Dùthchas na Mara Dúchas na Mara Belonging to the Sea
Dùthchas na Mara Dúchas na Mara Belonging to the Sea
Dùthchas na Mara Dúchas na Mara Belonging to the Sea
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Cùl-fraoinTha an obair-sgrùdaidh seo a’ <strong>to</strong>gailcheistean mu ghnè bhu<strong>na</strong>iteach <strong>na</strong> strì sabheil dà choimhears<strong>na</strong>chd Ghàidhlig an<strong>na</strong>n eilea<strong>na</strong>n — an dara tè ann an Alba is antè eile ann an Èirinn — air a bhith an sàs ochionn beagan bhliadh<strong>na</strong>ichean a-nis. An<strong>na</strong>n 2012, tha an dà choimhears<strong>na</strong>chd seo a’cur gu dubh an aghaidh mhodhan a thaobhco-dhù<strong>na</strong>idh aig buidhnean-riaghaltais aig abheil mar raon-ùghdarrais ni<strong>the</strong>an ceangailteris an àrainneachd nàdarra sa bheil <strong>na</strong>h-eilea<strong>na</strong>ich a’ fuireach a dhìon.San dà eilean, tha iasgairean den bheachdgu bheil an teachd-an-tìr is an dògh-beathaaca fo bhagairt aig buidhnean cumhachdach<strong>na</strong>ch eil a’ <strong>to</strong>irt cluas-ri-claisneachddhaibh. Ann am Barraigh, buinidh an strì rimolaidhean le buidheann gleidheadh-nàdairRiaghaltas <strong>na</strong> h-Alba, Dualchas Nàdair<strong>na</strong> h-Alba, dà àrainn gleidheadh-maraainmeachadh ann an uisgeachan far aneilein (a chaidh ao<strong>na</strong>n dhiubh a cheadachadhanns an Ògmhios 2012 gus a bhith airainmeachadh le Riaghaltas <strong>na</strong> h-Alba agusthathar a’ fei<strong>the</strong>amh air co-dhù<strong>na</strong>dh muntè eile). Aig an aon àm s<strong>na</strong> h-eilea<strong>na</strong>n an<strong>na</strong>n Tìr Cho<strong>na</strong>ill — Arainn Mhòr <strong>na</strong>m measg— buinidh an deasbad ris an dàil a chuirRiaghaltas <strong>na</strong> h-Èireann air iasgaach-<strong>na</strong>nlìon-siabaidh agus <strong>na</strong> bacaidhean mòra arèir <strong>na</strong>n eilea<strong>na</strong>ch a chaidh a chur air a’chomas a th’ aca iasgach le lìn <strong>na</strong>n cuiduisgeachan fhèin.Chan e adhbhar <strong>na</strong> h-obrach seo beachdan<strong>na</strong>n eilea<strong>na</strong>ch fhìrea<strong>na</strong>chadh seach brìgha thoirt air falbh bhuapa gu bheil iad fobhagairt; cha mhotha chan e argamaidtaobh seach taobh mun dòigh sa bheil iada’ freagairt air a’ bhagairt a bhios iad a’8CúlraCuireann an saothar taiscéalaíochseo ceistean<strong>na</strong> fá ghné níos doimhneden choimhlint a deachaigh dháchomharsa<strong>na</strong>cht Ghaelacha - cionn inÉirinn agus cionn in Albain - i ngleicléi le blianta beaga anuas. In 2012,tá an dá chomharsa<strong>na</strong>cht seo ag curgo gníomhach in éadan phróiseascinnteoireachta comhlachtaí rialtais abhfuil de shainchúram orthu gnéi<strong>the</strong> dentimpeallacht nádúrtha a bhfuil có<strong>na</strong>í ar <strong>na</strong>hoileá<strong>na</strong>igh a chosaint.Isan dá oileán, creideann <strong>na</strong> hiascairígo bhfuil a ngléas beatha is a slímhaireachtála fá bhagar ag institiúidícumhachtacha <strong>na</strong>ch mbíonn ag éisteachtleofa. In Oileán Bharra, baineann ant-aighneas le moltaí de chuid comhlachtacaomh<strong>na</strong>i<strong>the</strong> dúlra Rialtas <strong>na</strong> hAlba<strong>na</strong>,Oidhríocht Dúlra <strong>na</strong> hAlba<strong>na</strong>, dhá limistéarcaomh<strong>na</strong>i<strong>the</strong> mara a ainmniú in uiscíamach ón oileán (a bhfuil cionn amháin acui Mei<strong>the</strong>amh 2012 ceadai<strong>the</strong> fá choinneainmniúcháin le Rialtas <strong>na</strong> hAlba<strong>na</strong> chea<strong>na</strong>féin agus an cionn eile ag fei<strong>the</strong>amh archinneadh). San am chéan<strong>na</strong> ar oileáinThír Cho<strong>na</strong>ill — Árainn Mhór san áireamh— baineann an t-aighneas le mora<strong>to</strong>riumRialtas <strong>na</strong> hÉireann ar iascach an bhradáinle sruthlíonta agus <strong>na</strong> srianta milltea<strong>na</strong>chade réir <strong>na</strong> n-oileá<strong>na</strong>ch a cuireadh ar agcumas iascach le heangacha i<strong>na</strong> gcuiduiscí féin.Chan é feidhm <strong>na</strong> hoibre seo mothúcháin<strong>na</strong> n-oileá<strong>na</strong>ch go bhfuiltear ag bagarorthu a fhírinniú ná a neamhbhailiú, náargáil ar son ná in éadan an bhealaighBackgroundThis explora<strong>to</strong>ry work asks questionsabout <strong>the</strong> deeper <strong>na</strong>ture of conflictthat two separate Gaelic-speakingisland communities — one in Irelandand one in Scotland — have becomeembroiled in during recent years. In2012, both <strong>the</strong>se communities find<strong>the</strong>mselves actively opposing decisionmakingprocesses of government bodieswhose remit is <strong>to</strong> protect aspects of<strong>the</strong> <strong>na</strong>tural environment in which <strong>the</strong>island people live.On both islands <strong>the</strong> fishermen believethat <strong>the</strong>ir livelihood and way of livingis being threatened by powerfulinstitutions who are not listening <strong>to</strong><strong>the</strong>m. On Barra <strong>the</strong> dispute centresaround proposals by <strong>the</strong> ScottishGovernment’s <strong>na</strong>ture conservationbody, Scottish Natural Heritage,<strong>to</strong> desig<strong>na</strong>te two European marineconservation areas in waters off <strong>the</strong>island (one of which, at <strong>the</strong> time ofwriting in June 2012, has already bee<strong>na</strong>pproved for desig<strong>na</strong>tion by <strong>the</strong> ScottishGovernment while <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r awaits adecision). Meanwhile on <strong>the</strong> Donegalislands — including Arranmore — <strong>the</strong>dispute is about <strong>the</strong> Irish Government’smora<strong>to</strong>rium on drift-net fishing forsalmon and on what <strong>the</strong> islanders feelare crippling restrictions that have beenplaced on <strong>the</strong>ir ability <strong>to</strong> fish with netsin <strong>the</strong>ir local waters.It is not <strong>the</strong> purpose of this work <strong>to</strong>ei<strong>the</strong>r justify or invalidate <strong>the</strong> islandpeople’s feelings of being under threat;faireachdainn a th’ ann. An àite sin, thaan tuairisgeul seo a’ sealltainn air cùlaibhan nàimhdeis phoilitigich gus dualchasis beachdan a bhuineas ris a’ mhuir sandà choimhears<strong>na</strong>chd Ghàidhealach seo asgrùdadh — is iad air an dealachadh lecrìochan-stàite ach air an <strong>to</strong>irt còmhlaa thaobh ni<strong>the</strong>an ceangailte ri cà<strong>na</strong>n iscultar - a dh’fhaodas bros<strong>na</strong>chadh mar atha an dà eilean gu follaiseach a’ cur a<strong>na</strong>ghaidh reachdas <strong>na</strong>n stàitean a tha ganriaghladh. Tha i cuideachd <strong>na</strong> sgrùdadh airreachdas eadar-nàiseanta mu phoileasaidha tha ceangailte ri eòlas dùthchasach agusdualchas cultarail.Tha an rannsachadh againn a’ cur an cèill gubheil aig cridhe <strong>na</strong>m beachdan is a’ ghiùlainseo dòigh-labhairt a tha gu sònraichteGàidhealach mu fhaireachdainn a tha ancomas mhic-an-duine air feadh <strong>na</strong> cruinnecè:an fhaireachdainn a thaobh a bhith a’buntainn ri àite, agus an t-uallach a th’ ortairson an àite sin. A thaobh <strong>na</strong> Gàidhligdheth, tha an fhaireachdainn seo - air ando ghabh an sgoilear mòr Gàidhlig IainMac Aonghuis seòrsa de ‘lùth-mothachaidh’— air a glacadh leis an fhacal <strong>na</strong>ch gabhtionndadh gu furasta, ‘dùthchas’ (ann anGàidhlig) no ‘dúchas’ (ann an Gaeilge).Ged a tha ‘dùthchas / dúchas’ ceangailte risan fhearann — tha e a’ tighinn bhon fhacalGhàidhlig ‘dùth/dú’ aig a bheil a’ bhrìgh‘talamh’ no ‘fearann’ - tha an rannsachadhagainn a’ cur an cèill gum buin an lùthmothachaidhis an t-uallach an lùib anfhacail ris <strong>na</strong> h-uisgeachan timcheall air andùthchas.Mar sin dheth, ‘s e <strong>na</strong> tha sinn a’ feuchainnri cur ann am briathran san aithisgseo ‘dùthchas/dúchas <strong>na</strong> mara’ — ani<strong>na</strong> bhfuil siad ag freagairt ar an bhagar amhothaíonn siad. I<strong>na</strong> áit sin, amharcann ancuntas taobh thiar den <strong>na</strong>imhdeas pholaitiúille cleachtaí comónta muirí agus prionsabailfá chreidiúint is iompar sa dá phobalGhaelacha seo a chíoradh — deighiltele teorainneacha stáit ach aontai<strong>the</strong> ingnéi<strong>the</strong> de <strong>the</strong>anga is de chultúr — ad’fhéadfadh a bheith ag spreagadh <strong>na</strong>frithbheartaíochta isan dá oileán in éadanreachtaíocht <strong>na</strong> stát a rialíonn iad. Pléannsé ionstraimí idirnáisiúnta beartais fostaa bhaineann le fios traidisiúnta agus lehoidhríocht chultúrtha.Cuireann an taighde s’againn i gcéillgo bhfuil ag croí <strong>na</strong> dtuairimí is aniompair seo modh labhartha Gaelach lemothúchán uilíoch daon<strong>na</strong> a chur in iúl: anmothúchán go mbaineann tú le háit, agusdo fhreagracht as an áit sin. Ó thaobh <strong>na</strong>Gàidhlige de, glactar an mothúchán seo —a chuir an fear léinn Gàidhlige cliúiteachIain Mac Aonghuis in iúl mar ’fuinneamhmothúcháin’ — leis an fhocal <strong>na</strong>ch dtig aaistriú go furast ‘dúchas’ (sa Ghaeilic) nó‘dùthchas’ (sa Ghàidhlig).Gidh go mbaineann an focal ‘dúchas/dùthchas’ leis an talamh - thig sé ón fhocalGaeilice ‘dú/dùth’ a chiallaíonn ‘talamh’ nó‘tír’ - cuireann an taighde s’againn i gcéill gosíneann an fuinneamh mothúcháin fá bhaintis fá fhreagracht a chuireann an focal in iúlgo dtí <strong>na</strong> huiscí thart fán dúchas.Ar an ábhar sin, is é an rud atá fáideardúinn cuntas a thabhairt ar sa tuarascáilseo ‘dúchas/dùthchas <strong>na</strong> mara’ — an mothúgo mbaineann tú leis an fharraige — agusan ról a imríonn an mothú seo le saolnor is it <strong>to</strong> argue for or against <strong>the</strong>way in which <strong>the</strong>y are responding <strong>to</strong><strong>the</strong> threat <strong>the</strong>y are feeling. Instead,this account looks behind <strong>the</strong> politicalantagonism <strong>to</strong> explore shared maritimetraditions and principles of belief andconduct in <strong>the</strong>se two Gaelic speakingcommunities — divided by stateboundaries but united in aspects oflanguage and culture — that may bemotivating <strong>the</strong> resistance manifest onboth islands <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> legislation of <strong>the</strong>states that rule <strong>the</strong>m. It also examinesinter<strong>na</strong>tio<strong>na</strong>l policy instruments that arerelevant <strong>to</strong> traditio<strong>na</strong>l knowledge andcultural heritage.Our research suggests that at <strong>the</strong>heart of <strong>the</strong>se beliefs and conductis a particular Gaelic expression of afeeling that is universally potential inhuman beings: <strong>the</strong> sense of belonging<strong>to</strong> a home place, and of responsibilityfor that place. In <strong>the</strong> Gaelic context,this feeling — described by <strong>the</strong> greatScottish Gaelic scholar John MacInnesas a form of ‘emotio<strong>na</strong>l energy’ —is encapsulated by <strong>the</strong> not easilytranslateable word ‘dúchas’ (in Irish) or‘dùthchas’ (in Scottish Gaelic).While ‘dúchas/dùthchas’ is a word of<strong>the</strong> land — it is derived from <strong>the</strong> Gaelicword ‘dú / dùth’ which can mean ‘earth’or ‘land’ — our research suggests that<strong>the</strong> emotio<strong>na</strong>l energy of belonging andresponsibility <strong>the</strong> word conveys extends<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> waters around <strong>the</strong> homeland.Therefore, what we are seeking <strong>to</strong>describe in this report is ‘dúchas /9