Oor Projecks
Scottish Histories of Resistance is a projekt which his gaethered ind made learnin materials ind a year lang program aboot Scottish History. It his alsi crea’ed a ne’work i folk wha want tae learn on their ain or the-gither wae ither folk - daen mair research or jist haen the craic.
Through daen baith the research ind spreedin oor wurk, oov witnessed how reclaimin eer history changes ee is a person. How learnin in a way ee relate tae, changes how ee experience knowledge and maks is mair rela’able. Oo see this wurk is essential in these times, where maist folks feel isolated, are strugglin awa on their ain or whur the only positive way tae sei eersel is in nationalist, right wing or capitalist movements. Oo want tae thank Black and Indigenous folks fir geen an example i how tae reclaim history, culture ind a sense i belongin in a posi’ive way. Oo believe thit oor wurk, tellin posi’ive stories of survival, resistance ind communi’y is necessary the day.
The Rubric Foundation funding his geen oo the ability tae create twal (12) episodes i a podcast series, which wull be released monthly this year. Each episode is a story i resistance frae Scottish History - folks ain stories, told in their ain wurds. The funding his alsi helped oo update the website ind learnin resources and edit/share oor archive i live events, makin mair learnin possible fir mony mair fowks.
Whan Mary Ann’s lang lost brither askit her tae watch his bairns in faur awa Northumberland, she wis sae taen aback she near said naw. Bit the thoucht o a simmer haliday is tantaleesin, sae she gaithers up her smeddum, maks a dizzen egg an tomatae pieces an taks tae the railway. Her peth tae the coast will no be easy. She maun brave a wickit pig, five wee nichtmares whit bite an the treicherous Lindisfarne causey.
Bit the hing is, thare’s somebody waitin fir Mary Ann in yon gurly launds o sea an sky. Gif she cin anaely keep her heid an follae her hert, hit’s gaun tae be a simmer wirth mindin.
Adaptit intae Scots bi playwright Martin Travers frae a story bi Jean Lang an telt bi faur ben audiobook airtist Helen McApline, Mary Ann’s Summer Holiday is the first sleep story frae awaird-winnin Scots leed theatre company Braw Clan.
Sleep stories ir audiobooks makkit tae gie ye a haund tae wind doun bi gien ye a douce distraction frae the warld an hits waes, an tae help ye drift aff tae sleep. Thay ir awfu weel kent – sleep stories on the mental halth platform Calm hae buin hearkent tae ower 63 million times.
Clare Yuille, Braw Clan’s Creative Director, said “We live in a world where fatigue and insomnia are common. Thanks to support from the Rubric Foundation, we’re delighted to launch our first sleep story. And as well helping people nod off at the end of a busy day, Mary Ann revives the work of overlooked Scottish writer Jean Lang. It’s also a showcase for the sensory pleasures of the Scots language.”
Mary Ann’s Summer Holiday is free gif ye jyne Braw Clan’s mailin list at brawclan.com/mary-ann/. Hit cin be streamt ir dounloadit, an hit comes wi the fou script, glossar an Story Pack.
The Scots Sang an Leid Projeck (Scots Song an Language Project) wis led by award-nominatit Amy Lord — a sangster, sang boorach heid yin, an Scots leid dominie wi mair than twa decades o experience teachin baith bairns an adults in sang an leid. Ower the coorse o echt weeks, she warkit wi bairns in Dunblane Primary schuil, introducin them tae the Scots leid throu tradeetional sang. While the main focus wis on the leid, the projeck explored pairts o Scots cultur, includin heritage, history, an customs, throu the interestin stories ahint ilka sang.
The programme consistit o seiven in-class workshops — seex led by Amy an yin by supportin tutor an instrumentalist Adam Brown — endin wi a hale-schuil concert whaur pupils performed the sangs an demonstratit the leid they’d learnt. This finale includit performances by five professional Scots traditional musicians an aa, showin mair instruments an styles sic as Scots singin, guitar, fiddle, bodhran, an bagpipes.
A braid range o Scots sangs wis chosen tae suit the learnin level an interests o ilka cless, wi a parteecular emphasis on seasonal an local sangs. P5 an P6 pupils got warkbooks tae use throu the projeck, while P3 an P4 clesses tuik pairt in a modified version featurin simpler oral sangs an shorter booklets, wi mair o a focus on vocabulary. Dominies received a “Dominie’s Pack,” which includit materials an sang tracks tae support continuin learnin ayont the projeck an wi ither clesses.
Tae deepen engagement an boost memory retention, there wis an airt competition tae showcase the leid they’d learnit, giein pupils an extra chance tae connect creatively wi the Scots leid an the sangs.
The Huntly Ceilidh Day 2025 socht tae teach, heize up interest in, an celebrate the traditional leid an music o the North Easto Scotland by bringin thegither airticipants o aa generations an backgruns fur a day o tuition an performance. The tutors for the efternuin warkshops
were: Michael Biggins oan mixed instrument (BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2021), Dylan Cairns oan fiddle, an Iona Fyfe oan Scots Sang. The evenin concert hid baith solo nummers an group arrangements frae Dylan, Michael an Iona, wi plenty opportunity for audience pairticipation in sang.
The Scots Sang an Leid Projeck wis a seeven-week eddication initiative deliverit at Newton Primary Schuil in Dunblane, aimed at deepenin the weans’ unnerstaunin o the Scots leid an cultur through tradeeitional sang. Warkin wi sax clesses—fae Primary 1, 4 an 6—the projeck used a mix o oral tradeetion lairnin style an specially designit warkbuiks tae introduce the bairns tae tradeeitional Scots sangs fae the local area.
Sangs sic as Heather Jock an Will Ye Gang Tae Sheriffmuir were choosen fer thair strang historical links tae Dunblane, sparkin interest an enthusiasm amang the pupils. The wee-est yins were lairnit simpler, repetitive nursery-like sangs in Scots, while the aulder weans explored mair complex songs ballads, sangs an vocabular. Aa sangs were taucht in a caa-an-response style, makkin them accessible tae bairns o aa learnin abilities.
The hale projeck culmintatit wi a concert that includit professional tradeeitional musicians—includin Adam Brown (Rura, Ímar)—wha performit an wrocht alangside the weans. An airt competition gied the bairns the chance tae engage wi the sangs in a creative wey, further growin their connection tae the material.
The ootcomes were gey positive. The weans showed better Scots vocabular, mair confidence in singin an performin in front o ithers, an a growin interest in local history. Teachers particularly noticed strong pairticipation frae bairns wi additional support needs. Helpful feedback will shape future runs o the projeck, including less sang choices an mair time set by for rehearsals. Completit weel wi in budget, the projeck turnit oot tae be a rare success as a model fer mixin music, leid, an heritage lairnin—a model that biggit pride in local identity an opened the door tae mair Scots leid eddication in time tae come.