Seachdain na Gàidhlig / World Gaelic Week

Is e Seachdain na Gàidhlig a th’ ann agus tha mi a’ cuimhneachadh air an àite chudromach shòisealta is eaconamach a tha aig Gàidhlig ann an coimhearsnachdan beòthail fulangach.

Aig HIE, is fhada on a bha sinn mothachail do agus a ghabh sinn ris a’ chomas a tha aig Gàidhlig mar thaobh cudromach de bheatha chultarach, eaconamach is shoisealta na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean.

An seo ann an Innse Gall, tha an dùmhlachd as àirde againn de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig san RA agus tha an cànan air a chluinntinn agus air a labhairt gach latha. Lorgar a’ Ghàidhlig anns gach àite de chultar nan eilean againn, bho sgeulachdan gu òrain, ar n-ainmean-àite agus ar biadh is deoch, agus ’s e sin a tha a’ cur tadhal air na h-eileanan seo air leth agus gun choimeas. Tha Gàidhlig a’ co-cheangal choimhearsnachdan agus a’ coileanadh àite deatamach ann an cumadh suidheachadh gnothachais ionadail.

Tha sinn air àrdachadh fhaicinn ann an daoine a’ conaltradh leinn gu tur ann an Gàidhlig no a’ gabhail a-steach Gàidhlig nan còmhradh. Tha ar luchd-dèiligidh a’ cur luach air an seo agus tha e a’ nochdadh na misneachd a tha a’ sìor fhàs sa chànan taobh a-staigh na coimhearsnachd agus san sgioba againn.

Tha barrachd is barrachd ghnothachasan tarsainn farsaingeachd na roinne a’ gabhail a-steach Gàidhlig nan obrachaidhean, a’ taisbeanadh dealas don choimhearsnachd ionadail. Tha muinntir na coimhearsnachd agus luchd-tadhail air na h-eileanan a’ tuigsinn agus a’ toirt taic do dh’iomairtean a tha a’ nochdadh spèis don agus ag adhartachadh a’ chànain.

Le bhith a’ gabhail a-steach soidhneachd Ghàidhlig, litreachas agus tachartasan cultarach,  tha gnothachasan a’ tighinn gu bhith nan stiùirichean air turasachd chultarach, a’ tarraing luchd-tadhail a tha measail air iad fhèin a bhogadh ann an eachdraidh bheò nan eilean. Tha seo a’ toirt spionnadh don eaconamaidh ionadail agus a’ cur taic ri glèidhteachas a’ chànain le bhith a’ cruthachadh iarrtas airson seirbheisean Gàidhlig co-cheangailte eile.

Tha buidhnean ag adhartachadh agus a’ comharrachadh dualchas cultarach Gàidhlig, agus tha cuid ag amalachadh Gàidhlig a-steach do na buidhnean aca gus conaltradh, làthaireachd, ìre reic agus leasachadh bathair a neartachadh. 

Thar nam bliadhnaichean, tha sinn air taic a chur ri luach cultarach is coimearsalta na Gàidhlig tro raon de ghnìomhachdan tarsainn na roinne.

Is e Cnoc Soilleir ann an Uibhist a Deas aon de dh’eisimpleirean ùr-ghnàthach, far a bheil togalach ùr air a stèidheachadh airson foghlam, cànan agus ealain Ghàidhlig.  Tha am pròiseact air obraichean ùra a chruthachadh mar-thà, air barrachd luchd-tadhail a tharraing agus a’ cruth-atharrachadh sgìre a tha saidhbhir ann an dualchas cultarach agus aig an aon àm a’ solarachadh goireas ùr don choimhearsnachd.

Mar an ceudna, tha sinn a’ faicinn barrachd is barrachd ghnothachasan bìdhe is dibhe a’ cleachdadh Gàidhlig nam bathar agus nan seirbheisean a thuilleadh air a bhith ag aithneachadh cudromachd an lùib a bhith a’ fastadh luchd-obrach le Gàidhlig.

Le Gàidhlig a bhith na pàirt den bheatha sna Hearadh, tha Taigh-staile Eilean na Hearadh air barrachd Gàidhlig a ghabhail a-steach don obair aca agus tha iad fiù a’ roinn beagan dheth leis an dà chuid luchd-tadhail agus le luchd-ceannach, air-loidhne. O chionn ghoirid, thòisich iad a’ tabhann chuairtean mìosail den taigh-staile air an stiùireadh gu h-iomlan ann an Gàidhlig.

Tha Gàidhlig fhileanta aig timcheall air leth na sgioba ann an Taigh-staile Eilean na Hearadh, agus a’ Ghàidhlig air a faicinn ’s air a cluinntinn anns gach oisean den taigh-staile, ann an eadar-mhìneachadh phannalan, air cairtean cuimhneachain a’ mìneachadh prìomh fhacail ris an coinnich iad air an slighe agus air tiogaidean chuairtean is cuidhteasan inneal-pàighidh.

Ann an Leòdhas, tha Astar a’ cleachdadh mheadhanan didseatach, dealbhadh grafaigeach agus toradh bhidio gus conaltraidhean Gàidhlig a lìbhrigeadh agus barrachd eadar-chonaltradh leis a’ chànan a mhisneachadh, gu h-àraid a thaobh dhaoine òga.

Tha gealltanas brosnachail aig Gàidhlig airson fàs agus tha Astar na eisimpleir sàr-mhath de mar a dh’fhaodar grèim a ghabhail air na cothroman sin agus cur ri soirbheachadh don Ghàidhlig san àm ri teachd, ri a cultar agus a coimhearsnachdan. 

Tha cleachdadh na Gàidhlig air fhaicinn mar chothrom reic air leth (USP) do ghnothachasan beaga air seasamh a-mach agus farpais le buidhnean nas motha. Tha iarrtas a tha a’ sìor fhàs bho luchd-ceannach airson càileachd, ùghdarrachd agus tùs, cuideachd a’ biathadh meas air a’ Ghàidhlig gu nàiseanta agus eadar-nàiseanta.

O chionn ghoirid, dh’fhoillsich sinn duilleag ùr air an làraich-lìn againn far a bheil barrachd mu dheidhinn mar a ghabhas comas na Gàidhlig ann an gnothachasan no buidhnean fhuasgladh, nar duilleig ùir Why Choose Gaelic.

Tha mi a’ coimhead air adhart ri Duaisean FilmG a fhrithealadh Dihaoine còmhla ri Stiùbhart MacIlleDhuibh, Àrd-Oifigear HIE.  Gun teagamh sam bith, tha measgachadh mìorbhaileach de dh’innteartan an làthair bho ar daoine òga tàlantach – mòran dhiubh bho Innse Gall agus tarsainn Alba air fad. Tha sinn a’ guidhe soirbheachas do gach aon dhiubh air an oidhche. Cluinnidh sibh barrachd bho Stiùbhart sa bhloga aige nas fhaide air adhart den t-seachdain seo. 

World Gaelic Week

It’s Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) and I’m reminded of the important social and economic role that Gaelic plays in vibrant, resilient communities.

At HIE, we’ve long acknowledged the potential of Gaelic as a significant aspect of cultural, economic and social life in the Highlands and Islands.

Here in the Outer Hebrides, we have the highest concentration of Gaelic speakers in the UK and the language is heard and spoken every day. Gaelic is found everywhere in our island culture, from stories to our songs, our place names to our food and drink and it’s what makes visiting these islands unique. Gaelic connects communities and plays a pivotal role in shaping the local business landscape.

We’ve noticed a rise in people communicating with us either entirely in Gaelic or incorporating Gaelic. Our clients appreciate this and highlights the increasing confidence in the language within the community and in our team.

More and more businesses across the wider region are incorporating Gaelic in their operations, demonstrating a commitment to the local community. Local people and visitors to the islands appreciate and support enterprises that respect and promote the language.

By incorporating Gaelic signage, literature and cultural events, businesses become drivers for cultural tourism, attracting visitors eager to immerse themselves in the living history of the islands. This boosts the local economy and supports the preservation of the language by creating a demand for Gaelic related services.

Organisations are promoting and celebrating Gaelic cultural heritage, and some are integrating Gaelic in their organisations for enhance communication, ambience, increased sales and product development.

Over the years, we’ve supported the cultural and commercial value of Gaelic through a range of activities across the region.

One of many innovative examples is Cnoc Soilleir in South Uist, where a new building has been established for education, Gaelic language and the arts. The project has already created new jobs, brought more visitors and is transforming an area rich in cultural heritage while providing a new facility for the community.

Likewise, we are seeing more and more food and drink businesses using Gaelic in their products and services as well as recognising the importance of employing Gaelic speaking staff.

With Gaelic being a part of life in Harris, Isle of Harris Distillers has incorporated more Gaelic into their work and even share some of it with visitors and with customers, online. They’ve recently started offering monthly tours of the distillery conducted entirely in Gaelic.

Around half of the team at Isle of Harris Distillers speak Gaelic fluently and the language is seen and heard in all corners of the distillery, in interpretation panels, on keepsake cards explaining key words they’ll encounter along the way and on tour tickets and till receipts.

In Lewis, Astar uses digital media, graphic design and video production to deliver Gaelic communications to encourage more interaction with the language, especially with young people.

The Gaelic language has exciting prospects for growth and Astar is an excellent example of how to seize these opportunities and contribute to a thriving future for Gaelic, its culture and its communities.

Use of Gaelic is seen as a unique selling point (USP) for small businesses to stand out and compete with larger firms. Growing demand from consumers for quality, authenticity and provenance is also fuelling Gaelic popularity nationally and internationally.

We’ve recently published a new page on our website where there’s more on how to unlock Gaelic’s potential in businesses or organisations in our new Why Choose Gaelic page.

I’m looking forward to attending the FilmG Awards this Friday along with Stuart Black, HIE’s Chief Executive. There is certainly a fantastic variety of entries from our talented young people – many from the Outer Hebrides and across the whole of Scotland. We wish every one of them all the best on the night. You’ll hear more from Stuart in his blog later this week.