Hidden Voices Hidden Lives
September 13 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
DAY ONE — CASTLEHILL HERITAGE CENTRE
Saturday 12 September (6pm–9pm)
Join us for an evening of film, foraging, stories and discussion as we explore our connections to place, memory and the people whose histories are too often overlooked.
We’ll begin with a relaxed welcome and drinks made from foraged plants with Amanda from Nature’s Path, Natural Ways, before considering cultural repair and the ways our relationship with place can shape who we are.
Writer and performer Harry Josephine Giles will join Davie Donaldson, who will bring a selection of Traveller artefacts and objects to share. Through poetry, objects, stories and conversation, we’ll explore the histories they carry — whose voices are heard, whose are missed out, and what our connections to place might mean for future generations.
As evening falls, we’ll gather in the courtyard for an outdoor screening of Who Will Be Remembered Here? — a powerful 30-minute film exploring memory, loss and the traces we leave behind. Afterwards, there will be time to reflect and share thoughts together.
The evening will conclude with a special invitation from local archivist Jamie McCaffrey to think creatively about the places that matter to us, inspired by the collections at Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives in Wick.
Free to attend, but booking is essential.
Please note
Much of this event takes place outdoors, so please come prepared for the Caithness weather! Bring a warm coat and, if you can, a blanket or cushion for the outdoor screening.
If the weather doesn’t behave, the screening will take place indoors.
DAY TWO — LYTH ARTS CENTRE
Sunday 13 September (6pm–9pm)
Join us for an evening of foraging, making and shared food as we explore Traveller traditions, cultural knowledge and our relationships with the landscapes around us.
You’ll take part in two activities: head out in small groups with Amanda from Nature’s Path, Natural Ways to discover and forage plants growing around us, and work with Donald Williamson, a member of the Scottish Travelling community, to help construct a traditional bender — or bow — tent.
For centuries, these shelters were an essential part of nomadic life. As we build together, Donald will share knowledge of the traditional skills, creativity and resourcefulness that enabled Travelling people to make homes from the materials around them.
We’ll then bring what we’ve gathered together for a shared meal, alongside a small display exploring Traveller histories and lives in the north of Scotland, including photographs connected to the extraordinary Johnston Collection.
Over food and conversation, Donald Williamson, Davie Donaldson and Lewis Hetherington will come together to explore place, identity, creativity, ecology and the stories we carry with us.
The evening will conclude with a special invitation from local archivist Jamie McCaffrey to think creatively about the places that matter to us, inspired by the collections at Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives in Wick.
Free to attend, but booking is essential.
Please note
Part of the evening will take place outdoors, so please dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear. Come ready to get involved, meet new people, make something together and share a meal.
