The Clearances Project, A memorial in planning

[Faileas]

Those of ye who follow me posts ken that i am a follower of Runrig and as such i am a member of the Fan Club. In our magazine of last december i found following article written by Rory or Calum (dunno which tho i think it might be Rory) which might be of interest for ye:

"The Clearances Project is non political, and has both national and international implications. The plan is an ambitious one. It is to create a Centre, not just to commemorate the clearance of people from the Scottish Highlands and Islands, but to celebrate the contributions that Highlanders and their descendants have made to human progress throughout the world.

It is envisaged that the Centre will become a local point to be visited by the descendants of cleared people, and by all those who are interested in this incredible story of inhumanity, sorrow, courage and enterprise. Every nation needs its place of pilgrimage. a place of healing where it´s history can be confronted, properly understood, and put to rest. Scotland has never had that, in fact this area of Highland history has been suppressed for generations, and there is still a body of thought that argues against the more vontentious and emotive aspects of this period of our history. It was only last year that The Scottish Parliament officially recognized the historicity [now what does that remind me of, i wonder? - FOW]. Speakers from the four main partiesspoke in support of the resolution - "That the parliament of Scotland exresses its deepest regrets for the occurence of the Highland Clearances and extends its hand in friendship and welcome to the descendants of the cleared people ho reside ot-with our shores"

And further down:

"The whole concept is the brainchild of the project charman, Dennis Macleod. Dennis originates from Helmsdale in Sutherland, a ddescendannt of crofters cleared from the South of Kildonan, during the infamous clearances by The Duke of Sutherland in the 19th century. As a young lad, on the family croft, Dennis spent mana a long hour panning for gold in the Strath of Kildonan. His childhood fascination with minerals, led him to a successful career in mining all over the world. Especially in South Africa, and Canada, from where he recently returned  back to Scotland and is now putting all his energies into the project that he has dreamed and schemed about all his adult life. In 1995, he registered Clearances Centre Ltd as a charitable company, for the primara purpose of commemorating the Hghland Clearances.
The main focal point for the Centre will be a bronze statue to be sculpted by one of the UK' s most pre-eminent sculptors Gerald Laing.  The story to be told is an epic one, and any representation, has to compliment in its  scale of presence, and emotion. It is an enormous work, unrivalled in recent history and to give you some idea of the scfale. The Angel of The North is taller but far elss massive. It is fabricated from steel and easier to make. The Clearances sculpture can only be compared with works such as the Statue of Liberty and efven the Colossus of Rhodes. It is a world class project ..."

The statue is that of a cleared family and the location for the whole thing is to be in Helmsdale itself, an outstanding and most apropriate location. Besides the statue there will be a museum and a cultural archive of songs and poems of the period. Contact person is Christee Mackay phone 01431- 821538; e-mail adress is admin (at) highland.clearances.co.uk
Website is under construction and the target for opening is 5 years. So far from me. btw ye might like to listen into Dance Called America, Fichead Bliadhna and the Album Recovery.

[Catriona]

FotW
Here's the URL for a Clearances site which I seem to remember was quite good - Mind you, it's about a year since I looked at it!

http://www.theclearances.org/

I have to say that the article you quoted was interesting - particularly about the 'apology' re the Clearances....  This caused an uproar in Scotland.....   I for one am not keen that my Govt apologises for something that happened BEFORE the Scottish Parliament was even set up......   The people of Scotland were not responsible for the Clearances, it was mainly the landowners!  The common man had nothing to do with it!  Why should have an apology made on our behalf?  If however the Duke of Argyll, the Duke of Sutherland etc, want to make personal apologies, I'm all for that  

My family were lucky.  They managed to stay in their areas - they were not cleared, although both came from highland areas.

[Cabbagehome]

Quote (Catriona @ Feb. 19 2003,10:07)

I have to say that the article you quoted was interesting - particularly about the 'apology' re the Clearances....  This caused an uproar in Scotland.....   I for one am not keen that my Govt apologises for something that happened BEFORE the Scottish Parliament was even set up......   The people of Scotland were not responsible for the Clearances, it was mainly the landowners!  The common man had nothing to do with it!  Why should have an apology made on our behalf?  If however the Duke of Argyll, the Duke of Sutherland etc, want to make personal apologies, I'm all for that

Aw you know, how the whites feel, when the Blacks want restatution, for slavery.

[RavenWing]

I am not as well read on Scottish history as I would like to be.  What is the Clearances Project?  Was it anything like the Japanese internment camps during WWII?

[aklassie]

There's a pretty good site of the web called The Gathering of the Clans.  They use to have some really good articals about the Clearances and other stories pertaining to Highland history.  They are revamping the site so maybe more articals will get posted.

[Faileas]

Hallo Ravenwing! The Clearances Project is a massive memorial being planned in Helmsdale, Sutherland, Scotland. It consists of a statue, archive and memorial about the Clearances and the achievement of Highlanders all over the world in general. A certain band is sponsor of that project, coz its directly in their interest that is reflected in many of their songs. Wonder who that might be? ...Rugrag ... rigrag .. or is it Runrig by any chance hehe ::luvscotland

[Catriona]

Hello, Raven Wing
The Clearances, is the name given to the time when Scottish clan members were 'cleared' from their lands by the landowners in order to replace them with sheep.  Most of the 'cleared' were forced to emigrate to the new world, mostly Canada and the USA,but also to New Zealand and Australia.

Electric Scotland is a website which has many articles. Take some of them with a pinch of salt, as the owners of the site freely admit that they do not 'check' articles submitted to them.

http://www.electricscotland.com/

I was lucky. My family was not cleared.  But, that was because they were landowners themselves (only in a small way!) and professional people, ie lawyers and teachers.

[RavenWing]

That makes a LOT more sense now.  Thank you Catriona!