Angela Watt Phd Thesis

UHI Thesis - pdf download summary The implications of cultural interchange in Scalloway, Shetland, with reference to a perceived Nordic-based heritage. Watt, Angela DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (AWARDED BY OU/ABERDEEN) Award date: 2013 Awarding institution: The University of Edinburgh Link URL to thesis in UHI Research Database General rights and useage policy Copyright,IP and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the UHI Research Database are retained by the author, users must recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement, or without prior permission from the author. 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Sep. 2021 The Implications of Cultural Interchange in Scalloway, Shetland, with reference to a perceived Nordic-based Heritage Angela Watt A thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen For my Grandparents; and the legacy of their collective narratives. The Implications of Cultural Interchange in Scalloway, Shetland, with reference to a perceived Nordic-based Heritage A thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen Angela Watt BA Honours (First Class): Culture Studies of the Highlands and Islands UHI Millennium Institute, 2006 2012 Declaration: This thesis has been composed by the named candidate, Angela Alison Watt. It has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree. The work has been done by the candidate. All quotations have been distinguished by quotation marks and the sources of information specifically acknowledged. Signed: Angela Alison Watt Dated: 25th June 2013 Abstract Title: The implications of cultural interchange in Scalloway, Shetland, with reference to a perceived Nordic-based heritage. Author: Angela Watt, PhD Researcher, Centre for Nordic Studies/UHI Shetland’s geographical location has long been considered remote or isolated from a centralised Scottish perspective. However, as an island group situated between the neighbouring landmasses of Scotland and Norway, Shetland is directly situated on the maritime highway of the North Atlantic Rim. The mobilising quality of the maritime highway created a path of entry into the islands, allowing the development of locational narratives, but has also resulted in the loss of some of these narratives. This investigation addresses the dynamics of cultural interchange by formulating a theoretical model of the exchange of ‘cultural products’; with particular regard for practices of recording and displaying visual narratives. The ancient capital of Shetland, Scalloway, provides the background for a microcosmic account of Shetland’s wider history and cultural composition and forms the main focus of the thesis. Within this setting the process of cultural interchange can be seen to have been formative in the development of island identity; particularly in traditional practices, occupational forms, dialect, place-names and cultural expressions. The historical account of Scalloway provides material culture evidence for human occupation reaching back to the Bronze Age. Successive ‘layers’ in the archaeological record and officially recorded histories indicate distinct periods pertinent in the development of a local identity; Iron Age, Norse Era, Stewart Earldom and World War Two. Collectively, these periods represent a consecutive process of ‘imprinting’ characteristics upon the local population; including geographical positioning, dialect, political control and shared narrative histories with Norway during the Second World War. However, it can be seen that there is an over-determination of the Norse element of island identity, which finds a greater degree of replication in visual accounts. It is argued in this investigation that this over-determination is a deliberate cultural construct of island identity that is maintained in opposition to Scottish control. 2 Contents Acknowledgements iii List of Figures vii List of Tables ix 1. Introduction: theorising the Norseman’s Bias 1 1.1 Setting the scene: locating Scalloway 5 1.2 Unexplored territory: narratives of place 8 1.3 A contribution to visual sociology 10 1.4 Aims of the thesis 16 1.5 Outline of thesis and subsequent chapters 18 1.6 Conclusion 26 2. Literature Review 28 2.1 Introduction: what is culture? 28 2.2 The construction of identity 32 2.3 The discussion of cultural interchange 37 2.4 The role of heritage 43 2.5 The analysis of visual images 45 2.6 Conclusion 49 3. Methodology 51 3.1 Introduction 51 3.2 Consideration of a research design 51 3.3 Engaging with a multi-disciplined approach 56 3.4 Critical evaluation of chosen methodologies 67 3.5 Conclusion 80 4. Constructing a Shetland Identity 82 4.1 Introduction: framing a Shetland identity; Scalloway 82 4.2 The primitivisation of Shetland and Shetlanders 83 4.3 A history of cultural encounterability 96 4.4 Developing a Nordic heritage 112 4.5 Conclusion: the summarising of Shetland’s narratives 127 i 5. Representations of Scalloway Identities 129 5.1 Introduction 129 5.2 Signposting key heritage sites 129 5.3 Memorialising ‘The Shetland Bus’ 154 5.4 Engaging with Scalloway’s maritime agencies 172 5.5 Conclusion 190 6. Biases and Implications 192 6.1 Introduction 192 6.2 The privileging of identity traits in Shetland 192 6.3 The imprint of culturalisation 211 6.4 Implications of the Shetland identity 231 6.5 Conclusion 247 7. Discussion and Conclusion 249 7.1 Introduction 249 7.2 Seeing cultural patterns of practice 250 7.3 Framing a theory of cultural interchange 264 7.4 Consideration of a new heritage practice 277 7.5 Conclusion and Further Research 300 Appendices 306 1 - Methodological tables 307 2 – Newspaper survey: The Shetland Times (2009) 314 3 - Scalloway in statistics: painting by numbers 321 4 - Interview consent form 340 5 - School art survey 341 6 - The Pilot Us: The Shetland Times 343 7 - The Gallery: art survey results 344 8 - Newspaper articles 363 Bibliography 368 ii Acknowledgements During the course of this research I have had the pleasure to talk to many people. It has been an interesting and enlightening journey that has developed an idea with potential into a doctoral thesis. This journey has taken me across vast geographical distances: across time zones, continents, through cultures, spaces and ultimately arrived at the destination of learning. All of this would have been poorer had it not been for all those willing individuals who helped me along the way. This research degree was collaboratively funded through the Centre for Nordic Studies (Orkney), the UHI Millennium Institute (now University of the Highlands and Islands) and Shetland Islands Council (SIC): without this provision I would not have been able to undertake the necessary period of research. I must also acknowledge the determination and support shown by my supervisors, Dr Donna Heddle and Professor Margaret Grieco, in seeing this investigation through to completion. I am grateful for the assistance received from particular institutions, including: Scalloway Museum, Shetland Family History Group, The Shetland Bus Society, Shetland Museum and Archives, Hocken Library: Dunedin, and Shetland Library (especially Douglas Garden and the Inter-Library Loan staff). Thank you to the staff at: ‘Shetland Silvercraft’, ‘J.J. Rae’s Jeweller’s’, Rosaleen Williamson of ‘Hjaltasteyn’, ‘Ola Gorie’ (Orkney) and ‘Orkneyinga Silverwork’ (Orkney). Thank you to all the Shetland schoolchildren who took part in the school art survey - and to their parents for signing the consent forms. This would have been impossible without the willingness of the teachers and I am especially grateful to Noelle Henderson of the Shetland Education Department for helping to arrange this and to the art teachers for their cooperation. I should also like to acknowledge my appreciation to the staff iii of the Scalloway Harbour Office – Alastair and Ross – and the ‘Quarry Boys’ – Billy and Michael – for indulging my curiosity and for their cooperation, statistics and photographs. Sincere thanks to all those individuals who participated in interviews, allowed me into their homes and opened up family albums for me to look at:- Within Shetland I should like to extend my gratitude to the following individuals: Georgie Duthie and family for help in obtaining the ‘Chris Chataway’ film, Ella Watt and family for helping with the lobster pool investigation, Dennis Coutts for delving into his commercial photographic collection and offering information about the lobster pool ‘story’ in The Shetland Times, Rosa Steppanova for reminiscing her friendship with the photographer Gunnie Moberg, Stuart Hill for his ‘outsiders’

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