Fàilte

"Mary Louise Bernard is a Parks Canada interpreter and former Chief of Wagmatcook First Nation [from] (1994-2002)." - Parks Canada, 2018

With illustrations by Ashley Dawn Bernard and text in Mi'kmaq, French, Scottish Gaelic, and English, Sismoqnapui’skwe’j/Sweetwater Maiden "tells a tale of a young Indian maiden in search of her grandfather and by doing so, becomes part of her grandfather's vision quest that leads them to discover maple syrup, a gift from Our Creator."

Here is a video of the author reading the book aloud, and a copy is available to read and download through The Internet Archive.

Thing is, this is a folk tradition in the Welsh language, and that's the most important aspect of it. I feel partly responsible for this, because I accidentally became a bit of an expert on the topic of the Mari Lwyd in a post that escaped Tumblr containment, and I clearly didn't stress it strongly enough there (in my defence, I wrote that post for ten likes and some attention); but this is a Welsh language tradition, conducted in Welsh, using Welsh language poetic forms that are older than the entire English language, and also a very specific sung melody (with a very specific first verse; that's Cân y Fari). It is not actually a 'rap battle'. It's not a recited poem. It is not any old rhyme scheme however you want.

It is not in English.

Given the extensive and frankly ongoing attempts by England to wipe out Welsh, and its attendant cultural traditions, the Mari is being revived across Wales as an act of linguistic-cultural defiance. She's a symbol of Welsh language culture, specifically; an icon to remind that we are a distinct people, with our own culture and traditions, and in spite of everyone and everything, we're still here. Separating her from that by removing the Welsh is, to put it mildly, wildly disrespectful.

...but it IS what I'm increasingly seeing, both online and in real world Mari Lwyd festivals. She's gained enormous pop-culture popularity in recent years, which is fantastic; but she's also been reduced from the tradition to just an aesthetic now.

So many people are talking/drawing about her as though she's a cryptid or a mythological figure, rather than the folk practice of shoving a skull on a stick and pretending to be a naughty horse for cheese and drunken larks. And I get it! It's an intriguing visual! Some of the artwork is great! But this is not what she is. She's not a Krampus equivalent for your Dark Christmas aesthetic.

I see people writing their own version of the pwnco (though never called the pwnco; almost always called some variant on 'Mari Lwyd rap battle'), and as fun as these are, they are never even written in the meter and poetic rules of Cân y Fari, much less in Welsh, and they never conclude with the promise to behave before letting the Mari into the house. The pwnco is the central part to the tradition; this is the Welsh language part, the bit that's important and matters.

Mari Lwyd festivals are increasingly just English wassail festivals with a Mari or two present. The Swansea one last weekend didn't even include a Mari trying to break into a building (insert Shrek meme); there was no pwnco at all. Even in the Chepstow ones, they didn't do actual Cân y Fari; just a couple of recited verses. Instead, the Maris are just an aesthetic, a way to make it look a bit more Welsh, without having to commit to the unfashionable inconvenience of actually including Welsh.

And I don't really know what the answers are to these. I can tell you what I'd like - I'd like art to include the Welsh somewhere, maybe incorporating the first line of Cân y Fari like this one did, to keep it connected to the actual Welsh tradition (or other Welsh, if other phrases are preferred). I'd like people who want to write their version of the pwnco to respect the actual tradition of it by using Cân y Fari's meter and rhyme scheme, finishing with the promise to behave, and actually calling it the pwnco rather than a rap battle (and preferably in Welsh, though I do understand that's not always possible lol). I'd like to see the festivals actually observe the tradition, and include a link on the booking website to an audio clip of Cân y Fari and the words to the first verse, so attendees who want to can learn it ahead of time. I don't know how feasible any of that is, of course! But that's what I'd like to see.

Shaina Tranquilino

September 30, 2023

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of truth and reconciliation in acknowledging and healing the wounds caused by historical injustices. Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Day, recognized on September 30th annually, serves as a crucial reminder that understanding our past is essential for building a more inclusive and harmonious future. In conjunction with this day, Orange Shirt Day stands as a poignant symbol of remembrance and reflection concerning the devastating impacts of residential schools. This blog post aims to shed light on both events' significance and highlight why they deserve our attention.

1. Understanding Truth and Reconciliation:

Truth and Reconciliation Day holds immense value as it acknowledges the painful history experienced by Indigenous peoples in Canada due to colonization policies such as the Indian Residential Schools system. The objective is not only to remember but also to foster an environment where dialogue, empathy, and understanding can flourish between Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous Canadians.

2. Recognizing Orange Shirt Day:

Orange Shirt Day complements Truth and Reconciliation Day by focusing specifically on raising awareness about residential schools' traumatic legacy. Initiated by Phyllis Webstad's story when her new orange shirt was taken from her upon arrival at a residential school, this day reminds us of the countless children who were stripped of their culture, language, identity, dignity, and familial bonds.

3. Learning Lessons From Our Past:

By commemorating these days collectively, we acknowledge that recognizing historical wrongs paves the way for healing intergenerational trauma. It prompts us to reflect on how similar systemic injustices persist today within various societal structures—education systems, healthcare disparities, judicial processes—among others.

4. Promoting Education & Awareness:

Educating ourselves about Indigenous history should extend beyond one designated day or month; however, Truth and Reconciliation Day provides an opportunity for all Canadians to engage in learning about the diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. It encourages us to become active participants in reconciliation efforts by challenging stereotypes and fostering inclusive spaces.

5. Fostering Reconciliation:

Reconciliation is a journey that involves listening, understanding, respect, and dismantling systemic barriers. On this day, let's strive for meaningful reconciliation by recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples and promoting their self-determination while building bridges between communities based on mutual trust and understanding.

Tàladh Dòmhnaill Ghuirm

I'm not super qualified in the realm of Scottish Gaelic so I'm just going to talk about the resources I've seen when dipping my toe in.

I would say that Scottish Gaelic actually has a lot better direct alternatives to Duo than Irish does - i.e. stuff that's high quality and accessible, for free online aimed at beginners.

Specifically the stuff on learngaelic.scot and speakgaelic.scot. There's a mix of different resources on there but as someone who already speaks Irish, something I found really useful was An Litir Bheag which is a series of recordings of little stories for learners with a transcription in Gaelic and a translation into English.

I think there's more foundational stuff on there too, SpeakGaelic is like a whole course I think, and on LearnGaelic there's the old course Speaking Our Language which I've heard good things about.

In terms of a textbook, I've used Learn Scottish Gaelic in 12 Weeks, the name is unrealistic lol, but the content is useful.

Oh also Gaelic with Jason on Youtube is good, he makes like comprehensible input style story videos about stuff, and also videos explaining grammar concepts.

Seo bhidio leis na Carolina Chocolate Drops, far a bheil Rhiannon Giddens a’ gabhail puirt-à-beul sa’ Ghàidhlig — no, dà phuirt: an t-aon a tha seo (le faclan beagan diofar, agus gun aon phàirt) agus “Ciamar a nì mi dannsa dìreach?” (air a sheinn le Màiri Sìne Nic Laomuinn, cuideachd, eadar tòrr dhaoine eile).

Gu traidiseanta, cha chleachdte ionstramaid còmhla ri puirt-à-beul, ach san latha-an-diugh, tha cuid de dhaoine ga dhèanamh.

Here’s a video of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, featuring Rhiannon Giddens singing puirt-à-beul (mouth music) in Gaelic — or rather, two puirt: the one linked above (with slightly different words and less one stanza) and “Ciamar a nì mi dannsa dìreach?” (sung also by Mary Jane Lamond, among many others).

Mi le M’Uilinn air mo Ghluinn (With my elbow on my knee) is a love song written by the village bard Murdo MacFarlane from Upper Bayble on the Isle of Lewis. Strling Gaelic Choir sang this song at last year’s national Mòd in Steòrnabhagh and it is one of my favourite songs. 

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada

Suppose you are an Indigenous woman or girl in Canada. In that case, whether you live on reserve or in an urban area, regardless of your age or socio-economic status—the simple fact that you are an Indigenous woman or girl means that you are at least three times more likely to experience violence and at least six times more likely to be murdered than any other woman or girl in Canada.

Why are the rates of violence so high?

1. Racist and sexist stereotypes lead perpetrators to believe that they can get away with committing acts of violence against Indigenous women and girls.

2. The many legacies of colonialism increase the risk of experiencing violence—from impoverishment to the lasting harm from residential schools to the disempowerment of Indigenous women and girls in their own communities.

3. Decades of government and law enforcement inaction to end the violence.

Source: Amnesty International (x)

NEW Gaelic digital resource!

Interested in finding out the meanings behind some of Callander’s Gaelic place-names while also enjoying some lovely landscape views from the comfort of your home?  Have a look at our new storymap, which includes sound-files to help with pronunciation.