INVERNESS: The MLA for Inverness said provincial funding for the promotion of Gaelic language is very important in preserving the past and preparing for the future.
“We’re marketing our province as a place to come for people, where they can have cultural experiences, and I would say these are small investments to help keep, in this case, the Gaelic culture alive,” he told The Reporter. “These investments are helping to encourage people to continue learning Gaelic and have those cultural experiences.”
On Jan. 5, the Office of Gaelic Affairs announced that $2,330 in provincial funding will assist the Inverness Development Association offer beginner and intermediate classes in conversational Gaelic.
MacMaster said “many people” in Inverness County grew up hearing Gaelic in their homes, and these classes will provide an opportunity for people interested in learning or improving their Gaelic language skills.
In a related project, the minister announced that the Antigonish Highland Society is receiving $1,000 to offer an introductory weekend of immersion for those who would like to learn conversational Gaelic.
A project by the Nova Scotia College for Early Childhood Educators called “Gaelic Cultural Collection for Early Childhood Educators,” is receiving $2,500 for the creation of a multi-level collection of Gaelic material for Early Childhood Educators across the province, the office said, noting that this includes non-fiction and fiction books for adults, special artifacts/culture markers, children’s books, and play materials for hands-on exploration.
According to the Office of Gaelic Affairs, there are approximately 2,000 Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia and there are approximately 230,000 people who are descendants of Gaelic settlers.
Gaelic and Gaelic-related events, business, and activities contribute $23 million annually to the provincial economy, according to the office, which noted that festivals and events such as Celtic Colours, Féis an Eilein, and the Antigonish Highland Games include Gaelic language and culture in their programming and events, while institutions, like the Gaelic College, offer Gaelic language and cultural programs.
Gaelic language and studies are offered in 15 public schools in the province with approximately 1,200 students enrolled, and there are 12 communities across the province where adult immersion learning programs are active and ongoing, the office noted.
Since 2008, 16 apprentices have worked with 11 mentors on language and cultural skills, as part of the Bun is Bàrr mentorship program. These apprentices are now teaching Gaelic to new learners of the language and youth.
The Office of Gaelic Affairs said there are 24 Gaelic-related societies, organizations, and institutions in Nova Scotia, while English-Gaelic boundary signs are found in the eastern districts of the province, reflecting the place names that Gaels had for many communities.
Inverness County is blessed with a mosaic of cultures, including Mi’kmaq, Acadian, Celtic, and many others, MacMaster said, adding that language is at the heart of every culture.
“Somebody once told me a culture without a language is a culture without a soul. I believe that, even though there are not a lot of Gaelic speakers in the province, the fact that we still have some and the fact that we have people wanting to learn is a sign that, in the language itself, there are hundreds and probably thousands of years of insights that are captured in the language itself, and how things are expressed,” added MacMaster. “People will think about their grandparents, often saying that a story was much funnier in Gaelic than if the same story was told in English. That is because languages have a different feel and a different perspective and I’m sure it’s the same in the Acadian community and in the Mi’kmaw community. When people are speaking in their mother tongue, in their people’s language, it is different.”