.. WELCOME! I hope you enjoy my music, photos and stories
For music and photos see http://www.myspace.com/shonaMmcmillan
For art and photos see http://www.myspace.com/delfiniproductions
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PEOPLE AND SONGS OF THE SEA (Homecoming 2009)A CULTURAL HERITAGE PROJECT ON FISHING, May-Dec 2009 In venues all along the Firth of Forth coast, Scotland
An exhibition of photos, articles and songs: celebrating the heritage of the People of the Sea from Edinburgh to Eyemouth and over to Anstruther. Photos are selected from Shona's archive of 500 old images and 2,000+ photos taken by her in 2006-9.Album: singing & playing fiddle, I have also made an album with artists and Scottish fisher folk. The CD reflects music from the Herring Route taken in search of the Silver Darlings, from Ireland, round Scotland and to England. Teams of hardy girls also followed the fish, working outdoors in all weathers. A woman able to gut 1,000 fish a day!CD People and Songs of the Sea: launched 21st May 2009, available from Greentrax Recordings. For additional examples of my photos please link from this page to my other myspace sites and my Fisher Folk UK.
2009 HOMECOMING EDINBURGH EXHIBITION
1-18 May: Leith Library (plus dates for 2010 tbc)
EAST LOTHIAN EXHIBITIONS 2009
21 May: Exhibition and Album Launch (limited)
23-29 May: Musselburgh Library at Fisherrow
1-19 May: Port Seton Library, over 3 Harbours Fest
22 June-10 July: Prestonpans Library, over Gala wk
13-24 July: Musselburgh Library, over Festival wk
27 July-14 August: Longniddry Library
17-21 August: Gullane Library
24 August-11 September: North Berwick Library
14 September-9 October: Dunbar Library
SCOTTISH BORDERS EXHIBITIONS
12-30 October: Eyemouth Fishing Museum
2-13 November: Duns Library
MIDLOTHIAN EXHIBITION
17-26 November: Dalkeith Library
FIFE EXHIBITION
31 November-30 December: Anstruther
Scottish Fisheries Museum (for 40 yr anniversary)
MUSIC EVENTS
Please check back for 2009 music events tbc.
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PEOPLE AND SONGS OF THE SEA (Homecoming 2009)People of the Sea: Fisher Folk stories, photos, music and art relating to Scotland’s east coast from Edinburgh to Eyemouth and over to Anstruther. In 2006, Shona McMillan began to research her Thorburn family connections to the sea. What she knew when she started was, over a hundred years before, Shona’s great-grandfather Archie Thorburn had been a fisherman sailing from Fisherrow. As a child, she had been told how Archie had been caught up in the Great October Gales of 1881 and the Eyemouth fishing disaster "Black Friday" in which 189 men had drowned. In the hurricane storms which hit the east coast, Archie had been out at sea fishing when the storm had come down with such speed and ferocity that the boats had been unable to flee to safety. Out in the Firth of Forth, a massive wave had struck Archie’s boat and washed him in to the sea. Helpless on board, fighting for their own lives, there was nothing the crew could do to try and save him. Yet suddenly, as Archie was losing his fight for life, the sea rose up beneath him and threw him back on board.
.. Shona at Fisherrow Fishermens Walk in the 70sAs a young child told this story, it wasn't explained to Shona that – but for the miraculous turn of a wave, her family would not have continued. Returning home safe to Fisherrow, married to a local fishwife Jean Ritchie, the couple went on to increase their family. Archie became Harbour Master at Fisherrow and fathered Billy Thorburn (who also became Fisherrow Harbour Master) and who in-turn, fathered a daughter named after his mother - Jean Ritchie Thorburn (Shona’s mum). Fascinated to learn more, from May to October 2006, Shona recorded many hours of her mum's stories which contributed to an article Shona was then invited to write to commemorate the 125th memorial of the 14 October 1891 disaster.
.. Shona at Eyemouth, 14.10.06Printed in the Winter issue of East Lothian Life Magazine, the People of the Sea article was dedicated to Jean Ritchie Thorburn McMillan who inspired so many with her stories. However, Jean was keen to point out the value in EVERY family's story being known and passed on. With this in mind, People of the Sea aims to capture life as it is now and to reflect on life as it has been over the last 100 years. As an educational resource, People of the Sea aims to provide a social and cultural resource available for continued learning about the Edinburgh to Eyemouth area. In addition, it is hoped that this work will be enjoyed by future generations interested in knowing more about this beautiful stretch of Scotland's east coast.
.. Fisherrow: Jean, second rightToday in East Lothian, Fisherrow harbour is no longer populated by fishing boats and just down the coast at Port Seton, where one hundred years ago 331 men worked in the fishing, today just 13 are left - fishing for prawns from 8 boats. From Newhaven to Burnmouth, this coastal strip was once heavily populated with both local and transient Fisher Folk who made their living from the sea. Around the UK, massive fleets of Herring Drifters sailed from Ireland, round the Hebrides, along to Wick, up to Shetland and then down Scotland's East Coast. Landing their catches, for sale to the public through local fishwives, the boats called in to many harbours including Aberdeen, Peterhead, Stonehaven, Arbroath, Anstruther, Pittenweem and Crail. Passing along the Firth of Forth from Newhaven to Burnmouth the boats continued down England's coast to ports such as Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Grimsby. Teams of hardy fisher women followed the boats to gutt the Herring which was then sold from these fish markets to be transported all over Europe.
.. Choir: Crissie, middle standingThrough their communal, mostly outdoors work, the people of these fishing communities mixed with each other. Sharing their 'banter' they exchanged stories as they worked to bait lines, mend nets, catch and sell fish. An equally hard working life for men and women, and always the dangers to be faced by those out at sea. So these people shared an understanding of the sea which both supplied their income and their community.Today, the sea still unites these people but, in this long established Scottish industry, there are particularly hard times being felt right now for all. And, as a result, sadly, less and less can manage to make a living from this industry. However, for those still fishing, it is important to realise that, for them, their skilled profession is not just another job' - for as they say "fishing is in the blood." For the majority still working, fishing has been a way of life passed down to them through generations and generations and that depth of tradition and bond needs to be understood.In hard times, after a life working at the fishing, it is not just a simple thing, an easy decision to make for a fisherman, to turn his back on all these inherited traditions, his way of life and just leave it all behind. Nor if they choose to pursue the avenue of coming out of the industry - there are not the immediate opportunities available to them to simply sell-up a boat and easily move in to another job.For the industry, for the people, new ideas need to be considered. For example, the economic potential which there is for the area in the development of its fishing heritage to reap the benefits which are to be found in cultural tourism. Tourism is vitally important to Scotland's economy so, let's hope that more will be done to develop cultural tourism's potential all along Scotland's coastal communities. The sea does not divide the land mass on both sides of the Forth, through shared fishing heritage, the sea actually unities these coastal communities.
.. Fisherrow FishwivesPeople of the Sea aims to provide a photographic window which provides insight and understanding into this changing way of life now reflected all around Scotland's coast as the fishing industry struggles for survival. Shona is not funded in producing this project but believes passionately that this is an invaluable story which needs to be told. A story to be captured now, before the understanding of the fishing communities stories, music, songs and traditions are lost forever. Accordingly, Shona has collected and now presents a variety of stories which reflect the People of the Sea. In addition through her photographs, old and new, she hopes to continue to add to this story, the living, ever changing story of the People of the Sea.SHONA MCMILLAN EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS HELD IN 2008
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..People of the Sea in 2008
.. Exhibition 22.5.08-14.6.08 PORT SETON & COCKENZIE EXHIBITION (with fishing photos)
60-4-60: Sixty images celebrating Cockenzie and Port Seton's 60th Gala. Presented at the library, Port Seton community centre 22 May to 14 June.
.. Exhibition 23.7.08-08.8.08 P3P PRESTONPANS EXHIBITION at the Goth (with fishing photos)
The 'Pans: Salt making, Coal, Fish, Industry, Farming, Business, Literature, Music, Art, Social, Sport, 1745 Battle, Environment.
.. Exhibition 19.9.08-20.9.08
PEOPLE OF THE SEA (Edinburgh to Eyemouth to Anstruther)
People of the Sea launched in 2008 and now tours for 2009. You've been marked on my visitor map! Click to zoom in.
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Shona McMillan produced People and Songs of the Sea as a legacy project for fisher folk and those who have an interest in the heritage of the fishing industry and community The project (exhibition and CD was launched on 21st May 2009). After this Shona was appointed as Director of the Saltire Society. However, in a freelance capacity, Shona also continues as Director of People and Songs of the Sea.For those interested in learning more about the Saltire Society you can follow this link through to the Saltire Society's Facebook Group. The Saltire Society is a non-political membership organisation for those interested in supporting the education and promotion of Scottish culture.Saltire Society on Facebook