05/06/2026
Lusan ri Làimh - A Bilingual Youth Workshop on Plants
Is e seo an t-àm as fheàrr dhen bhliadhna son lusan. Agus tha croit faisg oirnn far a bheil còrr is ceud lus a' fàs. Thadhail Sgoiltean Chille Mhoire is Stafainn air a' chroit. Gu dearbha, chòrd e rinn a bhith miugh. Dh' ionnsaich sinn mu na lusan a dh' ithe daoine nuair a bha an t-acras mòr orra sna seann làithean. Gu duilich, bha na daoine an dèidh cus earbsa a chur sa bhuntàta.
Chunnaic sinn lusan a tha feumail son dathadh agus leigheis. Tha lus leithid 'bròg na cuthaig' fo bhlàth nuair a chluinneas sinn a' chuthag.
Is dòcha gun cuala sibh gu robh Earball an Eich a' fàs aig àm nan dìneasair, ach an robh fhios agad gu bheil na gasan air an deanamh coltach ri Lego Brick? Bha sinn air leth taingeil do Caroline Dear gu h-àraidh agus do sgioba Columba 1400 a thug dhuinn seòmar mòr àlainn. Bha e math coinneachadh ri ar caraidean aig Oilthigh Chill Rìmhinn. Chòrd e rinn a bhith cruinneachadh lusan agus a bhith cruthachadh leabhraichean beaga leotha. Chì thu eiseimplirean an seo.
Tha sinne gu math fortanach gu bheil daoine tàlantach againn aig a bheil eòlas mun chuspair is a thug an cothrom seo dhuinn. Agus chuir sinn gu feum na nòtaichean mìorbhuileach aig Ruairidh MacIlleathain a chruthaich 'Àrainneachd, Cànan is Dualchas'.
Lusan ri Làimh - 'Roots and Shoots'
Staffin and Kilmuir GM pupils enjoyed an all-day workshop when we researched the wildflowers on the croft meadow. We heard stories about how plants were used for healing and hunger. Horsetail was around at the time of the dinosaurs. But did you know that their stalks are built like lego brick? We learned how to whistle with flag iris leaves, and how to make a pretty smart wee boat if needed in a hurry.
We liked how the Gaelic and English names have different meanings and stories to go with them. Once we gathered our plants, we learned how to make prints and create a wee book. This was a bit trickier than we at first thought but we loved it. We were so fortunate with all the help we got and were delighted to work with the artist, Caroline Dear and our friends from the University of St Andrews (Museums and Heritage Studies) as well as Holly from Nottingham. We are most grateful to Andrew and the team at Columba 1400 for letting us use the brilliant venue. You can see a few examples of our work here.
We are fortunate to be able to use the excellent notes by Roddy Maclean who created 'Àrainneachd, Cànan is Dualchas' - a course hosted by us here in Staffin for many years.
Mìle taing dhaibh a ghabh pàirt sa bhùth-obrach:
Many thanks to everybody who took part in the workshop:
Bun-sgoilearan Stafainn is Chille Mhoire
Caroline Dear, Eòlaiche Lusan agus Neach-ealain (Artist)
Oilthigh Chill Rìmhinn - St Andrew's University ('Roots and Shoots')
Columba 1400
Bun-sgoilearan Stafainn is Chille Mhoire
Dràibhear a' bhus - Reliable Roddy, our bus driver
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Kilmuir Primary School - Bun-sgoil Chille Mhoire
Columba Leadership
University of St Andrews
Tha dreuchd Oifigear Ghàidhlig UTS air a mhaoineachadh le BnaG.
The Gaelic officer's post of Staffin Community Trust is funded by BnaG.
