By Julie Collins - The Cape Breton Post
Gaelic Heritage Interpretive Centre expected to be completed by September
ST. ANN’S — The Gaelic Heritage Interpretive Centre, in the Great Hall of the Clans Museum at the Gaelic College, is expected to be complete by September.
A window on Gaelic culture, the centre includes eight stations on language and tradition, dance, piping, fiddle, piano, song, storytelling and textiles.
Using a touch screen, each interpretive station provides an audio/visual program with background and examples of the various disciplines.
Vibe Creative Group of Sydney managed construction and design of the interpretive stations.
“We also enhanced the original exhibit along the outer walls,” said Peggy MacAskill, manager of hospitality services.
The Great Hall of the Clans deals with Scottish military and social history, the clans and information on Gaelic Nova Scotia.
One of the goals of the Heritage Interpretive Centre is to increase knowledge with respect to Gaelic in Nova Scotia.
“It provides a much more rounded presentation starting with Scotland and moving on to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton as the Gaelic culture developed over the past 200 years,” said Gaelic program director Hector MacNeil. “For many of the stations, we had different people research the information so you get a variety of voices. They also brought with them a wide knowledge of the various disciplines, which adds to the experience for our visitors.”
Staff is also working on a gallery featuring the many Gaelic communities from across North America.
The primary goal of the Heritage Interpretive Centre is to educate visitors and local residents. But, it is also used by students studying the various disciplines offered at the Gaelic College giving them a more rounded view of Gaelic culture.
“One example would be the station on textiles. It begins with the sheep and goes right through to milling and weaving the cloth.”
Visitors can take as much time as they want going through each of the stations.
“This is an excellent teaching tool for students at all levels wanting to do research on Gaelic song, or fiddle or any one of the other topics,” MacNeil said. “It’s an excellent way to broaden their Gaelic experience.”
The gallery will lead into a language learning resource and study area, textile centre and Norman MacLeod centre.
The Gaelic College also has a studio for weavers and spinners, as well as a Craft Centre which sells books, sheet music, instruments and Celtic crafts not available elsewhere.
The Gaelic College features an instructor’s showcase ceilidh Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Plans are also underway for the Gaelic Feis Aug. 25. The Feis will feature workshops, a traditional codfish supper, milling frolic and evening concert with Mary Jane Lamond and Friends.
