Having earned his engineering degree, Kenneth MacKenzie was faced with a question that a lot of us have to make after finishing-up four years of university: what now? Or, if you're like me, and you have a degree in English and History, the question might be more like: what have I done? In either case, it's your move, and the "real world" is waiting. Kenneth's move? Return to Mabou.
"Basically my whole graduating class went to Alberta and I decided to move to CB with no job prospects and make a go at it."
I think I've said this before, but if I haven't please let me state clearly that up until recently I have not been engaged with the Gaelic community in Nova Scotia. I took some elective courses in Celtic Studies at StFX, but my parents never made any kind of fuss about our own heritage. My next move after graduation was to get as far away from my home-town of Antigonish as I could get. If I had to tell people "what I am", I would say that I was "Canadian". It was only after I had been away for over a year that I started to miss Nova Scotia--not Canada, but Nova Scotia. That was when I started identifying more as "Nova Scotian'. But never has my feeling of group belonging gone any deeper than a very surface interpretation of what constitutes a "Nova Scotian." Kenneth's upbringing was quite different. He grew up with a sense of belonging to a group of people whose sustained culture is unique in the Canadian context.
"My parents raised us speaking Gaelic. They were heavily involved with teaching, promotion, culture, and getting things organized. Most of their friends were running in the same circles too."
Kenneth talked about how involvement in the Gaelic culture has been a sticking point for him and other young people who have decided to stay in the province.
"I think our economy in the rural areas are stronger for it [Gaelic culture]. A lot of the younger people who haven't gone away are heavily invested in it. That's interesting from a rural development vantage point. "
It seems to me that what we have here is a kind of community adhesive. What tends to get overlooked in a globalized mainstream culture is respected, valued, and preserved in Gaelic culture--things like: respecting elders, seanchas, and visiting your neighbor instead of watching Netflix. During the past 11 weeks I have been hearing first-hand accounts of how powerful this attraction can be, and Kenneth says that the number of people who want to be apart of it is growing. His explanation is two-fold:
"I think a lot of it relates to the teaching method. In the old days, if you wanted to learn Gaelic you would go to a class. But now there is greater emphasis on immersion learning. You get involved in a group of people who are really supportive and who are going to dances and parties and are learning about old skills, like gardening, or whatever you want to do."
I just took my first Gaelic language class, and can attest to the fact that this method of immersion learning is much more enjoyable than the kind that I had for Elementary School French Immersion.
"I also think that there's a lot of interest in society in general right now in those old skills and in
building community. Being more sustainable and independent. Gaelic interests goes straight along with that. Things like the Back to the Land movement, supporting local food, music and businesses, and trying to fix our own economies. I think the interest in Gaelic has been an extension of that."
As the methodology of teaching Gaelic continues to improve in the classroom, and society's growing (and perhaps necessary) interest in the things which Gaelic society has always valued continues to grow, I think it's possible that we will also start to see more and more young people saying, " ’S e Gàidheal a th’unnam", both at home and abroad.
Gach deagh dhùrachd / Every good wish!
Kenneth's favorite word in Gaelic is : Àrainn / neighborhood
"Basically my whole graduating class went to Alberta and I decided to move to CB with no job prospects and make a go at it."
I think I've said this before, but if I haven't please let me state clearly that up until recently I have not been engaged with the Gaelic community in Nova Scotia. I took some elective courses in Celtic Studies at StFX, but my parents never made any kind of fuss about our own heritage. My next move after graduation was to get as far away from my home-town of Antigonish as I could get. If I had to tell people "what I am", I would say that I was "Canadian". It was only after I had been away for over a year that I started to miss Nova Scotia--not Canada, but Nova Scotia. That was when I started identifying more as "Nova Scotian'. But never has my feeling of group belonging gone any deeper than a very surface interpretation of what constitutes a "Nova Scotian." Kenneth's upbringing was quite different. He grew up with a sense of belonging to a group of people whose sustained culture is unique in the Canadian context.
"My parents raised us speaking Gaelic. They were heavily involved with teaching, promotion, culture, and getting things organized. Most of their friends were running in the same circles too."
Kenneth talked about how involvement in the Gaelic culture has been a sticking point for him and other young people who have decided to stay in the province.
"I think our economy in the rural areas are stronger for it [Gaelic culture]. A lot of the younger people who haven't gone away are heavily invested in it. That's interesting from a rural development vantage point. "
It seems to me that what we have here is a kind of community adhesive. What tends to get overlooked in a globalized mainstream culture is respected, valued, and preserved in Gaelic culture--things like: respecting elders, seanchas, and visiting your neighbor instead of watching Netflix. During the past 11 weeks I have been hearing first-hand accounts of how powerful this attraction can be, and Kenneth says that the number of people who want to be apart of it is growing. His explanation is two-fold:
"I think a lot of it relates to the teaching method. In the old days, if you wanted to learn Gaelic you would go to a class. But now there is greater emphasis on immersion learning. You get involved in a group of people who are really supportive and who are going to dances and parties and are learning about old skills, like gardening, or whatever you want to do."
I just took my first Gaelic language class, and can attest to the fact that this method of immersion learning is much more enjoyable than the kind that I had for Elementary School French Immersion.
"I also think that there's a lot of interest in society in general right now in those old skills and in
building community. Being more sustainable and independent. Gaelic interests goes straight along with that. Things like the Back to the Land movement, supporting local food, music and businesses, and trying to fix our own economies. I think the interest in Gaelic has been an extension of that."
As the methodology of teaching Gaelic continues to improve in the classroom, and society's growing (and perhaps necessary) interest in the things which Gaelic society has always valued continues to grow, I think it's possible that we will also start to see more and more young people saying, " ’S e Gàidheal a th’unnam", both at home and abroad.
Gach deagh dhùrachd / Every good wish!
Kenneth's favorite word in Gaelic is : Àrainn / neighborhood
Very nice piece and very insightful comments from Kenneth.
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