Rannsachadh Leanntainneach

Tha ceist aig crìdhe mo chuid obrach: dè tha e a’ ciallachadh dhuinn an-diugh a bhith nar Gàidheil, nuair nach eile a’ Ghàidhlig beò tuilleach mar chànan làitheil nan coimhearsnachdan againn?

Tha mi a’ bruidhinn air an t-suidheachadh seo mar ‘co-theagsa post-vernacular’ den mhòr-chuid den Ghàidhealtachd an-diugh; tha a’ Ghàidhlig fhathast mun chuairt oirnn, ach chan eil comasan labhairt aig a’ mhòr-chuid againn.

Trom chuid obrach, tha mi a’ sgrùdadh na ceist seo, aig àmannan ann an dòighean nas dìriche, mar eisimpleir le SeanairTown, agus aig àmannan eile ann an dòighean nas farsainge, mar eisimpleir le Let’s Make a Scene.

Bho àm gu h-àm, foillsichidh mi pàipearan no bruidhnnidh mi aig co-làbhairtean is tachartasan, is sin a’ toirt a-steach na cuspairean a leanas:

• fèin-aithne Ghàidhealach ann an co-theagsa ‘post-vernacular’

• an taigh cèilidh agus na cleachdaidhean na lùib

• feallsanachd Ghàidhealach agus ealain coimhearsnachd

• tùsanachd sa Ghàidhealtachd an-diugh

• aoigheachd agus obair ealain coimhearsnachd

• brìgh agus ‘aesthetic’ Gàidhealach

• obair ealain mar obair-ghlèidhich choimhearsnachd

[Image 3 by James Galbraith.]

Ongoing Research

There is a question central to much of my work: what does it mean for us today to be Gaels, when Gaelic is no longer the daily language of our communities?

I refer to this as the ‘post-vernacular context’ of much of the Highlands and Islands today; Gaelic is still all around us, but most of us don’t have the ability to speak it.

Through my work, I explore this question, at times in more direct ways, such as with the project SeanairTown, and at other times more broadly, such as with the project Let’s Make a Scene.

From time to time I publish papers or speak at conferences and events, including the following topics:

• Gàidhealach identity in a post-vernacular context

• the tradition cèilidh house and the art practices involved in it

• Gàidhealach worldview and its application to community arts work

• indigeneity in the contemporary Highlands and Islands

• the role of hosting in community arts work

• ‘brìgh’ and a Gàidhealach aesthetic

• arts practice as community maintenance

[Dealbh 3 le James Galbraith.]