> Hmmm. First I like the term shielings for summer pasturage associated
> with transhumance in highland areas. Second I don't know that the
> shielings themselves are 'disputable' they are marked by permanent
> dwellings, it is just that their occupation is seasonal.
I also use the term, and also the Irish 'booleying' and 'creaghting' for the summer transhumance of both sheep and cattle 'midst booleys and blaeberries'. In fact reading up on shielings was in fact one of the reasons I choose the terminology that I did. To see how we got two sides from the same basic argument:
In 'Cattle Lords & Clansmen' Nerys Patterson notes that,
"Transhumance probably originated in communities that emphasised sheep-farming, for sheep naturally move uphill in early spring; they are so difficult to restrain that farmers who wanted their milk and wool had to follow and stay with them in the uplands."
Note that Patterson is saying its the sheep who are doing the shepherding
here. :) The sheep find the best boolies or shielings themselves. And
because of the effects grazing sheep have on plant life, enduring booleys
are relatively few. Also, in reading an archaeological history of the Mourne
Mountains ('Mourne Country' by E. Estyn Evans) I noted that nearly all of
the shielings were communal. Sheep from different clans may easily end up in
adjacent pastures. (This has implications for the 'sex and clan membership'
debate as well. If you want to meet extra-clan partners for some
post-initiations romance, follow the sheep for a season. That's why I liked
the link you gave, where 'Sweethearts had privacy in the accommodating
depths of the heather.' :) ). It also makes me wonder about possible origins
of that fine old Australian word, 'shiela' - a youngish woman. (And yes, our
early history was full of sheep and shepherds).
.
> http://www.heartlander.scotland.net/hpstory/..%5Chpstory%
> 5CLife_story_02.htm
The booleys description also mentioned the mythic pleasures, now lost, of 'heather ale', 'made from the young tops of heather, mixing two thirds of that plant with one of malt'.
> As an aside I'm toying with the idea that the wyter's ability
> to 'percieve' an area depends on clan folk living in, moving through,
> or patrolling the area.
A sort of spiritual symbiotic relationship. Yes, I like that. Me, I'm trying out a bear-ish wyter, one that hibernates all dark season and gets very grouchy in Earth Season, but otherwise encourages and magically blesses bee keeping. And, no doubt, filching da pic-i-nic baskets. :)
John
Powered by hypermail