Machair is a geolocative soundwalk composition that explores the agronomic practices and ecology of the Western Isles’ machair through spoken word, song, music, and soundscape composition. Commissioned by Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre, the work was developed over six months in partnership with communities on Uist, drawing on contemporary and archival recordings that span over 70 years of oral tradition.

Structured around intergenerational narratives, the soundwalk is mapped to an established trail on Lionacleit machair (Benbecula) and reflects the landscape and traditions of this unique environment. Comprised of five sections, the work charts the growing season, from cultivating the soil with seaweed in Spring to harvesting crops in Autumn. Gàidhlig music and song frame the walk, echoing themes in the spoken narratives, while original compositions provide underscore and anchor the work through environmental wildlife recordings (captured on the machair), and works for synthesiser that respond to the ecology of the machair through the bio-sonification of it’s wildflowers.

The resultant composition is an episodic collage of sound materials structured around a montage of voices that guides the listener. The assemblage of music, song, and soundscape elements accumulates meaning, evoking a sense of place and time through sonic association. In doing so, the work seeks to challenge traditional norms of engagement and interpretation, inviting new ways of exploring place, identity, and community through creative sound practices.

Work information:

This geolocative soundwalk explores the agricultural traditions and ecology of Uist’s machair. A Gaelic word meaning fertile, low-lying grassy plain, machair is one of Europe's rarest yet most species-rich habitats; only occurring on the exposed west-facing shores of Scotland and Ireland. Generations of low-intensity farming have shaped this unique living landscape and encouraged wildlife over millennia. Developed in partnership with the local community, this work combines spoken narratives, Gaelic song, field recordings, and compositions with archival sound recordings from Edinburgh University’s School of Scottish Studies, that chart over 70-years of tradition.

Contemporary voices include crofters Alasdair MacEachen and Anne MacLennan, whose crofts have been in their families for generations. With a lifetime of crofting experience, both provide first-hand perspectives on working the machair and reflect on how crofting practices have changed in their lifetime. Environmental scientist Matt Topsfield provides insights into the machair's formation, history, and ecology. Originally from Essex, Matt settled on Uist in 2010 as a project advisory officer for the EU-funded research project Machair Life. Towards the end of the walk, we hear from the next generation of crofters, namely brothers Freddie (aged 7) and Seoras (aged 4) MacDonald, who provide an excellent commentary on harvesting crops on the machair.

From the archive, we hear excerpts of Dr Emily Lyle's 1977 interview with islanders Roderick MacKillop, John MacIver, Angus MacKenzie, and John Morrison. Through their conversation, insights are given into pre-war crofting practices, collecting seaweed and planting crops, where the absence of machinery required considerable manual labour. Despite the hard work, we learn that these practices were an important social event that brought communities together – as MacKillop exclaims, ‘it was a special day!’.

As a cultural landscape, the machair and crofting practices are a source of inspiration and are often cited in Gàidhlig music and song. As such, songs from the Western Isles feature throughout and help frame the structure of the walk, echoing the themes featured in spoken narratives. These include songs about homeland and crofting practices, such as Angus MacDonald’s rendition of ‘Eilean Uibhist Mo Rùin’ (My beloved island of Uist) recorded in 1986, and Nan MacKinnon singing the children's song ‘Orra Bhonnagan a Ghaoil’ (Dear Orra Bonnagan) about lifting potatoes recorded in 1958. As we learn about seaweed, a 1977 recording of the waulking song ‘Mhòrag 's na Hòro-gheallaidh’ (Morag and the Promised) is heard that recounts a love story about a girl collecting seaweed. Light-hearted songs include a celebration of the humble potato, in the 1950 recording of Angus Fletcher singing ‘Am Buntàta 's an Sgadan’ (The Potato and Herring), and a selection of puirt à beul (mouth-music) dance tunes sung by Kenneth MacIver in 1959.

This work was commissioned by Dandelion and Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre, with funds from Event Scotland. Production team: Duncan MacLeod (composer), Mairi McFadyen (creative ethnologist), and Sorcha Monk (creative producer).