New Zealand

  Gaelic

With its Grampian mountains and its Water of Leith, and its cities called Hamilton and Dunedin, it is not hard to spot the legacy of Scottish settlers in modern New Zealand. The first Scots to visit New Zealand arrived with Captain Cook, and it is thought that as many as 20% of the first wave European settlers there came from Scotland. Many Scots settled on the South Island, and that is still reflected today in the predominance of the Presbyterian church there.

Twinned with Scotland’s capital, the city of Dunedin is perhaps the most obvious link between the two countries. In March 1848 two ships arrived arrived at Otago from Greenock, in order to establish a new settlement with the sponsorship of the Free Church of Scotland. The resultant settlement, with Dunedin (the Gaelic form of Edinburgh) as its capital, developed quickly. Its founding leaders were Captain William Cargill (left), an Edinburgh born army veteran, and Reverend Thomas Burns, a nephew of the famous poet Robert. When a port-town was established in the region in 1856, it was called Invercargill after the Captain – an emphatically Scottish name. Today it is one of the most southerly cities in the world, and many of its principal streets are named after rivers in Scotland.

Although most Scots assimilated into the wider British culture of the settlements, many maintained their connections to the home country through the establishment of Caledonian and Burns societies, and Highland Games continue across New Zealand today. Nor is the Diaspora in New Zealand merely a historic one: in the 2006 census over 29,000 New Zealanders stated that they were born in Scotland, demonstrating the country’s continuing attractiveness to Scottish migrants. The Scots New Zealanders have played a considerable part in their adopted country’s life, not least in providing numerous politicians and prime ministers, including Sir Edward Stafford of Edinburgh who served as Premier of New Zealand three times between 1856 and 1872!

 Sealan Nuadh

Le a Mhonadh Liath agus Uisge Lìte agus a bhailtean mòra air an ainmeachadh Hamaltan agus Dùn Èideann, chan eil e duilich dìleab an luchd-tuineachaidh Albannaich fhaicinn ann an Sealan Nuadh an latha an-diugh. Ràinig a’ chiad Albannaich a thadhail air Sealan Nuadh còmhla ris a’ Chaiptean Cook, agus thathar den bheachd gun tàinig uimhir ri 20% den chiad chuairt de luchd-tuineachaidh Eòrpach an sin à Alba. Shocraich mòran Albannach air an Eilean a Deas agus chithear sin fhathast gus an latha an-diugh tro bhitheantas na h-eaglaise Clèirich an sin.

Air a leth-aonadh le prìomh bhaile-mòr na h-Alba, ’s dòcha gur  e baile-mòr Dhùn Èideann an ceangal as fhaicsinniche eadar an dà dhùthaich. Sa Mhàrt 1848, ràinig dà shoitheach Otago à Grianaig gus tuineachadh ùr a stèidheachadh le urrasachd bho Eaglais Shaor na h-Alba. Dh’fhàs an tuineachadh a chaidh a thoradh a-mach às an sin mòr glè luath, le Dùn Èideann (Dunedin) mar phrìomh bhaile. B’ e an luchd-stiùiridh a stèidhich e an Caiptean Uilleam Cargill (clì), seann saighdear eòlach a rugadh ann an Dùn Èideann, agus an t-Urramach Tòmas Burns, mac bràthair a’ bhàird ainmeil, Raibeart Burns. Nuair a chaidh baile-puirt a stèidheachadh san sgìre ann an 1856, thugadh an t-ainm Inbhir Cargaill air às dèidh a’ Chaiptein – ainm gu h-àraid Albannach. San latha an-diugh, ’s e aon de na bailtean mòra as fhaide deas air an t-saoghal, agus tha mòran de na prìomh shràidean ann air an ainmeachadh às dèidh aibhnichean ann an Alba.

Ged a dh’ionnanaich a’ mhòr-chuid de na h-Albannaich leis a’ chultar fharsaing Bhreatannach a bha anns na tuineachaidhean, chùm mòran dhiubh suas an ceanglaichean leis an t-seann dùthaich tro stèidheachadh air comainn Chailleannach agus Burns, agus tha Geamannan Gàidhealach a’ leantainn air feadh Shealain Nuaidh gus an latha an-diugh. Agus chan ann dìreach eachdraidheil a tha an Diaspara ann an Sealan Nuadh an-diugh: ann an cunntas-sluaigh 2006, dh’aithris còrr agus 29,000 de mhuinntir Shealain Nuaidh gun d’ rugadh iad ann an Alba, a’ taisbeanadh an tarraing leantainnich a tha aig an dùthaich do dh’in-imrich Albannach. Tha muinntir Albannach Shealain Nuaidh air pàirt chudromach a choileanadh ann am beatha na dùthcha a dh’uchd-mhacaich iad, agus chan ann nas lugha ann an solarachadh dhiofar luchd-poilitigs agus prìomh mhinistearan, a’ gabhail a-steach Sir Èideard Stafford à Dùn Èideann a fhritheil mar Phrìomh Mhinistear Shealain Niuaidh trì tursan eadar 1856 agus 1872!