Folk stories weave us into the fabric of the land creating an intimate, interconnected and colourful storyscape where magical beings, animals and the elements of the natural world accompany us on our life journey and give us a sense of belonging. Traditionally these stories formed a rich oral culture where the human gift of language was celebrated. Words and song connected people to their ancestors, the land that sustained them and the soil on which they walked.

Jane Cockayne, Alex Purbrick and a collaboration of Shetland artists, (Cilla Robertson, Alice Ritch and Ann Marie Anderson) have been working with Elders and children from Yell, Whalsay and Sandness to share local folklore and create new stories through writing, song and visual arts. Wance Upo a Time celebrates the rich tapestry of folklore that has been spun into Shetland’s culture. These stories have forged an intimacy with a numinous landscape inhabited by beings such as giants, trows, nguggles who live amongst rocks, lochs and grassy knolls, which has nurtured communities for generations. At Bonhoga, Wance Upo a Time invites you to step into an enchanted world, to reflect on the stories that connect us and remind us of the living land and seascape we call home.

Curated by John Hunter.

This project is part of the Creative Islands Network, a Culture Collective programme funded by Creative Scotland and run by An Lanntair, Pier Arts Centre, Shetland Arts and Taigh Chearsabhagh

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