This is the third part of a series dedicated to everyday life on Saint Kilda. Today’s article is about an Hirta’s unique political organisation.
3- Freedom, cherished Freedom…
Now it is time to talk about a major component of life in the north of the world. History books speaks much of Athenian democracy as the origin of many principles which still guided our Western societies. Today many question the representativeness and legitimacy of elected politicians and there is a crisis of confidence in government managers. There is concern about the apparent limits of capitalist democracies, poisoned by abstention and a lack of dialogue between the different social strata. On the other hand, not much is offered in the way of alternatives and solutions. Did you know that, on Hirta, the community has been living in a sort of “pure democracy” (ignoring anyway women like in the Athenian democracy) with considerable simplicity?
How did the system work? Until the evacuation in 1930, the archipelago was effectively independent politically from the rest of the United Kingdom. In a very institutionalized Europe, this tiny archipelago survived, ruled by its own laws, in a manner approaching a primitive communism, a “utopian society”, anomalous in the wider political landscape.
In 1838, the English Georges Clayton Atkinson stayed in the island to observe the curious government in place on Hirta. Until then, he had never seen such a thing! Much of the time before the start of the day, the island men would meet in the unique street of Bàgh a Bhaile in order to decide together, the daily activities. During this meeting, they talked about the work done the day before and decided what came next. On this occasion, they formed working groups according to everyone’s wishes, sharing the tasks necessary for the group to survive. Some of them might hunt birds on the cliffs, others might maintain the cultivated lands and the livestock for each other. Women were usually expected to take care of home, children, and work the wool. They helped maintain the cultivated lands as well. Atkinson spoke of those meetings as “the daily Parliament of St Kilda”. However, we cannot compare it to a parliament because of its singular functionality.
The “daily Parliament” in a street of the village, 1928.
This daily “parliament”, a gathering of adult men, was managed by no one in particular. Everyone has the right to speak. When one Hirta man speaks, other ones listen and discuss. There is no boss, no president, and no master of sessions. It is a real self-management in which all men are equal. According to Tom Steel, author of “The Life and Death of St Kilda”, ‘the discussions often lead to disagreements, but there is no confirmation in History that quarrels were so violent to cause a permanent split in the community.” Indeed, the need for conciliation, in order to live together on the island is essential. This is maybe the reason for success of the local political functioning which ultimately knows only its own laws. The continent and its institutions are far off and abstract.
Maybe this freedom made life sweeter on St Kilda. Maybe this freedom also engendered the deep attachment in the community for its island. Finally, maybe this freedom compelled them to stay, in a way that defies all logic, until one morning at the end of the summer 1930. Some freedoms had to be sacrificed. Another life, less difficult, less risky and more comfortable was about to come. Another life, certainly less breathless for Men whose dream is almost within reach. This is certainly why, some years after he left Hirta, Lachlan MacDonald, one of the last inhabitants and a child during the evacuation, said: “Life was beautiful on the island…”
To be continued…
Clément B., translation by Valérie G.
kildaprojet.com 
Well. That is again citing somebody without questioning if it is really based on deep knowledge. Donald John Gillies – who lived on St Kilda and was raised there – later stated about the parliament: « … so there was more of a specultaion or assumption that what they wrote was its function ». He says that to his memory none of the writers ever took place in a parliament nor was the parliament « daily ». There were many times and occasions without meeting in the morning. During sheep shearing, harvesting or peat cutting for instance never has been parliament. And that was about ten days each at least. And he says, there were many more times. So one could at least question if it happened that way. All these Info are taken from « The Truth About St Kilda, An Islander’s Memoir by Donald Gillies » page 19f.
J’aimeJ’aime
Thank you for the information. Well, I think that’s very interesting. On the other hand I did not say that these meetings were daily. I simply said that the meeting took place « much of the time ». Yours faithfully.
J’aimeJ’aime
How fascinating ! Thank you for sharing
J’aimeAimé par 1 personne
Thank you ! 🙂
J’aimeAimé par 1 personne
If « There is no boss, no president, and no master of sessions. It is a real self-management » is this not more akin to an anarchy that primitive communism?
J’aimeAimé par 1 personne
Interesting ! 🙂 But I think in the origins of communism there was no mentions about « leaders » ! 😉 The ideal being rather the system of cooperatives. (Excuse for my english)…
J’aimeJ’aime
Oui, St Kilda est une île absolument fascinante
J’aimeAimé par 1 personne
Vous avez déjà eu la chance d’y aller ? 🙂
J’aimeJ’aime
Bonjour, Désolée…mais je n’aime pas trop laisser de messages sur les blogs….il a fallu qu’il s’agisse de St Kilda! En réponse à votre question: Pas encore, mais je connais bien le Nord-Ouest de l‘Écosse et les Hébrides où je retourne depuis plus de vingt ans. Fin des années 80, sur la table d’un café, à Skye, je suis tombée sur le bouquin de Tom Steel « Life and death of St Kilda »….et je découvrais l’existence de St Kilda. Je suis traductrice et je me suis intéressée ensuite à différents récits de voyages sur les Hébrides…et St Kilda. Voilà.Il y a deux ans j’avais prévu de partir d’Ullapool sur le Wyld Swan, mais le voyage a été annulé…mais ce n’est que partie remise, je sais qu’il est souvent dans le coin et c’est de cette façon que j’aimerais y aller plutôt qu’au départ de Leverburgh. C’est vraiment sympa de constater que des Français se passionnent pour le sujet, de plus l’approche pluridisciplinaire est intéressante. J’y retourne donc puisque je viens juste ( ou presque) de le découvrir. Bonne chance!PS : juste un bémol si vous le permettez : vous devriez faire relire ( par un native speaker) les traductions en anglais ou pourquoi pas après tout, laisser le blog en français ? …le propos est vraiment riche, dommage que la forme ne suive pasBon courage et bonne chance à vous tousFrançoise
J’aimeJ’aime
Merci pour votre message Françoise ! L’idée de traduire mes articles en français est venue naturellement en constatant qu’il y avait beaucoup de visiteurs anglo-saxons… Mais je n’ai pas la chance d’avoir un native speaker ou un traducteur professionnel disponible pour ce genre d’exercice…
N’hésitez pas à écouter le projet musical qui est à l’origine la raison d’exister de ce site ! 🙂
J’aimeJ’aime
Pingback: The very end of the world (1/5) | Kilda
Pingback: At the edge of the world (St Kilda Mailboat) | Kilda