Scotland’s Diaspora Tapestry – A project to involve communities around the world in the celebration of Scottish heritage and culture.
A tapestry, to be created by volunteers in communities around the globe. It will be assembled and displayed in Scotland as part of the 2014 Homecoming celebrations.
Scots have migrated all over the world and have often has a profound impact on the areas where they settled. This project will see 25 such communities documenting their Scottish connections on a series of embroidered panels.
Their combined stories will pay homage to the incredible determination and courage of Scots over the centuries.
The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry is the creation of Prestoungrange Arts Festival in Prestonpans with key support from Barons Courts of Prestoungrange & Dolphinstoun, hundreds of stitchers and Scotophiles globally, CreativeScotland, the Scottish Government’s Diaspora Division, EducationScotland, VisitScotland and EventScotland.
Their site can be seen here
The work which has been going on all winter is now coming to its final stage and as can be seen from the images from Sommocolonia, the tapestry’s are almost ready to be sent off to Scotland.
The team of stichers from Barga are: Lucia Pieroni and Marta Lanciani who have been working on the tapestry remembering the Arandora Star tragedy, Stefania Gugliesi and Roberta Carradini who have almost completed their tapestry featuring “ Barga the Most Scottish town” and the group from Sommocolonia who have been working on the theme of Bruno Sereni and the Barga emigration
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Barga Panel 4: World War 2 and the Arandora Star– When Mussolini declared war against Britain on the 10th June 1940, men born in Italy were interned whilst their brothers served in the allied forces. Eighteen (number to be confirmed) Barghigiani men taken from internment on the Isle of Man, lost their lives when the ship they were on, the Arandora Star was torpedoed by a German U boat.
Barga Panel 5: Most Scottish Town in Italy– Some descendants of Barghigiani have returned to live in Barga and have opened restaurants, pubs and an icecream shop.Other non-Italian Scots have made Barga their home such as the painter John Bellany.
Barga attracts many Scottish visitors, often inspired by the beautiful surroundings to paint and take part in the various music festivals.
Known as the most Scottish town in Italy, 60% of Barga residents have family in Scotland and there is an annual fish and chip festival and a Scotland Week.
Famous Scots-Italians are the singer Paolo Nutini and the football player Johnny Moscardini.
Another article appeared on the BBC in the UK with a quote from Professor Petra Wend, principal of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, about the use of QR codes on the Barga tapestry’s here in Barga –
Codes to be sewn into Scottish Diaspora tapestry
The people behind the the longest tapestry in the world now have their sights set on a global project to record the Scottish Diaspora.
The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry has had £80,000 from Creative Scotland and £60,000 from the Scottish government.
It is being embroidered by volunteers from communities around the world where Scots have settled over the centuries.
The tapestry will incorporate codes which will lead smartphone users to history depicted in each panel.
QR codes
Professor Petra Wend, principal of Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, has seen at first hand the use of the technology in Barga in Italy where they are routinely used on artwork all over the town.
She said: “This project demonstrates a very creative use of QR codes, which are now being used in innovative ways throughout the world. The tapestry merges a traditional art form with the use of modern communication technology which will help appeal to younger people as well as educating and informing audiences across the generations.”
At least 25 communities will take part, from North America, Australasia, Europe and Africa – all places with ties to the Diaspora.
All the panels will be finished by January 2014 and will be brought together in Scotland as a central part of the Homecoming 2014 celebrations.
The Battle of Prestonpans Tapestry, the biggest tapestry in the world, was created to illustrate the Jacobite rising and is 104m in length. – source – BBC