Arran stories wanted from coast that shaped the world
‘The coast that shaped the world’ is an innovative threeyear project that plans to collect stories and memories and put them at the heart of rediscovering just exactly why this amazing corner of the world is so special.
The project spans the west coast of Scotland from Arran and Kintyre in the south to Wester Ross and Lewis in the north.
The ambitious plan is to narrate 400 stories (20 stories from 20 different west coast communities) online through an interactive app and use it to encourage locals and visitors to explore the roads less travelled across the west coast islands, peninsulas and coastline.
The aim is to enable people to experience these stories for themselves and marvel at just how important the west coast has been in shaping so much across the world.
Arran is well known for its stories and storytelling and so island story gatherer Lynn Jones is hoping to find some untold gems to add to the Arran story bank.
She told the Banner: ‘Many of Arran’s stories are already collected in the Arran books but many remain undocumented. Nothing is too big or too small, too detailed or too vague.
‘Your story may be from your own memories or passed down through the years, they could be about interesting Arran characters, places on the island or something that happened.
‘They could be stories of folklore and legend. There are still lots of stories of recent years to be shared – there will be many a tale of the Big Snow!’ Led by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), the project is funded through NatureScot’s Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund, with match funding from CalMac and UHI.
It bridges the Year of Coasts and Waters (2020/21) and the Year of Scottish Stories (2022).
People across the west coast are being asked to share their stories: their memories and histories providing a selection of well-known stories as well as more quirky and intriguing tales. Each area has an allocated ‘story gatherer’ who aims to collect as many stories as possible over the next two months. At the end of the story gathering phase a selection process will involve people from each area choosing the 20 best stories.
The most intriguing stories will become part of a highly innovative and interactive exhibition to be installed in key locations across the west coast.
All of the stories will be held in the story bank and potentially used on social media and related projects to embellish the cultural understanding of the west coast.
Find out more about the project at www.coast.scot.
Contribute stories directly from the website by clicking on a link, or contact a story gatherer on arranstories@gmail. com for more information or to contribute a story.
Lynn added: ‘Christmas is a great time for sharing family stories so keep the project in mind while stories are told over Christmas lunch. Arran has the best stories so let’s get them told.’
‘Nothing is too big or too small, too detailed or too vague’