Why not take a trip in the company of Calum MacIlleathain?
This time: Jurassic Staffin
Ceann a tuath an Eilein Sgitheanaich. The North of Skye. Ceann a tuath an Eilein Sgitheanaich. Tha gaol agam air an àite seo! But like so many other places in Scotland, it’s not just one environment. Seall! Dè tha thu a’ faicinn? Àite dùthchail–a rural place? Coimhearsnachd eileanach–An island community? Tha iad sin uile fior. Ach tha barrachd ann! Chan eil a leithid a dh’àite ann an Alba. There’s no comparable place in Scotland. Chan eil a leithid a dh’àite ann! Trobhad is chì sinn!
“An taobh eile! The other way!”
Seadh, an taobh eile!
Seo Sgìre Stafainn ann an Tròndairnis, Staffin on the Trotternish peninsula. Tròndairnis. Try saying that one quickly! Agus ‘se ainmean-àite Lochlannach is Gàidhlig a tha rim faighinn an seo. The place names here are Norse and Gaelic, Lochlannach is Gàidhlig. Now, this is true for many places on the Scottish coast and the fact there’s a mix of both tells us that Na Lochlannaich and Na Gàidheil shared this place. I wonder just how well they actually got on, I mean, am biodh iad ag ithe còmhla? Anyway, air ais chun an latha an-diugh…
‘S e sgìre croitearachd a th’ ann. Ach dè th’ ann an croit? This is a crofting community. But, “What’s a croft?”, I hear you ask?
“What’s a croft Calum?”
Ah! Tha mi toilichte gun do dh’fhaighnich thu! Nach math sin. A croft is three things: Aon. Tuathanas beag air mhàl, a small rented farm, tuathanas beag air mhàl;
Dhà. Taigh air talamh-àitich, a house on arable land, taigh air talamh-àitich
Trì. Cead ionaltraidh air a’ bheinn airson an sprèidh. Grazing rights for your animals on the hill. Cead ionaltraidh air a’ bheinn airson an sprèidh.
Ach o chionn fhada an t-saoghail, bha bèistean eile a’ fuireach an seo. Honestly, other beasts, bèistean eile!
Chuir Dùghall Ross an taigh-tasgaidh seo air bhonnn uair a bha e fhèin na dheugaire anns na seachdadan. Dugald Ross opened this museum as a teenager in the seventies.
Nuair a bhiodh deugairean eile a-muigh ‘s ri mì-mhodh, dè thug oirbhse tòiseachadh a’ cruinneachadh na stuthan seo? Dè tha fàgail gu bheil fosailean dìneasar rin lorg air an eilean seo? A bheil àiteachan ann far am faic thu barrachd dhiubh? Cha deach gin ainmeachadh às do dhèidh?
Am b’ urrainn do dhuine sam bith fosail a lorg? B’ urrainn.
Am b’ urrainn dhòmhsa fosail a lorg?
B’ urrainn agus seallaidh mi dhut càite.
Now if you want to say that you’re searching for dinosaur footprints in Gaelic. A’ lorg is searching for, and a footprint is a lorg-coise so: tha sinn a’ lorg lorg-coise dìneasair, tha sinn a’ lorg lorg-coise dìneasair… Uill tha mise, oir tha fios aig Dugald càit a bheil iad mur thà! Ciamar a chaidh aig na lorgan-coise air maireachdainn gun a bhith air am falach?
‘S e a chòrd rium a bhith am measg seann lorgan-coise nan dìneasar. Agus mar a chuala sinn aig Joy na bu tràithe, tha caitheamh sona agus caitheamh dona ann agus bha mise gu math sona an-diugh. Ach an dùil anns na milleanan de bhliadhnaichean a th’ air thoiseach cò a bhios a’ sgrùdadh nan làrach agamsa sa pholl? Who’ll be researching my muddy footprints? Whoever they are, they will be so incredibly lucky! Seall Joy, dh’inns mo mhàthair dhomh gum fàgainn làrach air an t-saoghal mhòr aon latha. She knew I would leave my mark on the world! Lorgan-coise Chaluim MhicIllEathain!