An Leòmhann, A' Bhuidseach agus Am Preas-Aodaich
Nàirnia ann an Gàidhlig - A Lockdown Labour of Love
Tha sinn fortanach an seo aig Watercolour Music. Ann an àite brèagha far am faod sinn a bhi siubhal nam beann, far a bheil ar n-àite-obrach an ath doras agus ann an coimhearsnachd a tha taiceil dhan uile. Tha buannachdan ann a bhi glaiste an seo - chan e rud doirbh a th' anns an astarachadh shòisealta.
We know that we are very lucky to be in a beautiful part of the world where we can go walking in the hills, where our studio is just next door, and where we are part of a mutually supportive community. Lockdown here has it's upsides - social distancing is not difficult in Ardgour.
Tha an saoghal dùbhlanach air a shon sin. Mar a rinn le gu leòr eile, chaidh a' mhòr-chuid dhe ar cuid obrach às an t-sealladh gun choltas gun tig atharrachadh gun dàil. Mar sin, chuir sinn romhainn rud a dhèanamh a bheireadh faochadh is tlachd dhuinn.
Like so many folk, we worry about the future. As creative people, most of our planned work disappeared overnight with the lockdown, so we kept ourselves busy by planning for the future and by letting our imaginations make the most of what we have for the rest.
Thug sinn a-mach am Bocsa-Èididh (tha a leithid ann!) agus rinn sinn tòiseachadh. Rinn Màiri Anna eadar-theangachadh Gàidhlig son a' chiad turas riamh air leabhar CS Lewis, 'An Leòmhann, A' Bhuidseach Agus Am Preas-Aodaich, ag obair gu dlùth le a màthair Ceana, i fhèin glaiste aig an taigh ann an Glaschu.
So we took the (actual) Dressing-Up Box and embarked on a project that started off as an escape-hatch for Mary Ann, but which has taken on a life of its own during the pandemic. Working with her mother, Kenna Campbell, one of Mary Ann’s favourite childhood stories can now be enjoyed in her mother tongue - 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Bha sinn airson cothrom a thoirt do dhaoine aig an àm seo beagan tlachd is spòrs fhaighinn às a' phròiseact - clann, inbhich aig an robh cuimhn' air an leabhar iad fhèin, agus pàrantan le clann ann an sgoiltean Gàidhlig aig nach robh an cànan iad fhèin. Le cead coibhneil companaidh CS Lewis, chlàr sinn gach caibideil is shruth sinn beò air loidhne iad tro ràidh an t-samhraidh 2020.
We wanted to share this special project with the many Gaelic-speaking children (big kids too) who were stuck at home, and also to offer something that parents without Gaelic could also enjoy with their kids through their own memories of the book. And so we recorded the book chapter-by-chapter, and with the kind permission of the CS Lewis Company, we live-streamed the readings on Facebook throughout the Summer Term of 2020.
Seo a-nise an tasglann air làrach-lìn Watercolour gus an urrainn do dhaoine an sgeulachd a chluinntinn uair is uair, agus uair sam bith. Agus far an toir sinn thugaibh naidheachdan ùra mun phròiseact mar a nochdas iad.
We've now archived the readings here on the Watercolour Music website so that folk can continue to enjoy the classic tale in Gaelic. And we will bring you more information as we explore other possibilities for the project. You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LeoBuidseachPreas.
'S e gnìomh gu tur saor-thoileach a bha seo a rinn sinn a-mhàin leis na goireasan a bha againn an seo aig Watercolour. Nam bu mhath leibh taic a thoirt dhan obair, bhiodhmaid gu math taingeil!
This is entirely a voluntary project for us here at Watercolour, working solely with the resources that were available to us here. If you would like to support this work, we’d be delighted! You can make a contribution via Paypal at nick@watercolourmusic.co.uk. No nas fheàrr buileach! - buy one of our albums or books via the Watercolour shop – http://watercolourmusic.co.uk/Label/index.html.
Thoireibh an aire oirbh fhèin agus nithibh ur spògan!
Le meas Mary Ann & Nick @ Watercolour Music
Writing
Mary Ann translated each chapter of the Narnia adventure into Scottish Gàidhlig in early-morning lockdown writing sessions. She would then work with her mother, revered singer and educator Kenna Campbell MBE, to refine the text and find the perfect parallels to CS Lewis's imagery and language. This painstaking work was carried out in hours-long telephone conversations between Mary Ann in Ardgour and Kenna in isolation in Glasgow.
Filming
The readings were recorded in the live room of the Watercolour Music studios, using our full audio facilities. Being in lockdown, for video we used the only HD digital video camera we had available, a Sony NEX VG30. Cutaways were filmed on a separate pass with Mary Ann talking to a music-stand to maintain eyeline!
Design
Brought up on the classic Pauline Bayne illustrations of Narnia, Mary Ann and Nick raided the byre and the dressing-up box full of props and costumes from previous album projects to create a simple but striking look for the live readings. The vintage red-and-black (fake!) fur coat bought in a little boutique in Newtonmore set the tone, and Nick responded with a Cair Paravel throne made from an Arts and Crafts currule found in a second-hand funiture shop in Dunoon, decorated with cast deer antlers from the grounds around the studio. The stone backdrop bears an uncanny resemblance to the 'wall' on the cover of Mary Ann's 'Glaschu' album.
Live-Streaming
'An Leòmhann, A' Bhuidseach agus Am Preas-Aodaich' was read by Mary Ann chapter-by-chapter on Tuesdays and Thursdays from the 21st April 2020 to 16th June 2020. The readings videos were introduced live from the Watercolour Music studios at 2pm and were live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The videos of each chapter are now archived on this website.
Audience
The readings were created primarily for families of children in Gaelic Medium Education as part of a broader response from the Gaelic community to support families in lockdown. An Leòmhann also however drew a wide international audience of older viewers for whom Narnia was a big part of their upbringing - native and fluent speakers, and Gaelic learners alike. Children sent many of their own wonderful illustrations to Mary Ann, and these can be seen on Facebook @LeoBuidseachPreas and on Twitter @AnLeomhann.
Future Plans
Mary Ann and Nick hope to be able to publish the Scottish Gàidhlig version of 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' sometime in the near future. The reading project was made possible through their voluntary efforts and through the CS Lewis Company waiving royalties as a COVID19 dispensation. Publication and other outlets are a more challenging and expensive proposition. But 'An Leòmhann' proves that Watercolour is always up for the challenge, by the Lion's Mane!