New Year Awards 2022
The richness and diversity of the North East’s Doric culture is set to receive a funding boost, thanks to the launch of the Doric Board New Year Awards 2022. The Doric Board has just opened up the third annual awards to applications from projects which celebrate the region’s exceptional heritage of Doric language, music, ballad, song, story, history, lore – and the creativity of those who live and work in the area.
Welcome Tae The Doric Board
North East Tradition An Language
The North-East o Scotland is hame tae an exceptional heritage o language, music, ballad, song, story, history an lore – alongside the dynamic creativity o fowk faa bide an wirk there. A key element in ess heritage, is North East Scots, (generally kent as Doric) the expressive tongue in fit mony North-Easters spik, think an feel.
A sma gaitherin o like-minded fowk cam the gither recently, tae energise public appreciation o this heritage an formed The Doric Board (North-East Tradition an language – NETAL). The main aim o The Doric Board will be, through advocacy, campaignin, education, events and fundin, is tae enhance linguistic an cultural confidence in the North-East, an be a powerful vyce for social, and economic regeneration – and a driver towards a national Scots Language Board. The Doric Board aims tae create an support a sustainable, dynamic future for Doric as a vibrant language – respected across the region in the context o a divers an open society.
It is the intention o The Doric Board, tae support the aims bi promotin an developin Doric as an integral pairt o the region’s heritage, identity an cultural life. Oer mony decades Doric his suffered, like the Scots language generally, fae bein seen as somehoo lackin in value.
Fooiver, The Doric Board will wirk towards promotin an facilitatin access tae the region’s cultural treasures through its language, an increase the acceptance o Doric in education, the workplace an in the media. Tae dae this effectively, the Doric Board will wirk wi The Scottish
Government, local authorities, universities, schools and colleges – tae improve provision an accessibility across aa sectors, baith for native spikkers – an importantly, learners.
Welcome to the Doric Board
North East Tradition And Language
The North-East of Scotland is home to an exceptional heritage of language, music, ballad and song, story, history, and lore, alongside the dynamic creativity of those who live and work there. A key element in this heritage is North-East Scots (generally known as “Doric”), the expressive tongue in which many North-Easters speak, think, and feel.
A small group of like-minded people came together recently to energise public appreciation of this heritage and formed The Doric Board (North-East Tradition and Language – NETAL). The main aim of The Doric Board will be, through advocacy, campaigning, education, events and funding, is to enhance linguistic and cultural confidence in the North-East, and be a powerful voice for social, and economic regeneration, and a driver towards a national Scots language Board. The Doric Board aims to create and support a sustainable, dynamic future for Doric as a vibrant language – respected across the region in the context of a diverse and open society.
It is the intention of The Doric Board to support these aims by promoting and developing Doric as an integral part of the region’s heritage, identity, and cultural life. Over many decades Doric has suffered, like the Scots language generally, from being seen as somehow lacking in value. However, The Doric Board will work towards promoting and facilitating access to the region’s cultural treasures through its language, and increase the acceptance of Doric in education, the workplace and in the media. To do this effectively, the Doric Board will work with Scottish Government, local authorities, universities, schools and colleges to improve provision and accessibility across all sectors, both for native speakers, and importantly, learners.
News and Press
New Aberdeenshire Council Leader makes Doric inaugural speech
The new leader of Aberdeenshire Council, Mark Findlater made his inaugural speech in Doric on Thursday. Mr Findlater is a Scottish Conservative and Unionist…
Strichen Festival 2022
The Buchan Heritage Festival at Strichen in Aberdeenshire is returning this year, with a series of musical competitions and events planned for this weekend. More information about the festival is...
The Spirit of Banffshire
By Professor Peter Reid, Robert Gordon University I am delighted that we have produced this film, entitled Spirit of Banffshire in collaboration with the Lord Lieutenant. It accompanies his new book...
The Book of Deer Project
As part of Scotland’s ‘Year of Stories’, the Book of Deer is returning to North-East Scotland, presented by the Book of Deer Project. You can read more below about the range of activities planned...
Kist o Riches Storytelling Evening
Kist o Riches (or Tobar an Dualchais in Gaelic) is a special evening of storytelling in Scots and Doric which will take place on Saturday 7 May. There are almost 8,000 stories on the Kist o Riches...
Gordon Hay Appointed President of Buchan Field Club
The Doric Board’s Treasurer, Gordon M Hay from Longside, has been appointed to the prestigious position of President of the Buchan Field Club, an organisation set up in 1887 for “The Study of...
MacWordle – New Scots version of Wordle Released
A new version of Wordle - the online word game - has specifically been designed for Scots speakers and learners who want to practice the language. MacWordle was designed by the Dictionaries of the...
‘The Poetry Mannie’ – New Edition showcases Bob Smith’s Poetry
Bob Smith (1941-2015) was brought up on a farm at Skene near Westhill in Aberdeenshire and spent much of his life in amongst the newspaper industry. In his later years he took to poetry and adopted the moniker, ‘The Poetry Mannie’…
‘Rhymes and Recollections’ – New production celebrates Inverurie poet, William Thom
A new production showcasing a collection of new music celebrating the work of William Thom, known as the 'Inverury Poet', will be held in Inverurie later this month. R-and-R-Poster-Final-1-2Download...
‘Lang Covid’ by John Black
A poem by John Black, Head Teacher at Meethill Primary School in Peterhead: Lang Covid: Fan Covid comes an' Covid goes It leaves ye kinda wabbit It mak's ye thank yer lucky stars Ye bothered te get...
PerioDORIC Table of the Elements
Lorraine McBeath with her PerioDORIC Table of the Elements. Now, here's a novel take on the Doric: a PerioDORIC Table of the Elements created by Lorraine McBeath, an Aiberdonian, for a Science...
Festival o Light tae bring Sheena Blackhall’s poetry tae life on the streets o Aiberdeen
Scotland's festival of light will exhibit a World Premiere o an Illuminos wirk which features the wirk o Sheena Blackhall. As pairt of Spectra 2022, 'Six Frames' bi Illuminos will be premiered,...
Special Features
Book o Deer Project
An Aberdeenshire Heritage Community Group welcomed guests to the Aden Heritage Museum in Mintlaw – to celebrate the return of one of Scotland’s most valuable treasures – ‘The Book o Deer’. The book is thought to be the earliest examples of written Gaelic in...
Daniel Abercrombie – Scottish International Storytelling Festival
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival launches on the 15th October and runs until the 31st October. With the theme 'Imagine', the festival hosts over 100 performers to take part in an event that includes representatives from 12 different countries. To here...
Jackie Ross – North East Storyteller
In this year of stories, Jackie Ross, a director of the Doric Books Company, is one of the busiest storytellers in Scotland.Journalism student Esther Chizat from Toulon in France, wanted to find out more about Jackie’s company and plans for this year.So they both took...
A Sense of Place – Jackie Ross
In ess episode, Jackie Ross taks Finn Nixon doon the ferm road tae a place that huds the start o a special North East story – foo o kidnaps, adventure an slavery. Afore that we hear fae Jackie aboot plans for the new Doric Books Publication company. The Doric Board ·...
North East Makar – Sheena Blackhall
Have look at these three special poems recorded by North-East Makar, Sheena Blackhall for the Doric Board: "Bawd bi the Dee" by Sheena Blackhall "Drumneachie Farm" by Sheena Blackhall "Veesions frae a Heilan Burn" by Sheena Blackhall