During our day at The Scottish Crannog Centre, we discovered more about the ways of living and sustainable practices from our ancestors 2,500 years ago – how these resonate with and can inspire our current ways of living, making, growing, sharing and connecting with the land beneath our feet, and how we make sense of the world through experimenting and storytelling.
In the village, we also had the opportunity to feel a slower pace of time and get our hands on ancestral tools. We chatted with staff who were demonstrating ancestral making, weaving, cooking, blacksmithing etc. We also had time to reflect in small groups about our own ways of living and connecting with others and nature, how these ancestral ways of being and doing could be applied in our everyday lives, practices and the ways we work together. In the afternoon, we heard more about  Bioregioning Tayside, their past and present actions and projects, their impacts and challenges, and how we need to expand our ways of thinking and care for the natural environment that nourishes us literally and creatively. Through the presentation and discussions afterwards, we gained a better understanding of our natural surroundings and ways to re-inhabiting them – for example, the natural boundaries that define the Tayside catchment area should be more relevant to us than the arbitrary political lines.

Both The Scottish Crannog Centre and Bioregioning Tayside have radical approaches in the way they engage with (and outreach) partners, audiences, and their local communities, making sure that their voices and stories are woven into their work and advocacy for better ways of live together with people from different heritage and cultures, and with nature.

Learning Outcomes

• Develop and exchange creative, environmental and leadership knowledge and skills within a network of peers.
• Learn from and make new connections with radical and innovative community-rooted and climate-focused
  actions and projects across the region.
• Explore and share understanding of community engagement and creative climate work.

This learning exchange has generated a sense of hope for many participants, and revealed the importance of storytelling. We also had discussions on how to become ‘good ancestors’, what we are leaving behind, and what future generations will carry on or learn from us. It has given us the space to understand what climate action means and to connect with others who are sharing my values and drive for change. The size of our world, what makes up our life, changes how we value things. We need to better connect with the small parts and nature around us!”