Some highlights from Da Ketling, da Fox an da Muckle Rat – Shetland County Drama Festival Entry 2016

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Adjudicator’s comments : This has been an excellent night! The theme for the festival is ‘Celebration’ – the pleasure of doing and watching drama – and an important part of this is the rehearsal stage, putting the play together to delight the audience.  Well, we were delighted tonight!

I very seldom see children as young as P3-5 on stage, and I’ve never seen them engaged and entertaining us to such a level.  The music was terrific, the movement great, the noises wonderful.  The movement was very modern – often with a box set children just stay within it, but these animals were everywhere! Up and down the auditorium – great fun.  They had the confidence and the competence to engage with you, me, each other.  Everyone was in role for the whole play – the farmer trying to keep control – what a beard! Do you think if I worked at it I could grow one like that? The cats – they’re going to be a problem when they’re older – niggling at each other like that! The ponies eating away, the pig shuffling about, the cows, the sheep nudging each other up at the back, the dog with his bone, all the excitable hens and the ducks with their flippers, the laid back fox, the sneaky rat – everyone was excellent.

The play was ideal to engage, stretch and challenge these young actors.  I was delighted to see it was also part of a project to keep the Shetland dialect alive and vibrant. Well done Aith Junior High School – please put your hands together for these talented young actors.                      IMG_0670IMG_0681IMG_0691IMG_0692IMG_0696IMG_0707IMG_0711IMG_0715IMG_0718IMG_0723IMG_0726

A big thank you to our producer and script writer – Marsali Taylor and also to Izzy Swanson for all her help

Muckle thanks also to our very talented face painters – Elizabeth Atia and Lynn Ritch, much appreciated!

* For a copy of the performance on DVD, please contact the AJHS school office 807 400  (£5)

Lerwick fishmarket and electronic auction by Finn and Shona

Primary 3,4,5 have  been on trip to LHD fishmarket and electronic auction.  We were interested in finding out why the sea/fishing industry is so important to Shetland as well as experiencing different types of jobs involved in running a business.  We also used a lot of the information gathered in our ‘real life’ maths back in school.

Here is Shona and Finn’s account of the day..

We walked towards this massive building.  We went up steep stairs and were in a corridor, we could see the live electronic fish auction happening inside.

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There was a big clock that had a light that went round. There were two big rectangles.  One was the fish that was about to be sold and the other was what was sold. IMG_1249

The live fish auction – each person in the room might be bidding for about 100-200 companies. The seafood industry is really important and it is the biggest industry in Shetland.

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Martin was our guide. He told us that this is the second biggest fishmarket in the country.

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Different species  – how many can you name?

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They are loads of fish. They are all graded into different sizesIMG_1260

Monkfish have very sharp looking teeth!

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The temperature of this room is kept at 2 degrees.  This room had all the fish sorted, boxed and labelled. IMG_1274 IMG_1275 IMG_1276

Ready for delivery

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The Shetland Fisherman’s Association where Ruth told us all about So Much To Sea – and we got goodie bags!

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Now it is time for us to try fish buying!IMG_1283 IMG_1284 IMG_1285

Who is going to get the best price?

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As a buyer you have to watch the clock. It shows the price going down.  Someone could go for the fish any time before you so you have to be ready to bid.

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..Ready to press the blue button..

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Andrew the auctioneer answering all our questions about the electronic auction, we had lots!

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Best trip ever!