The Wampanoag language had died in the 19th century, but with the help of an old Bible (and other documents) they have reconstructed it and are now teaching classes. There are said to be around 10 fluent speakers so far. An exhibition about their culture has opened in Plymouth. As seen on “An Lร ” on BBC ALBA on 22/5/21.
Wรคhlt Schottland heute die Unabhรคngigkeit?
In Schottland wird heute ein Regionalparlament gewรคhlt. Es scheint aber, als wรคre es in erster Linie eine Abstimmung รผber ein erneutes Unabhรคngigkeitsreferendum. Die europafreundlichen Schotten wollen wieder zurรผck in die EU und die Europafahne weht weiterhin vor dem Parlament in Edinburg (gesendet am 6.5.2021).
Werden die Schotten mehrheitlich Parteien wรคhlen, die die Unabhรคngigkeit anstreben? Wird es ein zweites Referendum geben? Wollen die Schotten immer noch zurรผck in die EU? Gesendet am 6.5.2021.
Soisgeul @ Glรฒir an 2019
Cuimhneachain air amannan nas fheร rr: Soisgeul an Talla Usher an Dรนn รideann/ Memories of better times: Two year’s ago the only Gaelic Gospel choir performed in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. What a privilege to be a part of this amazing choir!
I first joined Soisgeul at a workshop with Gareth Fuller, an experienced Gospel choir director, on the holy island of Iona in 2017. Here is my report for An Lร , the news on BBC ALBA.
Berlin Rent Cap a Clash of Ideologies
The City of Berlin has recently introduced a rent cap after rents doubled over 10 years. But they are still very low compared to other European capitals. The federal government has challenged the law in the courts saying it is unconstitutional. The rent cap was introduced by “Die Linke”, successor of the communist party of East Germany. Three industry experts tell me of their fear it will gradually return the housing stock to the ruinous state of communist times as landlords stop investing. Now campaigners gather signatures for a referendum to expropriate big private and even social landlords.
My report for European current affairs programme, Eรฒrpa on BBC ALBA on 4/2/21:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000rzvp/eorpa-series-28-episode-8
If you live outside the UK please access my report on youtube:
The Sea Cannot Be Blocked
In February 2020 I visited Moria, the notorious refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos. Some who worked there say the conditions were worse than in refugee camps in Africa. The camp has since burnt down in a fire set by the desperate refugees themselves.
View of the Moria camp before it burnt down from the Olive Grove 
Afghan fashion models/ refugees on Lesvos, Greece
“ฮ ฮธฮฌฮปฮฑฯฯฮฑ ฮฮตฮฝ ฯฯฮฌฮถฮตฯฮฑฮน” [I thรกlassa den frรกzetai]! Kostas Pinteris kept repeating the sentence over and over again. “The sea cannot be blocked”. He is a fisherman on the Greek island of Lesvos, on the edge of Europe. Turkey is within sight. In 2015 when the refugee crisis was at its height, he became a fisherman of men. He says he rescued thousands. Together with three others he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Now the Greek government are planning to install floating barriers between the island and Turkey to keep the refugees out. Kostas says this will impede fishing as well as shipping and will inevitably lead to disputes with the Turks.
Poseidon is known to be the Greek god of the sea. But Thalassa was a primeval spirit of the oceans. Her name is still in practical use today: I thรกlassa den frรกzetai! Together with her male counterpart, Pontus, she spawned the tribes of fish and the storm gods. Thalassa and Pontus were later replaced by Oceanus and Tethys, Poseidon and Amphitrite.
Continue reading “The Sea Cannot Be Blocked”Creideamh, Cร nan agus Cogadh
Observations from a trip to the Balkans (in English below)
A’ coiseachd tro Zagreb, prรฌomh bhaile Chroatia bho chionn ghoirid rร inig mi Kamenita Vrata, An Geata Cloiche. Tha soidhne dร -chร nanach os a chionn – ann an Chroatianais agus Gearmailtis. Bha an dรนthaich uair fo smachd รmpireachd na h-Ostaire agus na h-Ungaire. Tha an ailtireachd da-rรจir. ‘S e geata a-steach dhan t-seann bhaile a th’ ann. An rud a tha iongantach mu dhรจidhinn ‘s e is gu bheil รฌomhaigh de Mhuire Mhร thair na bhroinn agus beingidhean feadha gus รนrnaigh a dhรจanadh. Ach chan e a-mhร in is gu bheil daoine ag รนrnaigh an sin, chรฌthear fiรน ‘s oileanaich a’ ruigh tron gheata dha na clasaichean aca is iad a’ dรจanadh soidhne na croise. Gun teagamh is e ร ite a th’ ann an Croatia far a bheil an creideamh Caitligeach gu mรฒr mar phร irt dhe beatha poblach na dรนthcha.
Catacomban Mhร iri Mhagdalene/ Catacombs of Mary Magdalene
(in English below)
Air Eilean Lesbos sa Ghrรจig tha catacomban ann a chaidh a chladhach le muinntir an ร ite ร s dรจidh do Mhร iri Mhagdalene nochdadh dhaibh. Air an eadar-lรฌon chan fhaighear mรฒran fiosrachaidh mun dรจidhinn ann am Beurla. Dar a rร inig mi baile Skopelos cha robh aon soidhne ri fhaicinn. Dh’fhaighnich mi do ghrunnan dhaoine, ach cha robh iad ga mo thuigsinn. Mu dheireadh thall lorg mi eaglais agus chaidh mi a-steach ann. Bha an eaglais ortadocs sin lร n stuthan crร bhaidh mar is dual dhaibh.
Bha cailleach ann an aodach dhubh na suidhe an sin agus dh’fhaighnich mi dhithse a-rithist: “Maria Magdalena?” Rinn i soidhne dhomh nach b’ e seo an eaglais cheart idir, ach gun robh agam ri falbh suas an rathad. Chan fhada mus an do rร inig mi eaglais eile, ach bha an geata timcheall oirre dรนinte. Abair briseadh dรนil. B’ e seo an aon chothrom a bha gu bhith agam gus tadhail oirre. Bha e 7.45 sa mhadainn ge-tร . Chaidh mi timcheall is thog mi dealbhan bhon taobh a-muigh. Dรฌreach mus robh mi am beachd falbh nochd cailleach eile ann an aodach dhubh le gร ire air a h-aodann: “Kali mera!” – madainn mhath, ars mise. “Kali mera – katakombe?” dh’fhaighnich ise. Mu dheireadh thall bha fios aig cuideigin mu dhรจidhinn Mร iri Magdalene.
Le iuchar mhรฒr dh’fhosgail i an toiseach an geata agus an uair sin an eaglais. Sheall i dhomh an icon a tha an-diugh na sheasadh na broinn, ach a-rรจir choltais lorgar e gu h-รฌosal san talamh. B’ abhaist taighean-cรฒmhnaidh a bhith air an lร raich seo. Bha Anton agus Eilidh Tsantarlioti a’ fuireach an seo timcheall air a’ bhliadhna 1900. A-rรจir aon lร rach-lรฌn co-dhiรน nochd Mร iri Magdalene dha Eilidh is i ag rร dh rithe gun robh i a’ fuireach sa ghร radh aice agus gum miannaicheadh i gun losgar coinneal dhi fad na h-รนine. Rinn iad sin ri taobh a’ chruinn-ola. Continue reading “Catacomban Mhร iri Mhagdalene/ Catacombs of Mary Magdalene”
Omas Kรคsekuchen – Granny’s Cheescake
My Granny’s Cheesecake on BBC ALBA (in Gaelic with English subtitles)
There is none like it! Here’s the recipe:
Omas Kรคsekuchen:
250 g Butter, 250 g Zucker und 8 Eigelbe verrรผhren, dann schaumig schlagen.
2kg Quark, eine Prise Salz, Vanillesoรenpulver, Vanillezucker, 2 Teelรถffel Backpulver, Saft von 2 Zitronen, eine handvoll Rosinen, 160 g Grieร, 4 Esslรถffel Rum, 8 geschlagene Eiweiร (steif) unterheben.
Die Masse auf eine groรe und eine kleine Form verteilen. Bei 190 Grad auf unterster Schiene backen bis der Kuchen goldgelb ist (ca. 30 Min). Guten Appetit!
Granny’s Cheesecake:
Stir 250g of butter, 250g of sugar and 8 yolks. Beat until foamy.
Add 2kg quark, a pinch of salt, custard powder, vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, juice of 2 lemons, a handful of raisins, 160g of semolina, 4 tablespoons of Rum, 8 beaten egg whites (stiff) and fold.
Fill the mass in a large and a small form. Bake at 190 degrees on the bottom rail until the cake is golden yellow (roughly 30 mins). Guten Appetit!
My homemade video preparing the cake (in English)
Nach der โBrexitwahl:โ Stehen schottische Unabhรคngigkeit und irische Wiedervereinigung vor der Tรผr?
Meine Schlagzeilen aus einer Diskussionsrunde im Deutschlandfunk:
https://srv.deutschlandradio.de/dlf-audiothek-audio-teilen.3265.de.html?mdm:audio_id=793602
Brexit
Eine Minderheit von 43,6% hat in der britischen Unterhauswahl, dank des Mehrheitswahlrechts, den harten Brexit der Regierung Boris Johnson ermรถglicht. Der Rechtspopulist Johnson und der linksextreme Gegenkandidat der Labourpartei, Jeremy Corbyn, habe die britische politische Landschaft dabei weiter polarisiert.
Schottische Unabhรคngigkeit
Die SNP sagt, das Wahlergebnis zeige, daร das Vereinigte Kรถnigreich zerbrochen sei. Obgleich sie sich Schottische Nationalpartei nennt, verstehen sie sich als Internationalisten und Europรคer [mit sozialdemokratischer Gesinnung].
Die SNP hat aber auch nur 45% der schottischen Stimmen auf sich vereinigt. Eine Mehrheit hat also gegen Unabhรคngigkeit gestimmt. Continue reading “Nach der โBrexitwahl:โ Stehen schottische Unabhรคngigkeit und irische Wiedervereinigung vor der Tรผr?”
Soisgeul – The Scottish Gaelic Gospel Choir at the Royal National Mod Glasgow 2019
An absolutely unique performance giving you goosebumps. What a privilege to be a part of this choir. Follow the link below.
