Climate Resilience: A conversation about Dùthchas
Online via Zoom, 1930-2100 UK time, Wednesday 23rd April 2025
The Centre for Human Ecology and the Alliance for Intergenerational Resilience, in association with The Institute for Northern Studies, UHI, the British Academy and Western University are pleased to invite you to this upcoming online report launch and panel discussion. Join us for what promises to be an insightful and timely event.
Download the report here: https://www.che.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gaidheal-Resurgence-30Mar.pdf
Register to attend the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-resilience-a-conversation-about-duthchas-online-report-launch-tickets-1316105479919
About the event
“My soul is entwined with the land, and that is the way I see the world” – Peigi Ann Sheilds
The human-planetary challenges confronting us today – global warming, rampant capitalism and extractivism, displacement and cultural dislocation are causing many of us to search deeply for what climate and cultural-ecological resurgent work looks like in these times. How do we strengthen climate and cultural resilience and how do we ensure Indigenous Knowledge is part of this? In the Gàidhealtachd (the Gaelic speaking Highlands and Islands) and in the communities beyond it, the Gàidheil Indigenous concept of dùthchas – a deep interconnectedness with the land, one’s community, collective cultural memories and the basis for traditional ecological knowledge – has been at the centre of many conversations.
In celebrating the launch of “Dùthchas agus dualchas an saoghal nan Gàidheil” (English title: “Gàidheal resurgence and indigenous place-based knowledge in and of the Hebrides: Strengthening climate and cultural-ecological resilience.” ) a report by panellist Lewis Williams about Indigeneity and strengthening climate and cultural-ecological resilience on Skye and Lewis, we will come together as some of those involved with the report to bring our community-grounded perspectives to some of its themes. We will each offer our perspectives on a variety of issues including contemporary challenges, intergenerational trauma, Gàidheil Indigenous resurgence and climate and cultural-ecological resilience, newcomer belonging and the relevance of dùthchas as a practice in these times. A public question and answer session will follow.
About the panellists:
Peigi Ann Shields is a 28 year old crofter and is Head of Gaelic and Community Engagement for Grinneabhat, a centre for Gàidheal culture and arts and a community gathering space run by Urras Coimhearsnachd Bhràdhagair agus Àrnoil (UCBA), the Bragar and Arnol Community Trust. She is a Gàidheal from the crofting township of Bragar on the West side of Eilean Leòdhais. She is Gàidhlig speaking, and her family have been in Lewis for many generations. Coming from a traditional Gàidhlig speaking family, she considers that Gàidhlig language and culture have been integral to shaping her life. Speaking Gàidhlig, working with the animals on the croft, peat cutting, looking after her home, and having a strong sense of community lie at the heart of how she lives. Peigi Ann sees that she has a responsibility to teach her children the knowledge of how to live as Gàidheil in the world that has been passed down by family members.
Alastair McIntosh is a Fellow of the Centre for Human Ecology and an honorary professor at the School of Education in the University of Glasgow. His books include Soil and Soul: People versus Corporate Power and Poacher’s Pilgrimage: a Journey into Land and Soul. While he has lived in Govan, Glasgow for many years, Alastair grew up in Leurbost on the Isle of Lewis and has remained strongly involved with land reform and community development in the Western Isles.
From Aotearoa (New Zealand) Lewis Williams is a registered member of Te iwi o Ngāi Te Rangi (the Ngāi Te Rangi tribe of the Tauranga Moana). She is also of Gàidheil (nan Argeantaich, Eilean Arainn), Welsh and German descent. Her great great grandfather Daniel Sillars was from a crofting family in the village Imacher, Arainn. Born in 1830 during the Arainn Clearances as a young man he set sail for Aotearoa where he married into the Ngai Te Rangi tribe. With a social work, community development and academic background, today Lewis’ work is focused on focused on Indigenous cultural-ecological thrivance for planetary abundance. She divides her time between the Deshkan Ziibing, the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Onyota’a:ka, and Lunaapéewak peoples (Turtle Island / Canada) where she works in the Indigenous Studies Program and Department of Geography and Environment at Western University, and Tauranga Moana, Aotearoa. She is the Founding Director of the Alliance for Intergenerational Resilience.
Agnes Rennie, (formerly Agnes Gillies) who will chair the panel, is a Gàidheal from Gabhsann (the village of Galson) located in the North of Leòdhas where she grew up on a croft. Both of her parent’s families were resettled on the land 100 years ago, following its clearance in the 1800s for large scale farming and subsequent resettlement resulting in part from the 1919 Land Settlement Act. Her people have had an Indigenous relationship with and lived from the land of Eilean Leòdhais for many, many generations. Growing up in a Gàidhlig speaking family, Gàidhlig is Agnes’ first language. Today Agnes is Chair of the Board of Directors of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, (Galson Estate Trust), a community owned trust overseeing the revitalization of Gàidheil Indigenous lifeways on 55,000 acres of community owned land. Agnes is also Vice Chair of Community Land Scotland.
