We must have REAL Scots history our Historic sites

**Can the Scottish Government do more to protect the "REAL Scots history" at our many historic sites?

I read with interest the letter from Rory Bulloch, National 14^th May, on how badly Scots history is told at our historic sites.

On a trip last autumn to the Scottish north coast, we stopped at the eerie sight of Culloden moors, which were covered in a layer of crisp snow. I thought of the battlefield sights we’ve lost – where is the real Bannockburn? And I hope there will not be houses built here when Scotland has plenty of land.

One of the guys in his red jacket and blue bonnet was explaining the battle to me, he said kilts we worn on both sides  - he didn't seem to be aware this important Culloden battle was a "religious battle". Or of the Thirty Years religious wars that were raging in Europe at the time etc. etc. There were German, French and Irish troops involved too in this battle. After this crucial battle, prisoners were violently murdered, and the Highland way of life and culture was completely crushed by English redcoats from their huge 18th century Fort George, which is still used as a fortress today, at the entrance to the Moray Firth north of Inverness. They learnt from this how to subjugate the natives for future imperial suppressions. 

To my surprise there were no Professor Tom Devine history books in their bookshop either – and clearly a sanitized version told here by The National Trust for Scotland. PLUS Historic Dunkeld is covered in plaques - we were told by a local that they were put there by one guy and that most of them are historically untrue! 

History is not simply about the past – it informs our present and future and crucially shapes who we are and how we see ourselves. Its important to realise the extent that the British nationalists seek to suppress Scots heritage, which began in earnest after the ’45 and after the union 1707. I strongly dislike calling this supposed partnership a union, because it came about under great duress, riots and blood. 

As professor Alan Raich writes, National May 16, in his article on the works of the poet James MacPherson, ‘Unlocking Ossian’. In 1760 MacPherson travelled north to recover the epic tales of the ancient Gaels where he met local tradition-bearers. He spoke Gaelic and was educated at Aberdeen university. His Ossian works are described as a fraud by British critics. “This itself has been a long-standing hoax of the British establishment, always opposed to the notion of an ancient Scottish Gaelic civilisation predating its own. As always priority is power.”…A reclamation of Gaelic cultural authority writing from antiquity was effectively a Scottish cultural counterpoint to the post Culloden military and social devastation.” 

As a highlander, MacPherson understood the Gaelic traditions and as university educated he aimed to appeal to Hanoverian Britain: and he needed to appeal to his wealthy patrons (as did Burns). He promoted the Gaelic world to international readers. He died 1795 on his estate in the highlands. I read a different story though, at the Uist museum, of their enforced emigration to Canada. 

As I was taught practically no Scots history at school Edinburgh, to my great regret, I am now teaching myself. I have attended three lectures by Professor Tom Devine on the Scottish Enlightenment, the Darien Project and the Lowland Clearances. I have read several of his books – the Scottish Nation: A Modern History, The lowland Clearances and Independence or Union. 

**Can the Scottish Government do more to protect the "REAL Scots history" at our many historic sites? And crucially stop this sanitized whitewash! But rather promote the true Scots history as told by real Scottish Historians such as Professor Tom Devine, linguist Stuart McHardy, lyricist Robert Burns, Professor Alan Raich, or poet Ian Crichton Smith. And not the falsehoods peddled by historical fiction writer John Prebble or archaeologist Neil Oliver. Its well past time all this changed.

 Ossian books – 

1. Fragments of Ancient Poetry (1760)

2.  Fingal, an Ancient Epic poem (1761)

3. Temora, an Ancient poem (1763) 

Plus Collected Edition, Works of Ossian, the son of Fingal (1765)

MUSIC in Pandemic times

Music in the UK is a 5 billion industry, with 1 billion in live music. Music supports 200K jobs – who will need longer term support.

For concerts to return – we must protect the workforce along with medical advice. There is a risk of loosing small venues. If we loose small venues, we will loose the talent pipelines. Glasgow boast world beating small venues, I hope they can survive – King Tuts, Barrowlands, Oran Mor, more.

Yet we are listening to more and more music.

Online concerts, sometimes from venues are happening.

Also drive in concerts!

Music Broth -  Is delivering musical instruments and repairing instruments: to give access to music for many who would no be able to afford to. Plus repairing second hand instruments. 

PLEASE SUPPORT - 

Music Broth is Scotland’s Musical Instrument and Equipment Library. Our mission is to make music more accessible to all. We do this through sharing our 1000+ item library of musical instruments and equipment accessible to anyone seeking support for your musical ventures and adventures! We support individuals, bands, families, and organisations. 

musicbroth.org

Music is an act of self-care. To keep in touch with creative abilities and skills. To express ourselves and communicate.

" People expressing themselves will be there long after the Covid crisis is over." 

Remembering 2014!

I wish now I’d kept a diary during the 2014 referendum time – which was such an enriching and energised and enlightenment time. With the exciting exchanges of ideas of how we might build a fairer, greener and more equal Scotland. It was full of expectant hopes. We looked to other thriving small nations as a way forward – such as Denmark, Finland, Norway. Our northern neighbours. Scotland is as ancient and has equally excellent resources. Why wouldn’t Scotland thrive w thought? 

It wasn’t to be with the vote 45/45% spilt and sadly many Anglo Scots prefer being tied to a Tory administration. Then again Scotland has practically no independent media, so what else did we expect with British nationalist propaganda flooding our airwaves. 

Save our Planet to save Lives

In recent centuries humans have been disturbing the world’s natural habitats and wildlife – destroying forests, depleting fish stocks, burning fossil fuels, polluting our air. There are much fewer butterflies or insects and under many tress there is a dead undergrowth. Now we’ve disturbed the habitat of bats, which has led to several recent world pandemics – SARS, Mers, Ebola, Swine flu and now Covid-19. And this will continue, unless we all change our attitudes to selfishness and growth. 

The world has trillions (yes not billion, trillion!) wealth in secret offshore accounts – what purpose is this money achieving? Meanwhile we have children starving. Things are totally out of balance. There were signs of reform after the war, but since the 80s inequalities have soared to unprecedented levels. 

We need more answers from the UK government. Is Boris Johnson and his Brexiteer, inexperienced team, putting their ideologies before saving lives? If so, is this not criminal? Its been reported they ignored an EU scheme to bulk buy ventilators and now also several opportunities to bulk buy PPE through the EU. Two of my children work in the health service and I worry for their safety in these perilous times. We would not send troops into battle without the proper protections or equipment (or would we?).

Most of our carers are women – nurses, doctors, mothers, care homes, childcare, cleaners – I hope this isn’t part of the reason they are paid less then other jobs? Even our doctors UK are paid a lot less than doctors in other countries. Its time we valued their dedicated work by paying them better and not just by hand clapping.

Germany’s president Frank Walter Steinmeir, urged solidarity both domestically and internationally. He said Germany will only be strong and healthy after this crisis if its neighbours also emerge well. “This crisis is not a war but rather a test of our humanity.” By contrast the UK government uses war like language of a ‘Dunkirik spirit’ or ‘fighting enemies’. England appears to believe as an island through the war we are somehow uniquely special and protected and many here appear to be in shock. We only won the war through co-operating with other nations and without American equipment we would have been defeated. Trump may provide a highly unwelcome narrative, but in the States, its at the local level people make most decisions. The federal government only decides on federal roads, foreign policy. Each state has separate laws, taxes Etc. 

I read Mark Franklands open letter to Nicola Sturgeon on his blog suggesting that world leaders consider a 90% tax on this €30 trillion hidden money, to help pay for the economic cost of  this coronavirus. He suggests it should not be the poor that have to pick up the tab for the cost of this virus with taxes and cuts to services. London is the world’s capital of corruption, illegal money. Also UK government does nothing to protect indigenous business, as other countries do. 

There are many debates on capitalism vs socialism – both are out-of-date with todays realities. We need both - as Sweden, Germany and other countries show. There is good and bad capitalism – it is good to base an economy on small businesses that manufacture or offer valuable services, that give an economy a solid base. What is not good, is to base an economy on the false roulette of financial markets and people sitting on London properties. I don’t want any kind of socialism either, with its central and often incompetent control of an economy. But I would like to see well-being policies of decent childcare, health service, education and infrastructure to support a diverse and innovative business sector. 

Just last year young people took to the streets to begin the fight to save our planet, led by Greta Thunberg. It’s too late for empty words. I believe the only way forward is by small indy nations fighting back against the global elites!  That’s why Scottish Independence matters so much. Its not about some notion of Scottishness, it s about how we are best governed and how our voices can be heard. Reformers have been fighting for this since Burns wrote, a Mans a Man for A That, against those who sell their souls for a pot of gold. In their fights against greed and selfishness. He also wrote – Parcel of Rogues and Tree of Liberty. 

There are signs of hope – more people are cycling, more are reducing meat intake, more work at home, more people want to buy local. Its great to see families cycling on our quiet roads – is this the way forward? Any drugs or vaccines are only short term fixes, we must cure the source of these serious threats. More people die from air pollution, asthma and allergies than ever before.  If this virus has taught us anything, its that we depend on each other. We must urgently save our planet to save our own lives. I look at my grandchildren’s young faces and I hope there will be signs of hope for their lives..