Talented young people from four different island communities in Ƶapp have joined forces to create a unique Gaelic comic book which celebrates the area’s rich culture and heritage.
The comic, “Na Gaisgich” was written by primary seven pupils from Islay, Jura, Mull and Tiree as part of a transition project for going into secondary school.
The pupils were all learning Gaelic as a second language at school and were able to create the comic as a result of funding from the Scottish Government.
After some deliberation, the pupils decided to base the book on folklore and fables from their islands, and all ideas were collaborated to form the final product.
Social Enterprise Company, Magic Torch Comics, travelled to each of the islands involved to deliver workshops to enable the children to adapt the stories, characters, illustrations and plots into comic strips.
Ƶapp Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly said: “The comic book looks great. I particularly like the way it has been created with both Gaelic and English translations, enabling everyone to enjoy it.
“The children have written the stories in a way which really captures the readers’ attention, whilst celebrating their heritage. They are an extremely talented bunch and I’m sure they will go far. Well done.”
Councillor Robin Currie, the Council’s Policy Lead for Gaelic agreed: “It’s very encouraging to see young people in our communities using their initiative in projects like this.
“Not only are they promoting the Gaelic language to a younger audience, but they are also helping to preserve tales from the area which could otherwise get lost over the years.”
To view the comic, visit: www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/default/files/migrated_files/gaelic_comic_2018_screen_res.pdf