Cluaran Heritage Project
What stories would you like to hear?
Thursday the 28th of October, 7pm
This will be a general craft club, try something new or get round to finishing a project with friends!
Back by popular demand we will be telling some tales at the tap this Thursday evening. There are fine ales from around the world, and other drinks to try including those that are non alcoholic. The Riverside tap doesn’t serve food, but they are OK with you bringing some in with you.
So gather round, find a slice of pizza and 2/3rd of something dark, and listen to stories of Cú Chulainn, Jötunn who fling huge rocks like they are pebbles, or perhaps Assispattle facing the Giant Stoorworm.
Live music from Kate accompanies the stories, and if we are really fortunate she will sing too.
Can’t wait? Here are some stories from “The Floating Monastery”
Anyone want to try and had craft while they listen? Leave a comment.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed when you think about climate change, war, and politics. We should protest, rage against the fading of the light, but on a practical level what can we do to take control of our daily lives? This suggestion isn’t going to bring world peace, but it might help you find peace of mind.
When we learn ancient crafts like nålbinding we can make useful things out of simple raw materials. A bit of bone crafted into a needle, ends of wool knotted into socks and gloves – or scrap wire into jewellery. A fun craft, and a way to enhance downtime watching something on a device or gossiping with friends. At the end of a blether you could be closer to having hand warmers.
In addition, by learning and teaching the skill you actively involve yourself in the story of human adaption as part of our environment. Your participation preserves the skill you practice, and also contributes to the collective memory of how we can adapt to survive. How many people doing this in the UK would it take to make a change felt globally?
Impressive huh! But also simply knotting wool to make socks the way our ancestors have done for millennia. We rediscover how to be something essentially human.
Here is some info from the British Museum
Cluaran craft club will be back on Thursday the 28th of September.
If you already know how to nålebind why not bring it along to tales at the tap ? (6pm Thursday the 21st of September)
The internet is awash with photos from this years Nithraid. Our crew didn’t race, but we had many discussions with people about the river.
In our time travelling ship we had Brigid the Selgovae, a Border reiver, a pirate and even a visitor from a future waterworld. Their stories will be told in another post, but while you are waiting here is a short video of images from our cattle rustling…
We are mustering in the morning to get the boat ready to launch. We plan to pitch a pavilion on Millgreen and row round in circles. Maybe we will make a pirate raid on the island …
You can join in by creating a character for our fantasy crew
If you like this sort of thing, what do you think about building a boat?
We will gather again to launch the boat this Thursday (31st of August) at 18.00
We are starting early to make the best of the daylight. Please gather at the workshop as usual.
If you are early (from 16.30) you can help pick apples! (bring a bag to take them away)
Since Nithraid is the 2nd of September we will also work on costumes after rowing. We will need a shore crew as well as rowers, so even if you are not keen of getting on the water have a look at this form and think about how you can help people encounter the river Nith in a new way.
If you are curious, the featured video clip is from our contribution to the treaty of Perth celebrations.
Here is a blast from the past!
This short video is made of photos from our display remembering the signing of “the treaty of Perth“
You can read a bit more about the day and the other organisations involved here.
The boat will be on the water in Dumfries on Thursday the 24th of August getting ready for Nithraid!
Thank you to everyone who came along to get the boat on the water on the 13th of July. This goes for the shore crew as well as those who braved the watery depths… well shallows… of the Nith.
We were successful in launching and rowing the boat. The shore crew caught some of it on camera – and we even have a film of it made by David Slater (DRS Video Clips)
The next boat evening we have scheduled is for Thursday the 24th of August. 1900 to 2100 again, rendezvous at the Wordsmith Crafts Workshop (3 James Avenue, Dumfries).
If you want to think about the sorts of characters who might, could have or perhaps will inhabit the Nith, then have a go at filling in this form:
You can also become a member of Cluaran by signing up to the newsletter lists of your choice.
Kate and Simon are back with some more music and stories this Thursday evening.
There are excellent ales on offer so you can sit back and enjoy.
The evening starts at 6pm when you can gather for a blether about tales and their telling. The first story will start at about 18.30.
This evening is free thanks to our hosts – The riverside tap – and performers from Wordsmith Crafts CIC (the Cluaran project).
Turn up at 6 for some chat and we get going by 6.30.
You will be able to sit back in the comfy sofa and simply listen, or get involved in some chat about the tales.
Thanks to Kate we have music at the evening.
There are excellent ales from around the world on tap too.
The Stories we use are the ancient legends and myths that share names with hills and geography of the landscape we live in. Some of the stories are local, and some have travelled from the other side of the globe.
Do you have a favourite story? Get in touch.
(… and if you want to eat a wee snack you can bring it in. You can also enjoy a wide variety of alcohol free drinks that are available as well as beer)