Around Town
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PICTURES, PAWS AND PRINTS
* A Glasgow Story: A snapshot of African and Caribbean life in Glasgow today An absorbing ponrait of every day life in some of the city’s newer communities, captured by award-winning documentary photographer Roddy Mackay. Part one of the city-wide Voices From Africa project. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, Glasgow, until Sun 29 Apr.
>l¢ Belize Live! Get straight to the heart of the work of the Botanics' international team of field scientists. with a live satellite link up to Belize. where big cat expert Dr Marcella Kennedy has been monitoring the behaviour of a jaguar colony in the Maya Raintorest. Part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival. Royal Botanic Gardens. Edinburgh, Fri 1 3 Apr.
>l< Conversation Pieces: Shirley McKie: The Price of Innocence Radio Scotland’s lain Anderson offers insight into one of the most notorious Scottish court cases of recent times. Police officer Shirley McKie’s nine—year tight to clear her name has cast doubt on the reliability oi fingerprint evidence. Anderson speaks to former MSP and campaigner Mike Russell and McKie‘s father lain. a former police superintendent, who have published a book about McKie's experiences. Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Tue 24 Apr.
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As the Beltane Fire Festival turns 20, Kirstin Innes speaks to the organisers and discovers the joy of celebrating, Celtic—style
n IUSX. a small group of enthusiasts. led by Angus
l5art|uhar of industrial rockers Test Dept.
approached the School of Scottish Studies at lidinburgh l'niyersity. for funding. They wanted to stage an outdoor performance incorporating mythology about the ancient (’eltic festival. Beltane. performed to welcome in the summer. l'sing fire. juggling. dance and a small troupe of drummers. they performed the ritual progress of the .\lay Queen and her consort the (ireen Man on top of ('alton Hill on 30 April that year. it was watched by about l()() of their friends.
'()h. it‘s all become a creation myth. how it got started. It‘s a bit of a legendary stot‘yf says Robyn llambrook. Programme Director for the leth birthday celebrations of a festival which now annually pulls crowds of over 8000 spectators. From what I can gather. it‘s unusual for any member of the Beltane society to identify themselves in an interview. and llambrook isn‘t comfortable speaking for the very diyersc interests of the society's thousand-odd members at least 300 of whom will be performing in the festival itself. Wisely. the events she‘s programmed for the ten days leading tip to Beltane don’t attempt to change the performance itself rather. through a series of seminars. discussions. workshops and an intriguing- sounding Masterclass of Celebration. llambrook wants people to consider not only the mythological significance of the festival. btit what it has come to mean to all those who make the annual pilgrimage to ('alton Hill to drink and dance by the fires.
‘\\'e’re running forums to trace the history of the festival itself. and the changes sometimes social.
sometimes political — which have affected the way the festival runs. but we‘re also really interested in why we celebrate.’
Although the performance itself is ceremonially
structured and steeped in ritual significance. much of
the appeal of Beltane is that it celebrates an all- encompassing philosophy. For example. it’s the eventual unification of the girning. chaotic and naked Red Men of the fire. and the orderly military formations of the White Women. guardians of the May Queen. that brings about the summer.
‘Beltane means so many diverse things to the participants that you can have all sorts of different celebrations happening up there on the same night. That‘s what I think is so beautiful about it.’ She admits that the rituals of the procession itself can seem bewildering to newcomers. but maintains that the spirit of the event taps into something that everyone can understand. ‘At my first Beltane. I sat watching the procession go by. confused. and then stayed at the tire area. drank and had a party with my friends. It‘s magical. up there — there's a palpable sense of energy. stemming from spring. that you can really feel in the communal atmosphere. So many of the big old pagan festivals like (‘hristmas/Wintermas have been commercialised. and I think we forget that it isn‘t a luxury. celebrating. It's a human need.‘
The Beltane Fire Festival 20th birthday events begin on Fri 20 Apr: see www.beltane.org for full listings. The Beltane Fire Festival takes place on Calton l-lill, Edinburgh on Mon 30 Apr.
12—26 Apr 2007 THE LIST 27