Dùthchas

A poignant, touching and emotive exploration of what it means to people, especially women, after they had to leave the island of their birth: Berneray in the Outer Hebrides. They left to get an education, work, and live. What effect did this have on the Gaelic language and culture of the island?

The documentary features previously unseen Kodachrome 8mm archive film of everyday life on the Isle of Berneray through the 60s and 70s, intercut with interviews of people from the island. Many are featured in the archive film, which has repeated scenes of departures as friends and relatives on the pier wave as they recede into the distance.

A specially composed soundtrack by Donald Shaw draws on the richness of traditional Gaelic songs from Berneray and their compelling melodies as inspiration.

Tha an aithriseachd Dùthchas na rannsachadh drùidhteach is tiamhaidh air cò ris a bha e coltach do dhaoine, boireannaich gu h-àraid, eilean am breith, Beàrnaraigh ann an Innse Gall, fhàgail gus foghlam, cosnadh is còmhnaidh fhaighinn a’ coimhead air a’ bhuaidh a bh’ aige air cànan is dualchas Gàidhlig an eilein.

Tha seann fhilm 8mm Kodachrome nach fhacas riamh roimhe de bheatha làitheil air Eilean Bheàrnaraigh sna 60an is 70an measgaichte le agallamhan ri daoine às an eilean agus nam measg mòran a bha san t-seann fhilm. Tha seallaidhean suaicheanta a' nochdadh a-rithist is a-rithist de bhith a' fàgail an eilein, càirdean is caraidean air a’ chidhe a’ fàgail soraidh slàn mar a dh’fhalbhas iad às an t-sealladh.

Chaidh ceòl sònraichte a chruthachadh le Dòmhnall Seathach a’ tarraing à dualchas saidhbhir òrain na Gàidhlig agus às na fuinn chumhachdach nan cois mar spreagadh.

In Gaelic with English subtitles.