By Ian Leith, Trustee of Scottish Civic Trust
Ian Leith is past chairman of the Wick Heritage Society, a post he held for 5 years. Ian is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the heritage of Caithness in particular, and the North of Scotland in general. As such he sits on the Boards of the John O’Groats Development Trust and the John O’Groats Mill Trust. He is also a qualified genealogist and member of the Association of Scottish Researchers in Genealogy and Archives (ASGRA). In this respect he runs his own company, Baseline Research, with a focus on researching the history and heritage of the North of Scotland. Previously Ian has worked in the research and development of community and family capacity building tools and programmes. He is the author of three books – Caithness to Patagonia, The Man Who Went To Farr and Grannies and other Folk, and has recently contributed to a forthcoming publication from the University of Patagonia.
Does heritage matter? Why does it matter?
For those of us involved in various aspects of our heritage, it presumably does matter.
But what of the great swathes of people who either think it doesn’t matter or indeed don’t know why it matters?
If we do believe heritage matters, then we need to find new ways and means of raising awareness, and possibly changing perceptions. Some years ago while looking at a ruined castle I was informed that “it’s just a pile of stones”.
The Cambridge English Dictionary provides the following definition of heritage:
The history, traditions, practices etc. of a country, society or place that exists from the past and continues to be important.
So, heritage is not just of historical interest but provides a window of learning for the present and the future.
Our heritage matters therefore in developing our future. It is built from our oral traditions, written works, architecture, cultural and natural landscapes, and it enables us to stay connected to the achievements and importantly the mistakes of the past and apply these valuable lessons towards the future.
Heritage and history are all too often seen as things of the past – interesting maybe but not relevant today. Take for example our many and excellent museums and heritage groups, each displaying a window on the past. These institutions are largely run by an older generation, often for practical volunteering reasons. The knowledge of these volunteers in relation to our heritage can be extensive and they will happily impart their knowledge and memories of the past, but more as fact rather than as an examination of the reasons why it happened, and indeed why it remains important.
As a society we have, over the past number of decades, become more focused on our personal interests, yet our heritage encompasses many aspects of our lives. Our heritage is diverse in its subject matter and diverse in how it affects and impacts on our ever-increasing diverse world The time is now ripe to embrace this diversity and build an understanding of how this diversity of subject matter plays into the diversity of our personal, community and societal interests, before it all vanishes down a corridor of years.
Diversity, then, is the key, and most importantly engaging with a diverse audience. Heritage and history is not just for heritage workers.
Raising Awareness
Raising awareness on any topic demands not just a commitment but a concerted campaign. The Scottish Civic Trust with projects such as Doors Open Days and My Place Awards plus many other heritage focused organisations do great work in highlighting aspects of our heritage.
The missing link, I believe, is how and where it is all co-ordinated so that everything is ‘bolted’ on to a national strategy that allows every organisation, every region, every heritage society to feel part of and supported in showing that heritage matters.
Don’t let heritage be the sole domain of heritage workers. Empower heritage workers to become heritage ambassadors.
Let our heritage come alive. The preservation of our buildings is crucial but let’s also tell the story of who lived, worked, and died there.
Heritage is all around us – lift up your eyes. Elizabeth Beaton, author of a number of architectural books, once told me that there exists a wonderful world above eye level.
Time to tear down the barriers and open the eyes and minds of us all to the beauty, the joy, and the adventure that awaits us in our heritage.