On Friday 15^th December, Raasay Primary School presented their Christmas Show –  ‘A Raasay Folktale’ to a packed audience in the island Community Hall. The community were welcomed to an evening of traditional storytelling, inspired by Raasay folklore, Sorley MacLean and the storytelling workshops undertaken by the pupils with Lizzie MacDougall and her story quilt. Written and created by the pupils of Raasay Primary School, the children took the audience back in time to a time when people listened to stories, passed from one generation to the next. Inspired by nature, mythology and the Well of Understanding, the story started in Brochel Castle on Christmas Eve and took the characters on a journey of self-discovery where the tales explored the importance of trust, self-belief, friendship, bravery and faith …

The audience were treated to the magic of traditional folklore throughout the evening and the main characters, Donald and Roddy, met ‘Time the Deer’, the Wise Woman of Hallaig, some mischievious fairies who lived near the Well of Understanding, the all-knowing White Hare and the mythical Kelpie of Loch Na Mna.

The curriculum focus for Inter Disciplinary Learning this term was Folklore and Fairy tales and this performance was a culmination of the work undertaken by pupils throughout the term.

“This was an exciting project whereby pupils undertook workshops with a visiting storyteller and developed the plot and storyline through a series of rehearsals. The children engaged with the project from the outset and took ownership of the direction of the storyline. What they produced was a fantastic production enjoyed by so many on the night. The children worked extremely hard on making the night a success, being such a small school of only seven pupils, they approached the challenge of taking on multiple roles on the stage and I congratulate them on their achievement.

This was a truly collaborative production and we were delighted to have had the input of local artist Fiona Stone, individuals from the island who gave of their time and skills to help with sound, lighting, filming, make-up and our Parent Council for providing delicious baking and teas and coffees on the night. Thanks are also extended to all staff and parents for their commitment and support in making the evening such a success and also to our parents. Feedback from pupils, parents and audience members highlighted how much the children enjoyed the production and how impressed the audience were with their performance. Well done to all!”  Wilma Duncan, Head Teacher