This is a Talkshop
Title of the Event - This is a Talking Shop
Organiser - Friends of the Earth Scotland
Date - Thursday 23rd November 2023
Location - Torry & Fittie, Aberdeen
My Role - Photographer and scribe
On a brisk Thursday morning in November, a small group congregated together in the ruins of a church at St Fitticks Park. A reverential place of the living and dead coming together. A place of sharing stories became one again - as we stood in a circle - hiding from the wind - introducing ourselves to the group as people, not only job titles, and read aloud two differing statements about the surrounding park. We then deeply reflected on how the statements sat in our bodies as we heard them. We felt that the first sat uncomfortably in the forefront of our minds and clenched jaws - as we tried to comprehend the jargon and analytics stated. Meanwhile, the second text felt warm and hopeful within our hearts and souls - as this text spoke emotively and used words such as “we” and “our” when referring to the park.
With those words in mind, Scott - the leader of the event - invited us all to wander around the surrounding land and moments before we read about it. Some of the group walked alone, whilst others wandered in a group. We took time to appreciate the beauty of the land, converse with each other, and contemplate the potential loss of this wild land within the community.
Again, circling within the ruins, the group shared any reflections and insights coming from those wanders. Some spoke about the importance of the Torry voice, which is not being heard and how the outside voice is seen as a hindrance. Whilst others spoke about the impact of a factory within the landscape, the disruption it would cause, a sense of home, how St Fitticks is not a manicured park and is a custodian for the wildlife, the idea of children not having the option to explore the outdoors and how that could affect their mental wellbeing, and a reflection on their own memory of childhood.
Before heading to the Fittie Community Hall, for the second half of the day, each of us chose to go to the Train Station, Golf Course, The Green, Fittie, Harbour, Torry Battery, Union Square, or another place in Aberdeen - to reflect on how that space feels and impacts us.
Myself and another participant drove along to Torry Battery. We saw a beautiful view of the city as a whole and recognised it was a place where history, nature, and industry meet in one space. However, we realised that there was a lack of shared knowledge of the history shown - which we felt was a shame.
Meanwhile, another pair went to Union Square and realised the stress and angst the space caused them. The space had a sense of pushing people to buy and consume consistently and overwhelmingly. This pair was a mother and daughter. The daughter spoke about teenage boredom within Aberdeen. How the only options for activities revolve around shops. The daughter spoke about wishing there were more spaces to enjoy the outdoors and break away from the consumerist loop. The idea is that in winter all you can do is sit, sit, or sit.
After some time passed, we all converged to Fittie Community Hall - a beautiful and spacious space in this homey community with a handmade sign - which mimics the little huts and studios in the centre of Fittie.
We gathered around tables with soup - which warmed us all after the harsh winds and filled our bellies - and reflected on the morning, since some new people joined us and much happened in the morning to remind each other of and share insights that may have not been shared yet.
We then wandered the Fittie area to convene again to discuss it is a place that holds importance to history and looks to the past to prevent us from repeating mistakes. It is a little utopia within the city. A place that honours community, creativity, and the sea.
The conversation then returned to Torry - especially how the perspective of Torry has changed over time. It used to be more similar to Fittie, but with what the council calls ‘improvements, that has changed. Even where it is located has changed in the sense that the landmarks that define where it is, have changed, such as the incinerator, which has a grandeur in scale that has made Torry feel more west than it used to.
We spent a large portion of the afternoon collaging pieces from leaflets, booklets, and posters relating to the city and environment - to create something that discussed hopes for the future, topics of the day, or our present reality. The room became playful and childlike with cutting out elements, laughter, sharing, exchanging, and conversing. At the end of the exercise, we held space for each of us to explain what we created to each other. Each member of the group approached the idea so differently. One member became the ‘Collage King’ as he had been very ingenious with how he pieced the collage together, but his way of storytelling when sharing with the group. The room felt excited and hopeful after sharing.
As winter approaches, as the days are getting shorter and shorter, the chance to spend time outside during the daylight hours is difficult during the typical working week. Therefore, this day felt special as it was a chance to be outdoors, see the sun, be in nature, and slow down - all within a normal working week.
This day was fuelled by community - the needs and wants of Aberdeen as a whole, creating connections amongst ourselves in person rather than through a computer screen, and hearing from varying perspectives and ages. An ending point was the benefit of a website that shows what is available within the city - as it would allow more people to engage with the goings on within the city and potentially link young people to these activities that they would normally not know about or felt was not available to them. The city would benefit from more opportunities to fully interact and engage with people - especially in this era of separation, loneliness, and disconnect.
Overwhelmingly, the people enjoyed the day, the slowness, the idea of how stories and their narratives and language feel within the body, and how other perspectives make you think, the array of locations each offering a different perspective to the city - especially the standing in the cemetery/ruins of the church where our present, our past, ancestors all conjoin within a sacred space of reflection - a refuge from the wind and the industrial.
The day concluded with a round of applause for Scott for hosting such a wonderful event.
