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Events

A Viking Holiday

Cluaran has argued that the sea is a means to travel rather than a boundary. So, when not visiting Scottish Schools to introduce Scots to the Norwegian heritage of Scotland, our members sometimes go to Norway.

This year was a special year, as the west coast of Norway was celebrating the “Rikssamlingen” or “Forging of the Nation” by Harald Fairhair.

It is said that some of those who were not over keen on this left in their longships to find new places to settle, like Scotland, Iceland and anywhere else the sea reaches.

You can read more here in an article we were kindly sent by a Norwegian friend:

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Events

Whithorn !

As part of the year of Scotland’s stories celebrations, Kråkå and Cathbad ‘moved in’ to the roundhouse at Whithorn. During the day they worked at textile and metal working tasks, as well as the ongoing necessities of simply living

Then in the afternoon and evening they told stories…

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Arts Installations

Characters on Nithbank

If you come down to Deer park in Dumfries today you are in for a special treat. Along with the Cluaran boat we have characters fished out from the Nith as it flows through time (and the imagination!) This is part of the Nithraid organised by the Stove Network

As well as talking to them you can also imagine a character for yourself – and use it to tell a story.

Here are some questions to think about:

Just in case the google form isn’t working, you can find it by following this link

If you can’t be by the river Nith in person, you can still join in. Use the idea of the river to travel through time. What stories would you tell if you were standing there? What stories would you want to listen to, or do you want people to research. What would help turn the places you live in into a home, rather than somwhere you are passing through?

Here are some signposts to places and groups who might be able to help you turn these ideas into research and reality!

https://en-gb.facebook.com/GallowayLongfhada/

https://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/

https://www.thegallovidianway.com/

https://sites.google.com/view/williamsymington/home/dalswinton-steamboat-1788

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/lincluden-collegiate-church/

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/caerlaverock-castle/

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/dumfries-museum-and-camera-obscura-p251151

https://normannis.co.uk/wp/

And of course, Wordsmith Crafts CIC, especially through the Cluaran Project

Categories
Events

Nithraid 2022

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Events

Locko Park

This will deserve a more comprehensive post.

Everyone is in the middle of event planning though. So until we get time to publish the skippers log, have a look at this schools experience of cluaran as part of the Galloway Longfhada display

https://roughwoodprimary.org/2022/06/23/a-day-as-a-viking/amp/
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Events

Summer 2022

There have been a lot of changes taking place behind the scenes to get ready for the summer of 2022!

The website has been overhauled to prepare it for the way forward. Also, in order to “stay on course”, Cluaran has changed tack. Cluaran has become part of a community interest company called “Wordsmith Crafts C.I.C.”. It will continue to be recognisable as a project, and one day might set sail again as it’s own entity. For now though it is the living, breathing, hands on heritage part of Wordsmith Crafts.

During lockdown we started to do a lot more online storytelling. This has led to several “in person” bookings. We hope to develop this over the next few months. We will also be sending expeditions around the UK to learn new skills – and might even make it overseas as well!

Please explore the site to read about what we hope to do. Get in touch if you have a suggestion or would like to get involved.

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News

Welcome to the new site!

Welcome to our new WordPress site. Historical entries from the Skippers log will be uploaded here – as well as all the new things which are happening.

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News

Winter 2021

We have had a pretty good summer! It was great to get out and about, although our usual regular big shows did not return.

We worked in a new site at Crosmichael. This was an opportunity to interpret the Viking era hoard discovered just accross the river from where we were camping. We also were able to get two of our boats out onto the water – and sail. Both the Catkin curragh we built and the Cluaran yole rowed around the loch. We built a jetty and told stories to the crown from it.

We managed to visit two of our regular Edinburgh schools (George Watson Junior and Cargilfield) although with a reduced crew as the regulations and changes in peoples lives have made everything just that little bit more tricky.

In the Autimn we were funded by Galloway Glens to visit more primary schools. With new recruit Hrefna, we have brought history to life for hundreds of primary school pupills. We have turned their lunch halls into maps of the world, watched their villages develop from settlements into Jarls offs as they play story games.

Tales from the Longhouse are back! We started in November and have guests booked until March. We have also been booked for the “Big Burns Supper. This is an international event held in Dumfries. We are hoping to have an “In person” Tales from the Longhouse session – but lets see what omicron turns out like. At least the Floating Monastery exists both online and in the physical world! we are well placed to navigate whatever comes.

Categories
News

Summer 2021

As Lockdown eases we adapt again. Some people are still restricted from travelling. We all need to continue to be cautious,  as the plague needs people to travel. However, some events that were postponed last year are preparing to happen. This has meant a lot of things have come at a rush. Our equipment has been repurposed, networks scattered and some people are still isolating. It is good to be taking part in events though…     

Tales from the Longhouse has been running throughout Lockdown. With a good solid attendance and two skilled resident storytellers this has been a highlight of the month for all involved. We have also enjoyed the company of guest storytellers with a wide range of stories – but all told in a way which woudldn’t be out of place in an actual longhouse on the shores fo Galloway. The summer of 2021 is going to be needed to recover from lockdown last year, and work out what we can do next year. It’s alsomes as if someone has shouted “Ready About!” and now we are trying to remember which sheets need to be held, and which let go. When we tack though, we look forward to an exciting new course!