Machair soundwalk

5 ECHOES

Commissioned by Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre, this soundwalk explores the traditions and ecology of Uist’s machair. A Gaelic word meaning fertile, low-lying grassy plain, machair is one of Europe's rarest yet most species-rich habitats; only occurring on the exposed west-facing shores of Scotland and Ireland, 70% of which is found on Uist. Generations of low-intensity farming have shaped this unique landscape and encouraged wildlife over millennia. Developed in partnership with the local community, this work combines spoken narratives, field recordings, and compositions with archival sound recordings from Edinburgh University’s School of Scottish Studies, that chart over 70-years of oral history.

Contributors: Freddie MacDonald, Seoras MacDonald, Alisdair MacEachen, Anne MacLellan, and Matthew Topsfield.

Production team: Duncan MacLeod (composer), Kirsty MacDonald & Mairi McFadyen (creative ethnologists), and Sorcha Monk (creative producer).

Cover photo: Liniclate machair, Tara Drummie, 2022.

If you have any questions or feedback about this soundwalk, please email contact@uistsoundwalks.org

V.24.1

soundwalk machair hebrides acoustic ecology soundscape gaelic song uist benebcula oral tradition

Starting point: Welcome & Introduction

This walk starts at the foot of the wind turbine on Liniclate Machair

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Section 1: The Machair

In this opening section, local residents Anne MacLennan and Matthew Topsfield give an introduction to the machair, whilst Angus MacDonald sings a traditional homeland song in praise of Uist Eilean Uibhist Mo Rùin (My beloved island of Uist), recorded in 1982. Anne MacLennan then talks us through a typical year working the machair.

Credits: Common land on Uist, John MacDonald interviewed by Eric Cregeen (1973); Uist Machair, Matthew Topsfield (2022); Eilean Uibhist Mo Rùin, Angus MacDonald (vocals), recorded Donald MacDonald (1982).

Photo: Liniclate beach, Duncan MacLeod, 2022.

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Section 2: Collecting and using seaweed on the machair

As we walk along the coast, we learn about the historical and contemporary uses of seaweed as a natural fertiliser on the machair. In this section, we hear from islanders Roderick MacKillop, John MacIver, Angus MacKenzie, and John Morrison interviewed by Emily Lyle in 1977, who describe harvesting seaweed to fertilise soil on the machair. Local crofter Alasdair MacEachen and Matthew Topsfield provide insight into how these practices continue today. Accompanying these narratives, we hear a selection of puirt à beul {mouth-music} dance tunes sung by Kenneth MacIver (recorded in 1959), and the waulking song Mhòrag 's na Hòro-gheallaidh (Morag and the Promised) recorded in 1973 that recounts a story of a love-lorn woman collecting seaweed performed by Christine Shaw and local residents from Bunavoneader, North Harris.

Credits: Nam Bithinn na mo Mhaighdeann, Kenneth MacIver (vocals), recorded by fieldworker James Ross (1959); Gathering Seaweed on Uist, Roderick MacKillop, John MacIver, Angus MacKenzie, and John Morrison interviewed by fieldworker Emily Lyle (1977); Using seaweed to grow potatoes and crops, Alasdair MacEachen interviewed by Mairi McFadyen (2022); Mhòrag 's na Hòro-gheallaidh, sung by Christine Shaw, recorded by Morag MacLeod (1973); Uist seaweed Matthew Topsfield (2022).

Photo: Gathering seaweed, Margaret Fay Shaw, c. 1932.

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Section 3: Cultivating the machair

As we follow the coast round to the left, the water opens out to the North Atlantic. In this section, the conversation moves onto cultivating and planting crops on the machair. Crofter Alasdair MacAchen discusses cultivating soil on the machair, whilst Roderick, Angus, John MacIver and John Morrison recount stories of planting of crops without machinery. Meanwhile, we hear Peggy MacIver sing the humourous song Sgadan Saillt' 's Buntàt' (Potatoes and Herring) recorded in 1969 about the benefits of eating salt herring and potatoes.

Credits: Seaweeding the ground, Alasdair MacEachen interviewed by Mairi McFadyen (2022); Planting potatoes with seaweed, Roderick MacKillop, John MacIver, Angus MacKenzie and John Morrison, interviewed by fieldworker Emily Lyle (1977); Sgadan Saillt' 's Buntàt', sung by Peggy MacIver, recorded by James Ross (1969).

Photo: Ploughing the machair, Sorcha Monk, 2022.

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Section 4: Cropping & harvesting on the machair.

Turning left, we follow the track inland through the machair. In this final section, we learn about planting and harvesting crops on the machair. Crofters Alasdair MacAchen and Matthew Topsfield talk us through the system of cropping, and the types of grain commonly grown on the machair. We then hear from the next generation of crofters, brothers Freddie (aged 7) and Seoras (aged 4) MacDonald, who provide a running commentary on their dad and grandpapa’s harvesting crops on the machair. Music featured in this section includes the children's harvesting song Orra Bhonnagan a Ghaoil (Dear Orra Bonnagan) sung by Nan MacKinnon, recorded in 1958. Kenneth MacIver returns with another set of puirt à beul (mouth-music) dance tunes, and we finish with Angus Fletcher singing Am Buntàta 's an Sgadan (The Potato and Herring) recorded in 1971.

Credits: Orra Bhonnagan a Ghaoil - sung by Nan McKinnon, recorded by James Ross (1958); Lifting potatoes - Alasdair MacEachen interviewed by Mairi McFayden (2022); Machair cropping - Matthew Topsfield interviewed by Mairi McFayden (2022); Cropping on the machair - Alasdair MacEachen interviewed by Mairi McFayden (2022); Cropping traditions on the machair - Matthew Topsfield interviewed by Mairi McFayden (2022); Nam Bithinn na mo Mhaighdeann, Tha Fionnlagh ag Inneireadh, Mac a' Phì - sung by Kenneth MacIver, recorded by James Ross (1959); Bailing on the machair - Freddie and Seoras Monk MacDonald (2022); Am Buntàta 's an Sgadan - sung by Angus Fletcher, recorded by Morag MacLeod & Ian Fraser (1971).

Photo: Harvesting on the machair, Sorcha Monk, 2022.

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