As part of a project titled Space & Place, Pote has been examining her own identity among the communities of the Outer Hebrides. Outsider is a reflexive piece created using field recordings of the place Pote dwells. The project delved into the present, past and future of crofting, fishing, harris tweed weavers and the christian church communities of the Isle of Lewis & Harris, and have been created using community narration, self reflexive narrative and fields recordings. Outsider is the only piece that uses instrumentation alongside manipulated recordings. With nods to island traditions and the Gaelic heritage, Pote has married singer songwriter and sound art beautifully in this simple yet deeply reflective song creating an immersive piece
lyrics
What's my space or place here
Viewing like a spectator from the outside looking in
Up for adoption into the communities I dwell in
Outsider Outlier
Listening and seeing so much life being had
Grabbed by the horns with water running off its back
Watching and waiting
Wondering and dreaming of
Being one of these people I've grown fond of seeing
Hard at their graft
Steeped in history and heritage
Battle scarred and ready for another bitter winter
But smiling and working through it
Be it wind or rain each day is the same
Working quietly in their spaces
Keeping their pace with the land and sea that surrounds them
I’m not here to conquer or claim
Just to be seen and embraced
And share in the wealth of this heritage,
In the ideals of this sheltered haven
I call home
I’ve never had it
That sense of belonging these people seem to have
Even in my birth town
I’m running through treacle
Trying to fit in with that
But here I can breathe and listen
To the Sea and the wind
Feel a sense I’m where I’m meant to be
I’m not here to conquer or claim
Just to be seen and embraced
And share in the wealth of this heritage,
In the ideals of this sacred haven
I call home
Outsider Outlier
Viewing like a spectator from the outside looking in
Seeing all these lives, the links and communities
Simultaneous hearts beating, making, living and breathing
This fresh clean air with salt on the tongue
Maybe one day
I’ll be on of these people
Heart beating in time with the wind and waves
Breathing this fresh clean air
With salt on the tongue
I’m not here to conquer or claim
Just to be seen and embraced
And share in the wealth of this heritage,
In the ideals of this sacred haven
I call home
Breathing this fresh clean air with salt on the tongue
Breathing this fresh clean air with salt on the tongue
Breathing this fresh clean air with salt on the tongue
A’ tarruing ‘steach anail ghlan, sàl air mo theanga
credits
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