What's in a Name?

'What's in a Name?' has developed through Grampus's work in Slovakia and Germany, for example, at the 'Dübener Heide Wood Festival' (Germany). In Cumbria the Rural Development Programme supported work, 'The Vikings in Cumbria' also began investigations of placenames (Plumbland & Threapland) and personal names (Tordiff & Ackrigg), especially through linking to Iceland and Norway. The project seeks to use community-selected placenames as a basis and catalyst for developing a new local festival, which is a means of involving locals, visitors and especially young people in outdoor activity in the catchment of Bassenthwaite Lake. The festivals (one per year) will focus on sustainable use of some local materials, learning about 'Local Agenda 21' and the principles of 'localness' and reduced environmental impact. Whilst learning these lessons, which are critical to the healthy future of the lake, the participants will design and run a festival, thereby adding their own input to the cultural identity and landscape of the catchment. There will be three interactive festivals over the three years and these will be each summer or autumn, following investigations beginning in the spring. They will be located in different parts of the lake catchment and are planned to continue in the following years with no Heritage Lottery Fund support. The planned placename investigations and festivals are…

Summer / Autumn 2007 - 'Ullock Pike' …. 'The peak where wolves play'
Spring / Summer 2008 - 'Threlkeld'…'Spring of the thralls (slaves)'
Spring / Summer 2009 - Placenames and surnames associated with wool - Bowker (cloth washer), Webster (weaver), Walker (fuller), Lister (dyer), Cropper (shearman) and Chapman (wool merchant) or names of features such as fields, rocks, streams - that differ from those shown on maps and are found through discussion with local people.

Each interactive investigation and festival event has common elements…

" For each of the annual events, young people from other European countries are involved - this brings new ideas and skills and releases European Union funding from 'Leonardo da Vinci, (also 'Youth' and 'Culture 2000'). The average number of European young people at one of the festivals is 15 with some 20 locals and the duration of their input is 14 to 21 days with the festival being a culminating event.

" Each event involves the young people and locals in sustainably selecting and gathering local materials, practicing skills, creating art and making products linked to the name.

" The festivals include other cultural elements including art, music, dance and storytelling.

" Each festival has skills training offered to the young people by local craftworkers and artisans. The skills selected are linked to the theme of the festival and the placename. This training may be recognised, certificated and validated by a number of mechanisms, for example, the 'John Muir Award', Duke of Edinburgh Award or LANTRA (land-based industry training).

" Each festival has a cultural and social programme that further explores the issues of the catchment, cultural, social (community) and environmental.

" Each festival will feature stalls and demonstrations to appeal to the visiting public and invited guests and there will be opportunities to showcase local materials and products.

" The local inhabitants of the place where the name is investigated will have a special interactive role and opportunity.

" The project will offer out of school and family learning opportunities through Cumbria County Council.

Grampus Heritage and Training Ltd, Ashgill, Threapland, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 2EL, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 16973 21516 Fax: +44 (0) 16973 23040 E.Mail: enquiries@grampusheritage.co.uk