Cianalas ’s Dòchas | Homesickness and Hope | Stories of Hebridean Emigration will tell the stories of those who left island shores behind and highlight this important aspect of Hebridean history.
Museum nan Eilean has been fortunate to be able to borrow a number of striking objects from National Museums Scotland. These loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.
The exhibitions will feature Indigenous artefacts from National Museums Scotland Americas Collections including snowshoes, firebags and an Inuit Chief’s coat.
These artefacts have never been shown in the islands, and several have an intriguing connection to a fur trader from the Outer Hebrides.
Ashley Ferrier, Museum nan Eilean Collections Officer said,
‘It is significant that we are able to display objects in the Outer Hebrides related to Indigenous Peoples and the fur traders who worked in Hudson’s Bay, as well as items related to gold mining across the world. These are stories that are less well-known, and the national loans help illustrate and highlight these historical events.’
The exhibition will also feature an iconic painting, on loan from the Fleming-Wyfold Collection, on the theme of the Highland Clearances: The Last of the Clan by Thomas Faed. This has not been shown in the islands for almost 40 years.
Other loaned material helping to tell emigrant stories will also be on display from the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry and the National Mining Museum Scotland.
Through a mix of artefacts, archives and documents, including important items from Museum nan Eilean’s own collections, subjects explored include the fur trade and exploration, the gold rushes, mining, the experiences of women and child migration. The exhibitions also consider the impact on the Indigenous Peoples whose lands were settled.
Seonaid McDonald, Archivist, said,
‘One of the most interesting items researched from our collections was a 19th century priest’s notebook which gives information about emigration from South Uist in 1772. This has now been conserved and digitised and we hope to make it accessible online soon, alongside showcasing it in the exhibition.’
Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation, said:
“One of the key aims of the Weston Loan Programme is to help museums tell compelling stories through meaningful loans that have relevance to local heritage, so we are delighted to support these exhibitions in Lionacleit and Stornoway which will bring objects never before seen in the islands to new audiences.”
Community input has also been important to help tell the emigration stories. There was a very positive response from families and descendants to the museum’s appeal for photographs. Only a selection could be included in the exhibition, but a new resource section of the website will feature many more.
The exhibitions will run at Museum nan Eilean, Lionacleit, and at Museum nan Eilean, Stornoway, until 29th November 2025.
