Gaelic Language and Culture at Highland Village

Black House at the Highland Village Museum in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (Canada).

Gaelic proverb: An end will come to everything in the world but music and love will last forever.

Next door to the Highland Heights hotel, where I’m staying in Cape Breton, is a living museum of Gaelic language and culture. The Highland Village Museum in Iona is one of the institutions here in Cape Breton that is keeping alive the traditions that hold together this culture.

I wandered through the village of both replica and original buildings that represent a continuous timeline of Scottish settlers to Cape Breton. The An Taigh Dubh (Black House) starts things off from 1790 and from there is a log house, barn, church, schoolhouse, general store, blacksmith shop and carding mill.

Joanne Demonstrating Cape Breton Step Dancing at a Ceilidh at the Highland Village in Cape Breton.

The buildings themselves are fairly interesting, as they come alive by the costumed interpreters inside them. But the real pleasure is stepping inside what is called the Centre Chimney House (Taigh-framaidh le Similear), an original building from 1829 for a ceilidh.

I believe they’re held every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 pm, but phone to make sure if you’re planning on coming because things can change. Jim, the Gaelic Coordinator at the village, is a wealth of information as he chats about what a ceilidh actually is, about the history of the Gaels and encourages everyone to share their own stories.

There is, of course, fiddling, songs and step dancing. Jim believes it’s important to sing and speak in Gaelic so that visitors can hear the language in a natural setting.

“If you ask a Scottish person what they remember about their grandparents, there was always someone singing,” he tells me over lunch just before the ceilidh today.

The Malagawatch Church at the Highland Village in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (Canada).

What I Liked:

• The setting at the Highland Village Museum is stunning. It sits on top of a rolling hill, exactly how I think of the Scottish highlands. Breathtaking views from all directions cover all four Cape Breton counties.
• As well as learning about Gaelic culture in Nova Scotia, it’s also a beautiful spot to just enjoy the setting and spend the day gazing over the island.
• Inside the buildings, make sure to ask lots of questions, as the staff are fairly knowledgeable and happy to chat.
• Take lots of photos: the scenery is wonderful and, on a sunny day, the blue sky, rolling green grass, old buildings and costumed interpreters are quite the sight for stepping back in time.   

Tags: Cape Breton, ceilidh, fiddling, Gaelic culture, Gaelic language, Gaelic proverb, Highland Village, Iona, Nova Scotia, Scottish settlers, step dancing