FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH
Cultural Discrimination - Scots Fight Back

A cross-party group of MSPs (Scottish MPs) accused the Scottish Executive of discriminating against the Scots language and paying only lip service to the need to preserve and promote its use. Irene McGugan, the convener of the parliament's cross-party group on the Scots language, claimed the executive had failed to ensure the place of Scots was properly recognised within the country.

Ms McGugan, a Scottish National Party MSP for North East Scotland and spokeswoman for education, said: "The Scots language is being discriminated against, both within and outwith the parliament. There are people, including MSPs, who speak very disparagingly about both Scots and Gaelic, but Scots in particular."

"One Labour MSP who was sent an invitation, written in Scots, about the formation of the cross-party group dismissed the invitation as a load of unintelligible rubbish. It is that kind of thing that must stop. If someone had said that about Hindi or some other ethnic language it would have been billed as racist or discriminatory."

This argument has considerable relevance of course to our own situation. Discrimination against aspects of Manx language and culture is still prevalent in the Isle of Man largely due to ignorance. Unfortunately last year's race discrimination legislation pointedly omitted references to discrimination against our indigenous language and culture. So it looks like we've got to continue to rely on gentle persuasion and reasoned argument to overcome the prejudice and ignorant discrimination against our language and culture.

Feailley Veg for the South

A mini language and cultural festival is being organised by Feailley Ghaelgagh and Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh (Manx Language Society) next month. The 'Feailley Beg' is to be held on the 15th and 16th of February and is aimed at providing workshops of Manx music, singing and dance for children and adults.

On Friday 15th from 2 - 4 pm singing and dancing sessions will be held in Port St Mary Town Hall for children between 4 and 11 years old. Then at Rushen Primary School on Saturday there will be music, singing and dance workshops from 11 am - 1 pm for beginners split into three age groups - 6 - 11, 11 - 16 and over 16. On Saturday afternoon between 2 - 4 pm there will be a similar series of workshops this time aimed at intermediate and advanced students.

Various ceilis and music sessions will take place over the weekend and details will be announced in the next few weeks.

Anyone wishing to take part in the workshops on Saturday or wishing to have more details should contact me, Phil Gawne, on 834844 or Breesha Maddrell at the Centre for Manx Studies. The Feailley Beg is being supported by the Manx Heritage Foundation and the Isle of Man Arts Council and the Saturday workshops are being run in conjunction with the Centre for Manx Studies.

Albinee Skee jeh 'Cur Sheese' nyn Gultoor

Ta possan dy Olteynyn Ard-Whaiyl ny h-Albey (OAAyn) veih dagh partee gaccan noi'n Kiannoortagh Nalbin er y fa nagh vel eh jannoo dy liooar son freayll bio yn chengey 'Scots'. Ta Irene McGugan, caairliagh yn phossan dagh partee son yn chengey Scots, gra dy vel yn kiannoortagh er failleil dy hickyraghey boayl sauchey as cooie son Scots mygeayrt Nalbin.

Ta Ms McGugan ny OAA son yn Partee Ashoonagh Nalbin ayns yn shiar hwoaie Nalbin. Dooyrt ee "Ta'n chengey Scots currit sheese cheu mooie as cheu sthie yn Ard-Whaiyl. Ta peccee ayn, goaill stiagh OAAyn, ta tayrn jee-voylley er Gaelg ny h-Albey as Scots, erskyn ooilley, tra t'ad loayrt my-nyn-gione"

"Va cuirrey scruit ayns Scots currit da OAA Labour cur fys da mychione cur er bun yn phossan dagh partee son yn chengey Scots as ren eshyn jannoo beg jeh gra nagh row agh slane boghtynid yn stoo scruit v'ayn. Lhisagh sthapp ve currit er taghyrtyn myr shoh. My dooyrt peiagh ennagh y lheid shoh mychione Hindi ny myn chengey myr shen veagh eh soilshit magh myr jannoo drogh lhiettrimys er ny eer kynneeaghys."

Gyn ourys ta'n arganeys shoh soilshaghey dooin ayns Mannin reddyn scanshoil. Ta noidys da'n Ghaelg as y cultoor foast bio ayns Mannin son y chooid smoo kyndagh rish genney dy ys mychione y chooish. S'bastagh nagh row ny slattys noi kynneeaghys, va coardit ec Tinvaal nurree, goaill stiagh jee-voylley as noidys da'n Ghaelg as y cultoor dooghyssagh ain. T'eh jeeaghyn dou dy lhisagh shin freayll rish y choorse ain as shen prowal dy meen as dy jesh dy chur er noidyn ny Gaelgey dy nee red mie ta'n Ghaelg ta feeu freayll bio as lajer.

Feailley Veg 'sy Jiass

Hed feailley veg er cummal 'sy vee shoh cheet, ta bunnys reaghit liorish Feailley Ghaelgagh as Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh. Bee'n 'eailley Beg goll er cummal er 15 oo as 16 oo Toshiaght Arree as s'treisht lesh ny reagheydee dy jean ee cooney lesh paitchyn as peccee aasit arraneyn, daunseyn as kiaull y ynsaghey.

Jeheiney 15oo eddyr 2 as 4 sa bee seshoonyn daunsin as arrane son paitchyn eddyr 4 as 11 bleeaney dy eash as shoh cummit ayns Halley Baljey, Purt le Moirrey. Y laa er giyn, shen Jesarn, ayns Bun Scoill Rosien eddyr 11 sv as 2 sa bee keirdlannyn kiaull, arrane as daunse reaghit dauesyn nagh vel agh goaill toshiaght orroo shoh as shoh scoltit ayns possanyn eash myr shoh: 6 - 11, 11 - 16 as ny shynney na 16. Fastyr Jesarn eddyr 2 as 4 sa bee keirdlannyn myr shoh reaghit dauesyn as beggan dy ys as schlei oc hannah er kiaull as y lheid.

Bee ceili, bee as kiaull as seshoon kiaullee reaghit chammah's ny keirdlannyn car y chione shiaghtin as bee tooilley fys currit magh er shoh dy gerrid.

My ta peiagh erbee geearree goaill ayrn ayns ny keirdlannyn Jesarn ny geearree fys erbee elley mychione y chooish, loayr rhym, Phil Gawne, er 834844 ny Breesha Maddrell ec y Laare Studeyrys Manninagh. Ta cooney son yn 'eailley Veg cheet veih Undinys Eiraght Vannin as Coonceil ny h-Ellynyn as ta ny keirdlannyn Jesarn co-reaghit lesh y Laare Studeyrys Manninagh.


Phil Gawne