How woad came to Scotland (1)
Have you seen the film ‘Braveheart’? There was blue stuff on Mel
Gibson’s face in the film. In olden times, it’s woad that would be
used. Woad in English.
Do you know the plant? It’s not native to Scotland. It belongs to lands
around the Mediterranean Sea. It’s in the same family as cabbage and
rape. Like rape, beautiful yellow flowers come on it in May.
Woad is a biennial plant. To begin with, it is low with many leaves on
it. The leaves are useful to dye cloth blue. In the second year, when
the flowers appear, it grows high, but it is of no use for dyeing.
People have been using woad for dyeing for thousands of year. The
Ancient Egyptians were familiar with it. It spread to Europe. It was
used by the Ancient Britons and, perhaps, the Picts also.
In the middle ages, there was a large industry in France, based on
woad. But a new plant came to Europe – ‘Indian woad’ – or indigo. It
came from India. And that was perhaps better for dyeing cloth blue.
Recently, I came across an old Gaelic story about how the woad came to
Scotland. You can make a decision as to whether it is woad or indigo
that it is in the account. And whether it is true or not, I cannot say.
There was an orphan in Barra. Every day he was going down to the shore.
A boat came into the harbour. When it left, the lad went on board
without anybody knowing.
When the crew found out that he was on board, they went to the captain. At
that time, anybody that was on board a boat without permission, he was put
over the side. That was the law. And I’ll tell you what happened to the lad
next week.
Mar a Thàinig an Guirmean a dh’Alba (1)
Am faca sibh am film ‘Braveheart’? Bha stuth gorm air aodann Mhel Ghibson
sa film. Anns an t-seann aimsir, ʼs e guirmean a bhathar a’ cleachdadh. Woad ann am Beurla.
A bheil sibh eòlach air an lus? Chan eil e dùthchasach do dh’Alba. Buinidh
e do dhùthchannan timcheall na Mara Meadhan-tìrich. Tha e anns an aon
teaghlach ri càl agus an lus-ola. Coltach ris an lus-ola, thig flùraichean
brèagha buidhe air anns a’ Chèitean.
ʼS e lus dà-bhliadhnach a th’ anns a’ ghuirmean. An toiseach tha e ìosal le
tòrr dhuilleagan air. Tha na duilleagan feumail airson dath guirm a chur
ann an clò. Anns an dàrna bliadhna, nuair a nochdas na flùraichean, bidh e
a’ fàs gu h-àrd, ach chan eil e gu feum airson dathadh.
Tha daoine air a bhith a’ cleachdadh a’ ghuirmein airson dathadh airson
mìltean bhliadhnaichean. Bha na seann Èiphitich eòlach air. Sgaoil e don
Roinn Eòrpa. Bha e air a chleachdadh leis na seann Bhreatannaich agus, ʼs
dòcha, na Cruithnich cuideachd.
Anns na meadhan-aoisean, bha gnìomhachas mòr anns an Fhraing, stèidhichte
air a’ ghuirmean. Ach thàinig lus ùr a-steach don Roinn Eòrpa – guirmean
Innseanach – no indigo. Thàinig e às na h-Innseachan. Agus bha sin
ʼs dòcha na b’ fheàrr airson clò a dhathadh gorm.
O chionn ghoirid, thàinig mi tarsainn air seann sgeulachd Ghàidhlig mu
dheidhinn mar a thàinig an guirmean a dh’Alba. Faodaidh sibhse co-dhùnadh a
dhèanamh co-dhiù gur e an guirmean no an guirmean Innseanach a th’ anns a’
chunntas. Agus, co-dhiù tha i fìor gus nach eil, chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh.
Bha dìlleachdan ann am Barraigh. A h-uile latha bha e a’ dol sìos chun a’
chladaich. Thàinig bàta a-steach don phort. Nuair a dh’fhalbh i, chaidh an
gille air bòrd oirre gun fhiosta do dhuine.
Nuair a fhuair an criutha a-mach gun robh e air bòrd, chaidh iad chun an
sgiobair. Aig an àm sin, duine sam bith a bh’ air bòrd bàta gun chead, bha
e air a chur thar a’ chliathaich. B’ e sin an lagh. Agus innsidh mi dhuibh
dè thachair don ghille an-ath-sheachdain.
