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Title: MAIRI MacLEOD AND THE METAGAMA

Reference number: 8177

Date: 1997

Director: d. Jessica Langford

Sponsor: Scottish Screen, Scottish Arts Council National Lottery Fund in association with Grampian Television PLC, Scottish Television PLC. Supported by The Western Isles Council, The National Gaelic Arts Project

Producer: Jessica Langford

Production company: Wintonhill Animation

Sound: sound

Colour: col

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 7.00 minsc

Description: One of a series of ten animation films made by children in small village primary schools in Scotland, also involving the local community. The series was broadcast on Scottish Television and Grampian Television, and distributed on video through schools and libraries.

Credits: Made by children at Barvas Primary School, Barvas, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides:
Catriona MacIver, Joanne MacLean, Marina MacMillan, Michelle Morrison, Paul MacDonald, Murdo MacLeod, Rachel MacIver, Christy MacLeod, Larah MacLeod, Emma MacInnes, Christine Yardley, James Cockburn, Martin Graham, Donald MacLeod, Norman MacLeod, Douglas Stewart, Careen Matheson, Katherine Donna MacLeod, Kathryn Morrison, Donald John Graham, Mairi Morrison, Ciaran MacKay, Martin Smith, Mairi Alice Bartlett, Laura MacLeod, Graham MacIver, Calum Iain Bartlett, Iain Mackay, Gordon Smith, Helen Mackay.

Peter Smith- Head Teacher
Anne Thomson- Gaelic class teacher P 5-7
Joan MacKinnon- Primary Adviser, Western Isles Council.

With special thanks to: Mr Kenneth MacDougal, Secretary.Barvas and Brue Historical Society; Mr Calum Smith, weaver; Mrs Mary Smith, spinning demonstration; Rev. Kenneth MacLeod; Mr Donald MacMillan; Mrs Annie Graham; Mr Kenneth MacRitchie from Canada.

Waulking Song 'Se tir mo ruin-sa Ghaidhealtachd' written by Donald MacDonald. Copyright An Comunn Gaidhealach
Psalm 46 sung by Barvas Free Church Congregation.
Presenter Angus Graham.

animat. Jessica Langford
ass. Sandra Kennedy
student Carrie Rose
Dialogue recorded at Radio na Gaidheal, Stornoway

Supported by The Western Isles Council, The National Gaelic Arts Project

The Scottish Villages Animation Series
exec. p. Eddie Dick
© Wintonhill Animation 1997

Shotlist: A Canadian couple drive up a steep hill to the small village of Barvas, unsuspecting of the rich history they will find there. After checking into a bed and breakfast, they sit down for tea with an old woman and her granddaughter. The old woman speaks in Gaelic and her granddaughter translates. As they talk, the Canadian woman explains that her own grandmother came from Barvas, and emigrated to Canada. She shows a picture to the old woman, who remembers the story of the Canadian's grandmother, Mairi MacLeod, and her decision to leave Scotland on the émigré steamship, the Metagama.

As a girl, the old woman had helped Mairi on the croft, and she taught her to weave and spin. But life was hard then, and when Mairi's husband saw an advertisement for a free trip to Canada, they took the opportunity, believing it would mean a better life for their family. The old woman never saw Mairi again, but she does know another MacLeod and quickly unites the Canadian with her Scottish cousin. They all share whiskey together, toasting all of the migrants that left on the Metagama.

[description from BFI website at http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/startingstories2/films/film11.html, last accessed 19/3/2009]