Indyref Yes No vote 2014 documentary: BBC Scotland

The new BBC Scotland has been running a three part series on the Indy Ref Yes/No Vote 2014. 

‘We have made a vote for progress and change", spoke Alastair Darling, of leave of the Better Together campaign (of Lorretto 

school fame) after the 2014 vote. (45% yes, 55% no) How hollow his words ring....  We were promised all these increased powers; protection of our pensions; being in Europe,.

England must now also be heard. The day after the No vote result Cameron announced English votes for English laws. It was a dark forces of the blatant ignoring and side-lining of Scotland that was to come. Its hard to watch without feeling a sense of shame.  

One young man felt the NO side had more to offer – which suggests 2 things – their control of the media and press, and also the lists of promises. The wise amongst us saw from past performances and that promises or vows are actually Lies dressed up in fancy clothes and we listen to the MSM with questioning ears. 

Does this mean in a future ref the indy side, rather than have vague outlines, needs to have clearer promises? Perhaps? What would these be exactly – control of our resources, improved infrastructure, investment in R & D and education, a fair welfare system, business opportunities and investment… 

According to Osborne, ‘SNP were put back in their box.’ ‘Lib Dems were a spent focre.’ This also ruined Labour in Scotland – who barely got a mention in this series. Except for the very funny video shot in Glasgow of the Labour Mps descending to the music of Darth Vadar, " Our imperial over lords are here to rule us.’"! Or the blustering speeches of yesterdays man, Gordon Brown making promises he had no way of ever keeping!

Women Musicians

Beth Orton

There are many exciting Scottish women musicians – 

Be Charlotte, Stephanie Cheape, Iona Fyfe, Siobhan Wilson, Karine Polwart,

But there is also a serious lack of women producers, songwriters and executives. Women must think bigger. I believe we must have more business and management courses in education. There are many women in media and promotions.

Iona Fyfe

Julie Fowlis

Low Anthem

Sharon Shannon

Imelda May

Congratulations to the recent success of Scots! – Calvin Harris (our major Scots producer) at the Brit awards; Tom Walker from Kilsyth and Lewis Capaldli from Glasgow! Well done to all. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS0SyW980YI

 

Laura Marling

NEW BBC Scotland channel!

The Nine News team,Rebecca Curran and Martin Geissler

Launched 24th February 2019, with one of the most successful Scots band Chvrches and the song 'Miracles'.

So far a promising start – well done to all! Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the channel.

I welcome Debate Night much more enjoyable, honest and real than the QT, which brazenly tries to stir up unnecessary controversy – rather than looking for consensus and on how we can move forward. Plus a quality series on the Yes/No Referendum in 2014.

The Nine

The new flagship news program top marks too with presenters Rebecca Curran and Martin Geissler. A welcome return of political correspondent James Cook. And shows the breath of talent in Scotland, well able to present international and national news from both Scottish and international perspectives.   

CHVRCHES

There Nine News program with various correspondents in London, Brussels, and other locations. The show is projecting a relaxed format and looks promising so far. 

The schedule is mixed. I believe it's crucial Scotland has its own TV channel so I wish the new channel good fortunes. Catalonia has 4 tv channels - two news channels, an entertainment channel and a family channel.  I am concerned too that the Scottish license money is around £350m, yet only £32m is being spent on this channel. Much more is spent in Wales, England (over 100%) and Northern Ireland (75%) by comparison. Scotland (55%).   (Virgin 108)

BBC Scotland - https://www.bbc.co.uk/welcome-to-your-brand-new-television-channel-bbc-scotland

Celebrating indigenous languages

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 “We loose colour and diversity”\\

Some of the most popular concerts at Celtic Connections festival are the concerts by Gaelic singers. 

Jeremy Dutcher, was awarded Canada’s Polaris Music Prize in 2018 for his album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa. Dutcher, an indigenous artist from  New Brunswick, performed in the Wolastoq language 

This year at Celtic Connections 2019, as part of  2019 Unesco International Year of Indigenous Languages and to give artists space and time to interrogate how Scotland and Canada’s shared colonial histories manifest within contemporary creative practice. 

Jean Cameron in her article, ‘How our Scotland-Canada collab is celebrating indigenous languages’ writes about how she looked at Scotland’s colonial past after working with artists at Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games cultural programme: folk who scrutinised Scotland’s imperial history. …..The Indian Act brought in by Macdonald in 1876 resulted in 100,000 indigenous Canadian children being forcibly sent into the residential school system that removed and isolated them from the influence of their homes, families, languages, traditions and cultures. For too many, these schools were sites of colonial violence where children were subjected to sexual and physical abuse at the hands of the people supposed to “civilise” them. 

Support from Creative Scotland, the Scottish Government in Canada and The High Commission of Canada has enabled us to bring 15 or so artists together, including Kanyen’kehaka (Mohawk) curator Greg Hill from the National Gallery of Canada; Kevin Loring, the first artistic director of indigenous theatre at the National Arts Centre of Canada; Scottish composer and former Young Gaelic Ambassador of the Year Pàdruig Morrison; author Donald S Murray and creative producer Seona McClintock. 

“Let us remember why they are smaller and fragile: often due to oppression, cultural imperialism and economic disconnection. These themes will undoubtedly emerge during this exchange. It’s vital to remember language adds colour and tone to life, place, belonging and perspective. If we lose any, we lose that colour and all that it reflects. Nuances and idioms shape us, some words don’t translate, they are untranslatable.”

https://www.thenational.scot/news/17387830.how-our-scotland-canada-collab-is-celebrating-indigenous-languages/

Language makes us who we are and there is renewed interest in both Scots and Gaelic. Tellingly for the course of the British power in Ireland (the DUP) continue to fight against the acknowledgement of the Irish language, even while original Scots/Irish settlers there spoke Irish Gaelic. In the past century Scots culture was portrayed by an out of touch caricature – of Donald wheres yur troosers, bagpipes and the White Heather Club dancers.

The European project on the other hand values all its regions and understands that EU success depends on the health and diversity of all its constituent parts and the remotest regions and small farms are sent decent grants and support.