Highland Village Museum/An Clachan Gàidhealach

The Highland Village Museum / An Clachan Ghàidhealaich is an outdoor living history museum dedicated to Nova Scotia’s Gaelic folk-life, culture, and language. Highland Village is located in Iona, Nova Scotia, on 43 acres of natural landscape overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes in Central Cape Breton.[1]

Highland Village Museum costumed animators ready to welcome visitors

History

The roots of Gaelic Nova Scotia are found in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland where significant socio-economic changes in the 18th century disrupted a pastoral life-style. These changes prompted many to emigrate to Nova Scotia.[2]

Throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries, thousands of Scots settled in eastern Nova Scotia. Through a pattern of chain emigration, settlers often chose to create new communities based on family connections, religious or political beliefs. The settlers faced new hardships such as a vastly different climate, however they persevered and began clearing land, building homes and outbuildings, cultivating their land and establishing new lives and communities.[2]

Vision / mission of the Highland Village Museum

Learn about our ancestors way of life at Highland Village Museum

The Nova Scotia Highland Village Society was founded in 1959, to create a living history museum to interpret, preserve and promote the Scottish Gaelic language, culture and heritage as found in Nova Scotia. In 2000, the Society entered into a new relationship with the Province of Nova Scotia, which resulted in the Highland Village becoming a part of the Nova Scotia Museum family. The Society continues to operate the site on behalf of the Province.

The vision of the Highland Village Museum/An Clachan Gàidhealach is to be internationally acknowledged for advancing research, fostering appreciation, learning and sharing Gaelic language and heritage while serving a vibrant Gaelic cultural community (i.e. a Gaelic institution).[3]

The mission of the Highland Village Museum/An Clachan Gàidhealach is to research collect, preserve and share the Gaelic heritage and culture of 'Nova Scotia'. Inclusive of Gaelic folk-life from settlement to present, including but not limited to, language, cultural expressions, lifestyles, crafts, customs, and represent it accurately and vibrantly.[3]

The Highland Village Museum serves as a resource for those interested in the language, culture, life-style, and music that these Gaelic settlers brought with them and which thrived in this new environment. Through 11 historic and period buildings visitors experience a taste of what life was like for Scottish Gaelic settlers in Nova Scotia. Highland Village’s costumed animators provide details on the day-to-day life and language.

Interpretation and collections

Highland Village Museum Spinning Wool

Highland Village Museum depicts 4 distinct eras in the history of Nova Scotia’s Gaelic settlers.[4] Gàidhealtachd na h-Albann, Gaelic Scotland 1770-1830s is depicted in the Black House (an Taigh dubh). Coille Mhór na h-Albann Nuaih, The Forests of Nova Scotia 1770-1850s is depicted in the Log House (an Taigh Logaichean), the Centre Chimney House (Taigh an t-Similer), and the Barn (an Sabal). A’ Stéidheachadh Gàidhealtachd Ùireadh, Building New Communities 1850s – 1880s, is depicted by the Church (an Eaglais) and the Centre Hallway House (Taigh na Tranna). Gàidhealtachd na h-Albann Nuaidh, Gaelic Nova Scotia 1880s – 1920s, is depicted and interpreted through the School House (an Taigh-sgoil), the General Store (an Taigh-marsantachd), the Forge (a’Cheàrdach), the Carding Mill (am Muileann-càrdaidh) and the Turn of the Century house (Taigh tùs na Ficheadamh Lìn).

Visitors to Highland Village explore these 4 distinct eras of Nova Scotia’s Gaelic history while interacting with costumed animators throughout the historic buildings. The interpretation of this aspect of Nova Scotia’s history is enhanced by the inclusion of farm animals, traditional gardening and farming techniques, and other aspects of the life of the Gaels in this part of the world. The artifacts that make up the collection of the Highland Village Museum are carefully chosen to best represent the specific era they are reflecting. All artifacts at Highland Village are part of the Nova Scotia Museum Collection.[5]

A virtual museum site entitled Cape Breton Céilidh has been created which provides a brief look at the history of the Gaels in Nova Scotia and the cultural legacy they created.

Gaelic cultural promotion

Highland Village Museum / An Clachan Gàidhealach offers programs and events designed to promote Gaelic language, culture and heritage.[6] Through partnerships with other like-minded community groups, and government agencies, the Highland Village Museum and Nova Scotia highland Village Society is able to host educational programs such as Stòras a’ Bhaile, a four-day Gaelic immersion folk-life school for advanced Nova Scotia Gaelic learners, among others learning opportunities.[6][7]

Highland Village Museum hosts an annual Highland Village Day outdoor Scottish Concert each August.[8] Highland Village day began in 1962 as both a celebration of the beginnings of creating the Highland Village Museum, and as a fundraiser for further development. This annual tradition showcases local musicians who are continuing the musical traditions passed down through their ancestors.

Meeting up with a horse coming in from the fields

Other programs and events held annually include Pioneer Day, a traditional cod-fish supper, educational programs for youth, as well as the regular interpretive programming available on site daily. Highland Village offers an in-class visitation program to local schools entitled Sgadan’s Buntata which provides opportunities for students to see, and interact with, demonstrations of crafts performed by staff in period dress. In addition to being made aware of the material culture of Gaelic Nova Scotia, students experience an introduction to the Gaels’ language and customs.

Roots Cape Breton Genealogy & Family History Centre

Roots Cape Breton is a computer-assisted research service for those in search of their Cape Breton roots.[9] Through data extracted from census, cemetery, birth, marriage and death records, as well as other sources of information, the database will provide researchers with information which will assist them in their work. Roots Cape Breton is open to researchers each summer, and by appointment in the winter months.

Hours of operation

Highland Village Museum is open to visitors from early June through mid October from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.[10] School groups, and tour groups can arrange special visitation appointments.

References

  1. ↑ http://museum.gov.ns.ca/en/home/ourmuseums/default.aspx#capebretonisland
  2. 1 2 http://www.novascotia.com/en/home/discovernovascotia/history/routestoyourroots/settlementpatterns/scottishsettlement.aspx
  3. 1 2 http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/culture.html
  4. ↑ http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/tour.html
  5. ↑ Nova Scotia Museum Collections policy http://museum.gov.ns.ca/en/home/aboutnsm/policies/collectionmanagementpolicy.aspx
  6. 1 2 http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/vision.html
  7. ↑ http://gov.ns.ca/oga/
  8. ↑ http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/hvday.html
  9. ↑ http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/research.html
  10. ↑ http://museum.gov.ns.ca/hv/rates.html

Further reading

The Nova Scotia Office of Gaelic Affairs and the Gaelic Council of Nova Scotia both provide more information on the Gaels settlement in Nova Scotia as well as contemporary information on modern Gaelic culture in Nova Scotia.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Highland Village Museum.

Coordinates: 45°56′53″N 60°49′08″W / 45.948°N 60.819°W / 45.948; -60.819

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