Before I begin the second week blog, I ended the last blog saying that I toured the island on the weekend. On Sunday afternoon I went to church. It was a United Church and it was in the Highland Village at Iona. I was the only preacher in the church...in fact the only person, period. And I am making no comment about THAT! This is the church.
Malagawatch Church
In the village, it reverts to its Presbyterian roots, but the whole story of the United Church congregation that donated the building and the church's move...including a 15 kilometre barge ride across Bras D'or Lake...is documented inside the church.
Inside the church, which is very austere in keeping with the Scots Presbyterian tradition, there is one artifact of ornamentation. In my experience, it is the least useful device in a sanctuary. Can you guess what it might be? Here is a picture of this piece of art work from the Malagawatch Church.
A clock mounted on the balcony of the Malagawatch Church
Highland Village, Iona, Nova Scotia
Was there ever a device so unused as a clock which only the preacher can see?
Week two at the Gaelic College was as full as the first. I moved up a level in bodhran to advanced beginner. I am not sure if that is a paradoxical expression or not. I repeated the same level of Gaelic, but with a different teacher and using the immersion method of teaching. Which means only conversation...nothing written down, so any Gaelic phrases I use from now on came from week one or the internet. I returned to beginner fiddle, repeated the history of the Gael, and took storytelling. This last class had some useful tips and practice that will come in handy for preaching later on.
My fiddle instructor was Stan Chapman. Stan has taught Natalie McMaster, Ashley McIsaac, the Beaton sisters and many others. I feel privileged to have taken lessons from him...and sorry that he had to listen to the screechings and squawkings of my bow across the strings.
Stan Chapman at a ceilidh in Baddeck
History of the Gael. I took the class from two different people and it was excellent both times. This week, it was taught by Lewis McKinnon who is the Executive Director of the Office for Gaelic Affairs...a department of the Nova Scotia government. (Did I mention that Rodney MacDonald, the former premier of Nova Scotia, is the CEO of the Gaelic College? And he is a darn fine fiddle player!)
The history of the Gael will be the course that provides the most useful background information for the work that I will be doing around Celtic spirituality and Celtic Christianity. However, as I typed that sentence, I am thinking that most of the instructors here would disagree with that. They would say that it all starts with the singing.
In several of the courses...from history to Gaelic to fiddle...teachers have been saying that the rhythm of the singing dictates the flow of the language and the rhythm of the instrumental music. And the Gael had songs for every part of their life. We learned several songs for milling the woven fabric. There were hunting songs and farming songs and songs for every occasion. So, it might not be the history course that is most useful when looking into the spirituality of the Gael/Celt. It might all flow from the music.
I don't, however, have the ability to put that music on here, so I will say that St. Columba is a fascinating start to the story. St. Columba, or Calum Cille as he was known at that time, brought Christianity to Scotland. Well, actually, it was there in parts of the country, but he founded the monastery on the Island of Iona and then proceeded to Christianize the Picts. I will be talking quite a bit more of St. Columba next month.
In talking with my history instructor, I commented on the age of the Gaelic speakers and teachers here at the college...as well as the age of most of the music teachers. Without asking them, they seem to be in their mid to late 20s...which means they could be in their early 30s looking from my advanced years. He said that there is a resurgence of interest in the Gaelic language and culture in this generation. Many took it in elementary school. I also notice an abundance of rings indicating graduates of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. I guess I expected to be taught by some grizzled old Scot from up in the hills.
With week two finished, I am driving to Halifax for a few days of looking around. I had hoped to chat with Ivan Gregan. I still may be able to do that, but he is also on sabbatical right now and is not in Dartmouth, but somewhere in northern New Brunswick.
At most hours of the day here, the sounds of a piper can be heard from somewhere on the campus. That will be the last sound that I hear as I drive out the gate and down the road.
In talking with my history instructor, I commented on the age of the Gaelic speakers and teachers here at the college...as well as the age of most of the music teachers. Without asking them, they seem to be in their mid to late 20s...which means they could be in their early 30s looking from my advanced years. He said that there is a resurgence of interest in the Gaelic language and culture in this generation. Many took it in elementary school. I also notice an abundance of rings indicating graduates of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. I guess I expected to be taught by some grizzled old Scot from up in the hills.
With week two finished, I am driving to Halifax for a few days of looking around. I had hoped to chat with Ivan Gregan. I still may be able to do that, but he is also on sabbatical right now and is not in Dartmouth, but somewhere in northern New Brunswick.
At most hours of the day here, the sounds of a piper can be heard from somewhere on the campus. That will be the last sound that I hear as I drive out the gate and down the road.
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