People interested in Gaelic will have access to two new mentoring programs that use old technology to create a new generation of Gaelic speakers and tradition bearers.

Gaelic students will learn traditions and language from community elders in the Daltachas (fosterage) program offered through Bun is Bàrr (root and branch), the Gaelic Affairs mentoring program.

“Sharing stories and time together as they worked or learned a new cultural skill, was how people learned in older societies,” said Maurice Smith, Minister of Gaelic Affairs. “Students learn language, but they learn a lot about customs, values, and how to interact socially, with an emphasis on humour and hospitality.”

Learners in An Drochaid Eadarainn (The Bridge Between Us) will use on-line archives to connect with hundreds of Gaelic speakers whose stories have been recorded over the last century.

“This is the only area outside of Europe where a distinct Gaelic community has survived for generations,” said Lewis MacKinnon, executive director of Gaelic Affairs. “It is the basis for our Celtic identity, which is recognized internationally through our festivals and musical ambassadors, who are rooted in a distinctly Nova Scotian people and place.”

For details on programs offered through the province, visit www.gov.ns.ca/oga/. The deadline for application letters to both programs is Friday, Aug. 9.

Gaelic Affairs supports Nova Scotians in reclaiming Gaelic language and identity by creating awareness, working with partners and providing tools and opportunities to learn, share and experience Gaelic language and culture.

Source: Release