HerInDep: Shetland Study Visit

Institute for Northern Studies research project 'HerInDep: Heritage in Depopulating European Areas' in Shetland for UpHellyAa

As part of the AHRC-funded project ‘HerInDep: Heritage in Depopulating European Areas’, Institute for Northern Studies team members Andrew Jennings (PI) and Andrew Lind (CoI) recently welcomed colleagues from Charles University (Czechia) and Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania) to UHI Shetland. The project team, which comprises of anthropologists, architects and cultural historians, are investigating the links between depopulation and cultural heritage, with Shetland as one of the case studies. In order to ‘get a feel’ for Shetland’s unique and multifaceted heritage, Andrew and Andrew led the team during their three-day visit which included a roundtable discussion with local partners of the project (Shetland Heritage Association and Shetland Amenity Trust), project planning meetings and full participation in UpHellyAa! The team enjoyed the full UpHellyAa experience, including taking part in the dancing at the Sound Hall, where they were hosted by Robina Barton, secretary of the Shetland Heritage Association. Our foreign colleagues were amazed by UpHellyAa, and in the reflection session they noted how inclusive, organic and community-led the festival was, commenting that it was a prime example of ‘living heritage’!

The project team will now turn their sights to writing-up their initial research ahead of fieldwork in summer 2024. Stay tuned for more information!

HerInDep team members (left to right) Kęstutis Zaleckis (KUT), Aušra Mlinkauskienė (KUT), Ingrida Povilaitienė (KUT), Marek Jakoubek (CU), Marius Ivaškevičius (KUT) and Ivan Murin (CU) pose in front of the 2024 Lerwick UpHellyAa longship. Photo Credit Dr A Lind.

The 2024 Lerwick UpHellyAa Torch Procession, led by the Jarl's Squad. Photo Credit Dr A Lind.

The 2024 Lerwick UpHellyAa 'Bill' Photo Credit: Dr A Lind.