Taste Of Scotland Night

NKS Scottish Heritage Project organised a cultural night “A Taste of Scotland” on the 19th of May. The event, presented by the RSCDS, was attended by more than 100 South Asian Women and children. They showed great enthusiasm for the traditions of Scotland’s music and dance. They related many aspects of this to their own culture. It was a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining and educational evening that stimulated lively questioning and exchanges of ideas. The presenters gave brief descriptions of the social background of the pieces of Music and Dance they performed. This musical night gave South Asian Women an insight into the history and the traditions of Scottish music and dance. Above all it showed how similar Scottish music and dance is in reflecting both the triumphs and the tragedies of our histories. MSP Sarah Boyack attended as a chief guest and applauded NKS efforts in the integration of South Asian women within the mainstream of Scottish Culture and Heritage.

Scottish Parliament Visit

NKS Women’s groups visited the Scottish Parliament as part of a study project into Scottish Political History. The group enjoyed the tour. The tour enhanced the Group’s understanding of contemporary events in Scotland – most especially the enthusiasm surrounding the overwhelming victory of the Scottish National Party in the General Election. Many in the group related this to independence struggles in their own countries.

Dundee Jute Mills (Verdant Works)

The Dundee Jute Mills tour was an absolute delight particularly to the Bangladeshi Women and Children. Indian and Pakistani Women also enjoyed the tour. Some in the group related verdant works to their family experiences as Jute Mills workers in Narayanganj. The group very much enjoyed the visual and the descriptive history of Verdant Works and amazed to know of commercial links between (Narayanganj (Bangladesh) and Dundee (Scotland).

Broughty Ferry Castle in Dundee

Tour of Broughty Ferry Castle gave an interesting insight into the history of 15th Century Anglo-Scottish Wars. The Group enjoyed the history of Mary, Queen of Scotland (1542 to 1587) who is the most intriguing, most studied, and most famous of all Scottish monarchs: probably because she showed herself to be the most human. This tour also focused on the history of the Broughty Ferry Town – once a fishing village and ferry port, developed as a residential and resort town during the 19th Century when many of its fine villas were erected by jute industrialists from Dundee.