Food Biadh

[Preseantair] Is iomadh rud a tha fhathast air falach air machraichean na h-Alba. Ach tha mòran dhe na bha dìomhair air tighinn am follais, ‘s tha sin a’ toirt sealladh dhuinn air cho mòr ‘s a bha ar sinnsirean an crochadh air toradh na mara.

[Coinneach MacIlleathain] Nuair a tha thu a’ cladhadh ann an seann làraich an rud a tha a’ nochdadh an tòiseach agus tha cho pailt ‘s a ghabhas, gu h-àraidh anns na h-Eileanan, ‘s e sligean. Agus tha thu a’ smaointinn, uill thiochrais, cha robh dad sam bith eile aca ach sligean, cha robh iad ag ithe ach maoraich. Ach ma bha iad ag obair air maoraich, ‘s dòcha gun robh iad cuideachd ag obair air feamainn. An aon rud a th’ ann mu deidhinn dhaoine, tha iad gu math gleusta. Tuigidh iad gu math luath a bheil mathas sam bith ann an lusan, no ann am feòil no dad sam bith.

[An t-Oll Ailean Mac a’ Phearsain] Tha maorach glè mhath air ar son. Tha protein math ann agus tha beagan ola ann agus tha minerals ann cuideachd. Agus tha na minerals sin math air ar son. Ach tha e comasach airson na maoraich na minerals a’ concentratadh agus ma tha cus de mhineral ann, tha sin air ar puinnseanadh agus tha sinn a’ faighinn gu math tinn.

[Màiri NicRuairidh] Bha maorach gu math cudromach ann am beatha nan Gàidheal anns na linntean a dh’fhalbh, gu h-àraidh aig deireadh nan Ochdamh Linn Deug, tha mi cinnteach, sna h-eileanan seo ‘s tòiseach na naoidheamh Linn deug, air nach robh puinnsean cho pailt ‘s a tha iad an-diugh no idir a bhiodh. Fhuair e ainm “biadh nam bochdainn” a chionn bha gu leòr de dhaoine a bha cho bochd, ‘s cha robh dad aca a dh’ itheadh iad ach an rud a bheireadh iad às an tràigh. Agus bha iad ag ràdh gum biodh iad beò air a’ mhaorach gus an tionndaidh iad gu dubh mar am biodh iad ag ithe dad ach e fhèin. ‘S nuair a thigeadh an taiseann orra gum biodh iad gu math cunnartach, slàinte. Bhithinn-sa beò às na thigeadh às a’ mhuir. Bha mi air mo chleachdadh nuair a bha mi a’ fàs suas de dh’ iasg is maorach agus tha mi fhathast glè dhèidheil air agus ithidh mi maorach sam bith.

Chaidh am prògram seo, Annlan, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2000.

[Presenter] Many things are still hidden in the machairs of Scotland. But much of what was hidden has come to light, and that gives us a glimpse of how much of our ancestors lives depended on the fruits of the sea.

[Coinneach MacLean] When you are digging in an old site the one thing that appears at first and are as plentiful as you can get, especially in the islands, it’s shells. And you think, well goodness, there was nothing else but shells, they didn’t eat anything but shellfish, But if they were working on shellfish, maybe they were working on seaweed. The one thing about people, they are very resourceful. They’ll understand pretty quickly that there is nourishment in plants, or in meat or in anything else.

[Prof. Alan MacPherson] Shellfish is really good for us. It has good protein and a wee bit of oil and there are good minerals in it too. And those minerals are good for us. But it is possible for the shellfish to concentrate the minerals and if there is too much mineral in it, it can poison us and we get very sick.

[Mary Thompson] Shellfish was very important in the live of the Gaels in the centuries that have passed, especially the end of the 18^th Century, when the poison was not so prevalent as it is now, or has been. It got the name “The food of the poor” as there were plenty people who were poor and they didn’t have anything to eat, but that which they could get from the beach. And they said that they would be alive on shellfish until it turned them black if they ate anything else. If they get soft they can be dangerous, to health. I would live off what came from the sea. I was used to them when I was growing up with fish and shellfish and I am still very keen on them and I’ll eat any shellfish.

This programme, Annlan, was first broadcast in 2000.