they aa yaise Scots. O is for Hoolet by Ishbel McFarlene explores whit Scots is the day.
independence - self-determination - autonomy
Alistair Heather scrieves anent an ayebydand problem in landward airts o the kintrae, atween settled societie an the ‘gaun aboot fowk’ we cry Traivellers an Gypsies. Ane o Scotland’s ain indigenous ethnic minorities is bein squeezed oot o existence afore wir een, just as wir leaders are preachin aboot keepin open the doors tae aa the cultures o the warld.
move aside Robert Burns, it's time to celebrate Scotland's identity with a woman
The half-light of these weary January days will soon be lit up by the linguistic thrills of Burns Night. This international celebration of Robert Burns’ timeless poetry will see millions across the world raise a glass to Scotland’s bard on January 25. Burns is used by Scots as a frame upon which to hang a tremendous amount of weighty national identity. Upon him they place responsibility as the source of their egalitarian spirit, and of their radicalism.
independence - self-determination - autonomy
Calum McAskill 2 years ago With respect to bbc, they “carmichaeled” the news. Let’s be plain, the mail, express, Scotsman or record, all play to the prejudice of their readers, they don’t hide it and don’t apologise. bbc play to the prejudices of the English establishment, they hide it and deny it. bbc Scottish branch office has become an embarrassment, it’s “talking to” a country that doesn’t believe it and it is not changing its tune.
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