Traditional Gaelic storytelling returns in honor of Abigail Washburn

Sing, dance and hear Gaelic storytelling at a celebration for Abigail Washburn. 

Carolina Performing Arts is collaborating with the UNC Visiting Lectureship in Scottish Gaelic Studies to host the cèilidh (pronounced kay-lee)  to honor Abigail Washburn on March 7 at UNC’s Gerrard Hall from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

Washburn, an American clawhammer banjo player and a Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, is an artist-in-residence under the CPA DisTIL Fellowship. 

Tiber F.M. Falzett, the UNC visiting lecturer in Scottish Gaelic studies, suggested hosting a cèilidh instead of a traditional American party because Gaelic social gatherings incorporate Scottish or Irish dancing, music and storytelling in addition to connecting with friends. He wanted to bring this traditional Gaelic party to UNC’s campus to join the community in a diverse way and to share cultures.

“It’s more of creating an occasion that’s rooted in that ethos of what the cèilidh is,” Falzett said. “It’s about sharing and creating a social context with sort of the raw ingredients we have in our own community here in Chapel Hill.” 

Amanda Graham, associate director of engagement for CPA and planner of the cèilidh, said this was an opportunity to promote a rarer field of study on campus, while also honoring a renowned artist for her lifework and presence on campus. 

“This was a wonderful moment to elevate the work that Tiber and his colleagues and students are doing and to bring focus to one of our resident artists, so I thought as a way to bring our storylines and interests together,” Graham said.  

Christina Rodriguez, associate director of marketing and communications for CPA, said storytelling is one of Washburn’s many talents. She said CPA wanted to throw an event in her honor that also resonated with her fields of study that range from folk music to Mandarin. 

“I think the cèilidh is kind a fun introduction to (Washburn's work) in many ways that came together from some cross points of interest,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said Washburn was a clear choice for the DisTIL program after having past collaborations with her on campus. 

“When CPA was looking for artists to collaborate with for DisTIL, she really stuck out as someone who would be able to take the ideas around the fellowship and run with it,” Rodriguez said. “She's someone who exhibits a huge amount of humility and openness to learning."

DisTIL is a program that was designed to connect the work of artists with the UNC community, Graham said. This allows students, faculty and the greater Chapel Hill community to learn new ideas and experience work outside of their own expertise.

The celebration will be an opportunity for students to experience a tradition from another culture while building camaraderie in a social environment. Falzett said the Gaelic language is dying, but the traditions are still very much alive in contemporary communities, making it important to engage with diverse cultures.

“It’s really a time to come together as a community to tell stories, to listen and to participate in folk traditions that are important to Gaelic culture and to folk traditions here in North Carolina,” Graham said. 

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