The Carrying Stream
To celebrate 20 years since the publication of At Home in Mackay Country by the Mackay Country Community Trust Strathnaver Museum and NorthWest2045 have launched a community research project to revisit this seminal piece of work. The project has been made possible through funding from the Protection through Connection Fund and the North Highland Initiative Community Infrastructure Support Programme.
This new pilot project recognises the importance of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in sustaining resilient empowered communities and will run until March 2027. The team includes Ronnie Lansley, Tradition Bearer in Residence supported by Sophie Clark of NorthWest2045 who together will collaborate with tradition bearers within communities in northwest Sutherland to create an Action Plan to record, protect and share our intangible cultural heritage.
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Northwest2045 Regional Land Use Partnership (RLUP) is one of 5 pilot RLUPs established in 2021 by the Scottish Government to support stakeholders to work together to make equitable land use decisions. NW2045 has developed a community led vision for the future of the area which reflects diverse and disparate voices within those communities.
Strathnaver Museum is a fully accredited community led local history museum operating in the geographic area of Mackay Country in north west Sutherland. Strathnaver Museum regularly runs co-curated community research projects exploring aspects of our heritage such as the Gaelic bard Rob Donn to WWI pipers.
Tradition Bearer Ronnie Lansley has been a lynchpin in the celebration, transmission and development of intangible cultural heritage across Mackay Country for decades.
Projects
Traditional Boat Building
In October 2024 our boat builders launched 'Grace' a community built boat. We worked with Orkney boat builder Jeff Mackie who shared Heritage Craft Red Listed clinker boat building techniques with volunteers from across Caithness and Sutherland.
Sail Making Workshop
Grace's Crew set their sights on creating a traditional sail in June 2025 with Orkney sailmaker Mark Shiner. Traditional sail making is a Heritage Crafts Red Listed traditional craft in danger of becoming extinct in a generation.
Tales of the North Coast
In 2017 in partnership with Bettyhill, Althnaharra and Strathnaver Community Council we republished the wonderful Tales of the North Coast. A project carried out by the then Farr Secondary School to gather, share and preserve local folktales for future generations. Pick up a copy from Strathnaver Museum.
Rob Donn: Mackay Country Bard
In 2018 we celebrated the life and work of the renowned 17th century Gaelic bard Rob Donn by working with artists and crafts people throughout Caithness and Sutherland. The artists used Rob Donn's work as inspiration to create new artwork to share with a new audience.
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