For this post, I’d like to direct you to the Grampian Association of Storytellers Facebook post – https://www.facebook.com/grampianassocationofstorytellers/posts/pfbid036spEEU2rYpRxi1NMqqdqTRuAfKyLDkiUmFccL2rh9dhRv4C6vyN9RuYALPLbTqDbl
(Cut and paste below for those of you not on Facebook!)
Celebrating Doric, Poetry, and Heritage: A Fireside Evening of Shared Joy
We all enjoyed the last session of our Fireside Chat series—Doric speakers and abanderados alike, or not. You didn’t need to speak this beautiful language to feel the enthusiasm of our guest, 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿, or to delight in the rhymes collected by 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗿 and later reworked by Scottish students aged 5 to 11. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿, attentive to the diversity of our audience—from California to Saudi Arabia—offered vivid translations of the rhymes. But even without them, the verses came alive in her voice, and whether we spoke Doric or not, we could all enjoy their inner music.
But let’s start from the beginning. A century ago, a Scottish woman, 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗿, traveled through parts of the northwest of Scotland by bicycle, collecting songs, riddles, and rhymes. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 introduced her to us with warmth, offering clues on where to explore her work further.
A project funded by the 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 has recently brought these rhymes into several primary schools. Guided by 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿, children aged 5 to 11 have enjoyed them, illustrated them, and recreated them—after compiling lovely lists of Doric vocabulary. There are so many valuable elements, so many layers of learning, in the illustrations and rhymes she shared with us!
A note for our international audience: Doric is a variety of Scots, one of the four official languages of Scotland, alongside English, Gaelic, and British Sign Language.
For those who would like to learn more about 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗿, the 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 project, 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿, or Doric itself, we will share some links (see them in the comments—shhh… the algorithm penalises us if we add them here 
).
Many thanks to our guest, the Scottish storyteller 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿, for a night full of poetry and love for linguistic diversity; to our host, 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘁𝘁, for guiding the evening with her usual contagious enthusiasm and wisdom; and, of course, to our wonderful international audience.
What’s next?
𝗜𝗻-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁
In collaboration with the 𝗘𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲
One Thousand and One Persian Nights – a Nowruz celebration
Part of the Aberdeen and Beyond Storytelling Festival
Wednesday, 25 March
𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁
Guest: 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀𝗼𝗻 (folklorist, musician & storyteller)
Tales and songs from the Traveller tradition and beyond 15 April (Zoom)
You can find all the details about both events in their corresponding posts.
Pauline Cordiner - Scottish Storyteller 