To the editor:
In an era when family values, morals, tradition and culture are questioned daily by popular media and outside exposure, it is shocking to see yet another important event for the youth of our community being cut. The annual Gaelic College Highland Dance Competition is one of the longest standing Highland Dance competitions in Canada. For this reason alone, it is a very important part of the history of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Canada. It is also important to our Cape Breton dancers as an event for these locals to perform for their families and their community without, once again, having to leave the Island. This competition attracts dancers from all over Canada, many of which have relatives in Cape Breton, and plan their summer vacations around the competition.
This past Fall, the Gaelic College elected a new administration which included a new Executive Director and Director of Education. Under this administration, there will be a change in focus at the College, moving more towards the Gaelic language and only ‘non’ competitive studies. There will no longer be study in the Great Highland Bagpipe (only Cape Breton style piping), no Pipeband Drumming, etc. Eventually, they hope to fade out one of the College’s longest standing areas of study, Highland Dance.
The Gaelic College began in 1938 as a Gaelic institution, at a time when Gaelic was a central part of Cape Breton communities–spoken at home and in school. Years later, Highland Dance and Bagpiping were added to the curriculum due to their ties with the language, culture and music, and they have continued through its history. Step Dance and Fiddle were not added to the program until many years later–the early ’80s. I have no issue with a Gaelic focus, I think it’s wonderful. My Dad’s family is from Inverness and spoke Gaelic in their home, and my daughter is studying Gaelic Song at the Gaelic College. My issue is with the disregard for other longstanding areas of study. If, back in the day, Gaelic College administration felt Highland Dance had strong enough ties to be one of the first evolving areas of study, why does the new administration feel it cannot be part of this tradition? Yes, the fiddle and step dance have been a large part of this culture, especially renewed in the past 20+ years, however, they were not original disciplines of study at the Gaelic College back when the Gaelic was center stage, yet Highland Dance was.
In early days, they also ran an annual Gaelic Mod that hosted competitions in Gaelic Song and Story, Highland Dance, and Pipebands. Through the years, the Mod has sadly become extinct, following along with so many events that have been lost to our Island. The Highland Dance Competition, however, has continued to run successfully since its inception. Due to the dedication and loyalty I have felt towards this event, the College’s traditions, and the local dancers, I have continued to organize this for the past 20 years with the support of the previous administrations and community volunteers. I run this purely on a volunteer basis, with no association as is the norm with other competitions.
So why would the Gaelic College pull this event? Their answer, aside from their new non-competitive view, is they don’t feel Highland Dance is connected in any way to the Gaelic Culture!!! I asked where they are getting their history and beliefs, and it was simply stated they just knew these things from being around the Gaelic lifestyle. This is very interesting. Certainly the dancing has changed over time, but it should still have a place in the culture, so it doesn’t get completely lost. Quoting a friend who has his Masters in Ethnochoreology (Traditional Dance Studies): “Both strands of the dance tradition (Highland & Step) should co-habit as they support and inform each other. Highland Flings have been danced to puirt a beul (mouth music) in Scotland for the past 50-60 years”…as have they been danced at the Gaelic College through mouth music in my younger years, and currently with my own students.
Healthy competition for youth has been a reason why many of these Celtic traditions have lasted through a time where media promotes a much more elaborate sense of living for youth. Competition allows young people to set goals, strive for improvement and share their skills with others. Isn’t this what our Gaelic/Cape Breton culture is about: families actually spending time together at community events full of tradition, culture and values? Not to mention the money that goes back in to our community’s economy when 100-200 dancers and their families spend the weekend dancing in Cape Breton (staying at our hotels, buying our gas, eating at our restaurants, shopping at our stores). I think maybe the administration may want to consider attending such an event before deciding its fate.
This is a disappointing loss to Highland Dance, which is a unique art form in many areas around the world. It is a great loss to our history and culture on the Island and within the Province, where Highland Dance competitions and Highland Games have been decreasing annually due to monetary reasons. Why can’t the Gaelic College pursue its ideals with the Gaelic Language, while still allowing the school portion of the institution to teach other just as relevant sectors of the culture? How is it that suddenly a few people get to decide what is a relevant part of tradition at the Gaelic College? If Highland Dance was relevant enough to be a starting new discipline way back in early Gaelic College days, why is it suddenly “not part of the culture”?
If our own Island, an Island that survives on our Celtic culture through tourism, and the Gaelic College, an institution promising to promote the local culture within our community, does not support Highland Dance… then who exactly will?
The Gaelic College is run overall by a Board of Governors. This Board makes all final decisions regarding the Gaelic College. If you would like to support the continuation of Highland Dance and the Dance Competition at the Gaelic College, please send any letters of support along to the Board Chairperson: Maureen Carroll maureen@mcarrollconsulting.ca.
Kelly MacAuthur
kelly@macarthurdance.com
Kelly MacArthur is the Director of the MacArthur School of Dance. She has been teaching Highland & Step Dance at the Gaelic College for the past 23 years. Kelly is the organizer of the GC Highland Dance Competition.
Son of Cuthbert says
Taken from the Economic and Political Weekly January 8, 2005 found on the internet.
'…culture is essentially about rationality:… the relationships among individuals within groups, among groups, and between ideas and perspectives. Culture is concerned with identity, aspiration, symbolic exchange, coordination and structures and practices that serve relational ends, such as ethnicity, ritual, heritage, norms, meanings and beliefs. It is not a set of primordial phenomena permanently embedded within national or religious or other groups, but rather a set of contested attributes, constantly in flux, shaping and being shaped by social and economic aspects of human interaction.'
To this end, I think David's comments above are a bit single minded and that he has to appreciate that Cape Breton was founded on the Scottish Gaelic tradition. And yes agreed, over time the Island has evolved and they have definately developed their own distinct Gaelic flavour for which they can be proud. But that is because culture is not static. However that does not mean that the traditional ways are not good or important nor does it mean they need to be extinguish to ensure that the Islands uniquely local culture will survive outside of its Scottish roots. As a matter of fact I think ignoring the traditions would have the opposite effect because they serve as a point of reference. Besides there is nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage while putting a decidedly local influence on it at the same time. That is how local culture evolves. Newfoundland has managed to create a unique culture based on tradition, so have the Irish of Boston and don't forget the Acadian's of Cape Breton.
So David not to worry, with performers and artists like Ashely MacIsaac, Natalie MacMaster, John Allen Cameron, just to name a very few, Capers will never have to concern themselves that they won't be recognized and respected for having a twist on the Scottish culture that is both distinctly and delightfully their own. And continuing to teach or compete in Highland Dancing at the College is never going to change that fact.
In any case, back to the Gaelic College and its decision to axe some subjects. In my opinion it is pointless to have a College exclusively devoted to Gaelic culture if you are not going to teach some of it's core cultural arts such as Highland Dance, Scottish Piping/drumming etc. All of thesesubjects have important historical, military and traditional foundations in Gaelic Culture. I am wondering why the College has decided to focus on teaching studies in the Scottish Gaelic language in lieu of these other subjects. It is both interesting and a bit ironic to me since Gaelic, as a language, appears to be a dying art. Not sure how many Cape Bretoner's can still speak it but from what I can understand only about 1% of modern day Scots know the language. Where and when are you ever going to use it…?
So to me, the question here is, where should the Board of Directors priorities lie. Do you teach a language that is almost defunct or do you continue to support the traditional art forms of your heritage that are flourishing and bring much acclaim throughout your beautiful Island and across the continent already?
To me it is a no brainer… Just the point of view of an NBer of Irish heritage who is hugely proud of both.
Daibhidh MF says
Well, thank you for your insights.
I can see how you thought my comments were single minded, after all, I'm a Gaelic-Speaking Cape Breton Islander who is studying Celtic Studies, I couldn't possibly know what I'm talking about when I say things regarding my own culture. Your view seems much more intuitive, you know what's best for little old me and my little old culture, so I'll just shut up and let the parade of foreign culture masquerade as my own, and let my language, culture, and music drift away until there is nothing but a shadow. You're the expert.
Kelly says
I think the problem here is that the issue is simple. I am not battling against anything. I am battling FOR something. Preservation of what MANY believe to be a imperative part of Gaelic, Cape Breton and Traditional culture.
This is not about whether or not Gaelic should be the focus at the GC. Simply, I think that is great. Not sure why people are trying to take this angle? The battle is to not dispose of what a FEW select groups of people believe does not fit in 'their' idea of culture. I am not going against anything, I am voting FOR something. If admin and other opposing sectors are listening, they would understand that we aren't just going to sit back and let things change without question.
And we question YOUR history as much as you question ours. The difference is…we are questioning without attacking. We respect what you believe, but we also respect our beliefs.
I was brought up to believe that a big part of Cape breton culture was family, community and what traditions they believed in.
Kevin Linden says
I must first say that I am totally ignorant as to what course of studies takes place at the college. However when I think of Gaelic and the Scottish Heritage I grew up with I think of nothing more than bagpipes, drums and highland dancing. So with this announcement I personally feel a great loss to our community and to our heritage. Our Mik Maq people have stressed the same importance of their language yet they too pride themselves is their customs and traditions. They too educate others about their native dance and spiritual well being. I think it is a tragedy to see the other components of our gaelic culture be diminished as they are with this announcement.
ScottW says
It is very difficult to express how disappointing this news is. The Gaelic College had a reputation for many years of offering the best instruction in Highland piping and Highland dancing available anywhere on the continent. The switch to offering what is referred to as Cape Breton style piping and dancing will surely lead to a major decline in interest among pipers and dancers throughout the province and beyond, and the Gaelic College, will simply exist as an antiquated backwater of an advancing culture. Sad day indeed.
Glenn Graham says
It is 2011, not, say 1939. Yet some people still think that if the Gaelic College leans its focus toward the Cape Breton/Nova Scotia's Gaelic language and local Gaelic art forms, the institution will be "an antiquated backwater of an advancing culture"? Yes, sad day indeed if that elitist view about Nova Scotia's local Gaelic art forms still exists.
Chris MacNeil says
ScottW: I agree. The people making the "anti-elitist" arguments like Glenn below are very short-sighted. There's a place for what is being sought, but instead of adding it, they want to limit the GC and insult it's long and rich history. Makes no sense.
Reading Comments says
Chris,
Why are you taking phrases out of people's comments and acting as if it's somehow an argument? Someone says something about elitism, and you automatically go as if to say "oh, the old anti-elitist thing, oldest trick in the book! People who say things about elitism are dumb and make no sense!"
You seriously need to stop. You couldn't be more fallacious in your comments, and you're making yourself sound prodigiously dim. Your comments are pointing out and denying ad nauseam things that most educated people would accept as valid, you use circular reasoning again and again (e.g. "Why be ignorant when you know nothing about it?"). You are continuously using thought-terminating cliché to support your view ("The GC and its long and rich history"). If I were Ms. MacArthur, I'd want you to stop commenting because you're making her look bad.
Chris MacNeil says
RC: People can make up their own minds about who is "dim". Took a course in logic recently did you?
Reading Comments says
I'm saying you're making it easy enough for people to make up their minds!
Chris MacNeil says
Its obvious to everyone what you're saying.
Reading Comments says
Maybe you should stop speaking on behalf of everyone. "everyone's impressed" …"it's obvious to everyone"… I don't think anyone gave you the keys to the kingdom.
ashley macisaac says
many posts on here can isay this.much…..whate er makes tbe college.profitable would be a starting point,for instance how.much does.the running of.tje board.cost…but as.for highland dancing,if highland dancing is not part of gaelic culture than what is?seems strange to.not have kilts litling and jumping inthe wind if itis a gaelic college,as for coming up woth what warrants gealic culture fromthe past.ithink gaelic culture is what people.of thst purswasion want and although i do not speak gealic im hf scottish canadian and think highland dancing is great amd is much better tban any toddlers.and tiaras pagent for.kids,,please havd the competition…..uess.of course itis sucha drain onresources as.to have other more.scottish things.happenlike forinstamce price gouging or drunkeness be less.likely to happen.at the college