Am Bratach No. 199
May 2008
editor@bratach.co.uk

le Alasdair MacMhaoirn
Litir bhon ’a Cheathramh

Taighean Geala agus smachd sòisealta. Thàinig an smaoin seo a-steach orm bho chionn ghoirid nuair a fhuair mi brath bho charaid mu colbh a bh’ anns The Herald (12/4/08). A rèir col’ais tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba gu bhith a’ coimhead air ailtearachd ann an Alba air son còd a chur ri chèile a chumas stoidhlichean Albannach. ’S dòcha gu bheil seadh ann anns na bailtean, chan eil fhios ’am, ach air an dùthaich tha fada cus cuideam air aon stoidhle co-dhiù. ’S e sin na taighean geala, mar a tha fhios agad, na bogsaichean geala, 1½ stòraidh a tha rin lorg air feadh na Gàidhealtais.
Little white houses and social control. That thought occurred to me recently when a friend sent me column from The Herald (12/4/08). Apparently the Scottish Government is looking at building design to put together a code to protect a distinctive Scottish style. Maybe there is some sense in the idea within cities, but in the countryside there is far too much emphasis on one particular style. This is the little white 1 ½ storey boxes that are found throughout the Highlands.

Thàinig an seòrsa taigh a-steach an deaghaidh nam fuadaichean, ’s dòcha bhon a’ Ghalltachd. Ron sin bha taigheadas diofraichte. Bha taighean fada ann le bàrradh orra, agus teine air an làr anns a’ mheadhan. A rèir col’ais bha iad seasmhach, cofhartail agus fallainn. Thadhail mi air eisimpleirean ann an Leòdhas, agus thuirt an Leòdhasach a bha ag obair ann gu robh na taighean sin glè bhlàth, agus gur ann nuair a chaidh an sluagh a dh’fhuireach anns na taighean geala a thòisich galaran nach robh idir ann roimhe. Cuideachd, tha ceò na mòine math airson galaran a chumail air falbh. Chan eil mi idir a ràdh gum bu chòir dhuinn a dhol air ais dha taighean dubha, ach dìreach gu robh iad freagarrach dhan t-suidheachachadh aig an àm. Chan urrainn dhut an aon rud a chantainn mu na taighean geala.
That sort of house came in after the clearances, perhaps from the Lowlands. Before that the houses were long, thatched and had a fire in the middle of the floor. Apparently they were sturdy, comfortable and healthy. I visited examples in Lewis where it was explained that the houses were very warm, and it was only when people moved to the newer type of house that sickness associated with damp began. Also, peat smoke has recognised antiseptic properties. I’m not at all saying that we should go back to Black Houses, but simply that they were suitable for the time. The same can’t be said about the white houses which came after.

Carson ma tha, a bheil sinn ceangailte riù mar rudeigin tradaiseanta? An e gu bheil eachdraidh agus tradaiseantan a’ tòiseachadh leis na fuadaichean nuair a bha sinn fo smachd nan daoine mòra? Nas miosa fiù ’s gu bheil an aon stoidhle fhathast cudromach anns an siostam dealbhachaidh aig a’ chomhairle. Mar a bha na taighean dubha freagarrach aig an àm, nach bu chòir dha taighean san là an-diugh a bhith freagarrach dhan là an-diugh?
Why then are we tied to that style and tradition? Is that the powers that be only believe that the history that matters began with the Clearances? It is even worse that we are still tied to that style in the council’s planning guidelines. As the Black Houses were suitable to their time, shouldn’t present day housing be suitable to modern times?

Tha iomadh adhbhar ann san là an-diugh airson stoidhlichean ùra, an àrainneachd, blàths, a bhith rumail, agus a bhith goireasach mar a tha freagarrach. Tha an leithid duilich a dh’fhreagradh le taighean geala. Air feadh na Roinn Eòrpa, gu h-àraidh ann an Lochlann, tha eisimpleirean dhe togalaichean blàth, goireasach agus snog agus, nam bharail, a bhitheadh tuilleadh is ceart dhan Ghàidhealtais. Càit a bheil sinn ma-tà, ach a’ strì le siostam dealbhachaidh a tha fhathast nas toilichte le bogsaichean beaga geala — deagh eisimpleir air smachd sòisealta. Mar gu bheil iad ag ràdh: “Chan eil annaibh ach mion-shluagh, cha fhaigh sibh ach meanbh thaighean.”
There are many reasons for newer styles, such as the environment, heating, to have sufficient room, and to be well equipped. These goals are difficult to achieve with the White House design. Throughout Europe there are plenty modern designs which are eco-friendly, well equipped, attractive which, in my opinion, would be more than suitable to the Highland landscape. But where are we however? We have a planning system stuck in an unhappy past which I think is a example of social control. It is as if the powers that be are saying: “You are just an insignificant people, therefore you can only be allowed little houses.”