James Bay Fiddle Music Exhibition in Portree
Following a successful few months at the Skye Bridge Studios in Kyle of Lochalsh, the popular Cree Fiddlers of James Bay Exhibition, which showcases Cree First Nation fiddlers from Sub-Arctic Canada, will be at the Skye & Lochalsh Archive Centre in Portree. The exhibition will be on display from 9 September 2025 – 31 March 2026 and visitors can learn more about the Cree fiddle tradition and explore objects, sound recordings, film, and clothing from the region.
The Cree Fiddlers of James Bay is an exhibition of photographs, music and videography by Skye-based musician and academic, Frances Wilkins, who is a Senior Lecturer in Ethnomusicology at the Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen. The photographs were taken in 2011, on the first of many visits to James Bay in Northern Canada. It showcases some of the wonderful musicians and dancers she met on her travels. During her time in the region she made numerous recordings and interviews, following a musical and dance tradition which has its roots in the days of the fur trade and the cultural connections made between the Cree (Eeyou) and Scots servants of the Hudson Bay Company. Later she travelled several times to the region with her partner, Ronan Martin, and their children. The Cree Fiddlers of James Bay exhibition was curated by Frances Wilkins and Ronan Martin, who is a Scottish fiddler and designer. They will be performing at the opening event where Ronan will demonstrate some of the fiddle techniques he learnt from the musicians he met.
James Bay is directly south of Hudson Bay in the sub-arctic part of Canada, and the area retains strong historical connections to Scotland from the days of the fur trade. The cultural exchanges that took place left a lasting impression on the Cree (Eeyou) population, and one way this can be seen is through the fiddle music and dance traditions that were adopted and are still practiced by the Eeyou today. The exhibition explores the everyday lives of Eeyou people living in the region and highlights the cultural and historic significance of their fiddle music and dancing.
Dr Wilkins says, “Having the opportunity to visit James Bay, meet musicians and dancers, and learn more about this unique indigenous musical heritage, which shares some of its history with the Scottish fur traders of the past, was a real privilege – at first on my own, and later with Ronan and our children.”
Dr Wilkins continues, “To learn some of the tunes and hear the stories and recollections of Cree musicians, relating to the music and dances, and the Scots fur traders who turned up on their shores, was absolutely fascinating, and sheds new light on the Scots diaspora and their musical history.
One of the contributors to the project, the fiddler James Cheechoo, recalled his time as a boy learning to play tunes on the fiddle with his siblings: “We used to sit down all around the room, and one guy played the fiddle. Then the next one, the next one, sharing that fiddle’. In 2013 James and his wife and percussionist Daisy, along with their daughters, travelled to Scotland to take part in a musical tour organised by Dr Wilkins which included a sold-out concert at the Breakish Hall.
Dr Wilkins continues, “I will be at the opening and look forward to returning to Portree and showcasing some of the wonderful fiddle music and dancing from the James Bay region. I will be speaking about our experiences in James Bay and the musicians we met, and Ronan and I will also be playing some of the tunes from the region on concertina and fiddle.
Co-curator Ronan Martin adds, “Spending time in Cree reservations was an inspiring cultural experience. I loved learning new fiddle tunes from the source – a 200 year old tradition that continues to be at the heart of the community.”
“The exhibition would not be possible without financial support from the University of Aberdeen and the Friends of the Elphinstone Institute, and the support and valuable input of staff at the Skye & Lochalsh Archive Centre.”
The exhibition opening event will take place on Monday 8 September at 5:00pm at the Skye & Lochalsh Archive Centre, Elgin Hostel, Dunvegan Road, Portree. Entry is free with refreshments provided. The opening event will
Opening hours at Skye &. Lochalsh Archive Centre are:
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri – 10am-1pm; 2-5pm
More information can be found at: www.franceswilkins.com
