Ch-ch-ch-changes – Atharrachaidhean

'Nuair a thàinig na Gaidheil gu Ceap Breatainn an tùs, cha robh 'ad idir toilichte an dùthaich fhéin fhàgail, agus bidh sin seo-chluinntinn 'sna h-òrain a rinn agus a ghabh iad an déidh dhaibh tighinn a' seo.

An toiseach, 's e na h-òrain air an robh 'ad eòlach a ghabh iad, òrain a dh' ionnsaich iad an Alba, agus a dh' innseas dhuinn gu latha an diugh an uiread de chianalas a bh' orra. "Eilean an Fhraoich" , "Eilean a' Cheò", agus iomadh eile a mholas cliù 'is bòichead nan àiteachan ás an d' thàinig iad. Bu thoil leo gu h-àraid bàrdachd air sgeulachdan aig eilthirich eile, mar "É Horó" agus "Tuireadh nan Hiortach".

Cha robh anns a' cheud chuid de dh' òrain a sgrìobhadh ann an Alba Nuadh ach magadh 'is tàmailt do 'n t-suidheachadh ùr mì-shocrach anns an robh iad. Sgrìobh am bàrd Mac Illeathain  "A' Choille Ghruamach", mar eisimpleir.

Ach dhùisg an tìr seo gu bàrdachd iad agus an ceann ùine chualas òrain mholaidh 'gan gabhail air an tìr ùr air a bha iad air fàs ro mheasail. Òrain mar "Eilean Gorm nam Beanntan Àrd" agus "Do 'n Cheud Smeòrach".

Agus a rithist, sgrìobhadh òrain air cho duilich 's a bha iad gu bhi fàgail nan dachaighean ùra airson obair fhaighinn ann an àiteachan eile, mar "Chì MI Bhuam".

Nach neònach an eilthireachd a rinn na Gaidheil aig nach robh suim idir bhi gluasad 'mach ás na coimhearsneachdan aca fhéin? Agus nach mìorbhuileach an dìleab a dh' fhàg iad dhuinn 'san cuid chiùil.

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When the Gaels first came to Cape Breton, they weren't at all pleased to leave their own country, and that is easily heard in the songs they composed and sang after coming here.

At first they sang the songs they knew and learned in the Scotland that tell us even today how homesick they were. "Isle of Heather " , " Isle of Mist " , and many others that praised the merits and beauty of the places they came from. They especially enjoyed poetry about the experiences of other immigrants, such as in "É Horó" and "The Lament of the St. Kildans".

There was nothing but derision and insults in the first songs written in Nova Scotia about the new and uncomfortable situation they found themselves in. As an example, the song "The Gloomy Forest" by the bard MacLean.

But this land woke the bard in them and after a time songs of praise were heard for this new land for which they had grown so fond. Songs like "The Blue Island of High Mountains" and "To the First Robin".

And later songs were written about how sorry they were to have to leave their new homes to find work in other places, as "I See Away From Me".

Isn't it strange the emigration of the Gaels, people who had no desire to move out of their own communities? And isn't it a marvelous legacy of their experiences they left us in their music.