Truacanta in action – conversations about celebrating and remembering

Truacanta in action – conversations about celebrating and remembering

Anne McDonald updates us on recent Highland Truacanta activity

“They say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time”

We had a lovely afternoon in Cromarty with the youth cafe and some older members of the community talking about ways to celebrate and remember those we have known, and eating Cromarty Youth Cafe’s wonderful afternoon tea. Thanks so much to Wanda Mackay, Fraser, Creativity In Care and all those who came along. What beautiful works of art you created. We will be back to talk more about a memory bench.

The next day we were talking again about remembering and celebrating, this time with the HSCN Virtual Tea-break. Creativity in Care supplied everyone with their own craft kit, and then guided us through the process of making paper roses and poppies. We wrote some beautiful haiku - particularly impressive for those who had only just learned what a haiku is. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that consists of three lines, five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and five in the third.

Your leaf falls too soon

But seeds you set in our hearts

Grow strong shoots of joy

The end of October saw us finally holding our first Highland Truacanta Creative Community Conversation in Kinlochleven. The Leven Centre not only provided a safe environment but also a warm welcome and much encouragement. Karrie and Chris from Creativity in Care supported us in sharing thoughts around remembrance as we made our beautiful paper poppies and roses. Our group of 13 shared ideas for personal and community “ways of remembering”, particularly in these unusual times.

The group included local older people and participants from local organisations: High Life Highland staff from the Centre, Libraries and Adult Learning, Kinlochlovin’ (a local creative organisation for both young people and adults), Action for Seniors in Kinlochleven, the Salvation Army and Kinlochleven Community Trust.

People were bubbling with ideas and keen to take some away to discuss further in their groups and in the wider community. It will be really interesting to see if any of these ideas, or indeed completely different ones, are taken forward, generating conversations about death, dying, loss, grief and remembrance in the community. It was just so lovely to be back holding a face-to-face event!

If you live in the Highlands and would like to know more about Highland Truacanta or get involved, get in touch with Anne: anne-hscn@outlook.com