About the Program
On November 5, 1688, a Dutch nobleman, William of Orange, landed on the coast of England and marched his sizeable army toward London, ousting the reigning British monarch, James II/VII, and becoming joint monarch of Britain. For a significant percentage of the population of the British Isles, however, who became known as the Jacobites, William and his successors were usurpers. Over the course of the next half century, Jacobites plotted to restore James and his family to the British throne, most famously in 1745 under the leadership of Bonnie Prince Charlie.
The story of the Jacobites has become the stuff of legend, inspiring writers like Diana Gabaldon to create her Outlander series. But who really were the Jacobites? What did they want? Join Dr. Leith Davis (Director of the Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University) for an in-depth look at this remarkable chapter in the history of Scotland, drawn from the letters and accounts of the Jacobites themselves.
Accompanying Leith and providing a musical perspective on the story of the Jacobites are members of the Sybaritic String Band: Sheila Allen (fiddle); Scott Alpen (bodhran); and Rob McGregor (mandolin). Together, they will take you back to the hills and glens of Scotland, weaving together words and music to remember the men and women who believed in that lost cause.
**This talk will be conducted in English.
Dr. Leith Davis (she, her) is a Professor in the Department of English and the Director of the Centre for Scottish Studies at Simon Fraser University. She is the author and co-editor of eight books on Scottish, Irish and British literature and culture. Her most recent publication, Jacobitism and Cultural Memory, is available open access from Cambridge University Press (Find a downloadable link to the PDF on this page). Leith is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Historical Society.
The Sybaritic Scots, a subgroup of the Sybaritic Stringband, one of Vancouver’s preeminent contradance bands, will present a varied program of traditional Scottish folk music including mournful airs and lively reels and jigs to complement the story of the Jacobites. Expect to be taken on a musical journey to the misty moors and the dynamic dance halls of Scotland.
Sheila Allan was born in Edinburgh Scotland and started playing violin at seven years of age. She has performed in Italy, France and Japan with a French-Canadian Dance group, and she currently plays with Sybaritic Stringband, the Croutones, the Shamrockers and A Casual Arrangement.
Scott Alpen, a Vancouver native, is an avid percussionist who plays bodhran (Irish drum) and cajon. He is also a jazz and folk trumpeter who studies jazz improvisation at the Vancouver School of Music. Scott currently plays in the Sybaritic Stringband, the Croutones, and A Casual Arrangement.
Rob McGregor, originally from Ottawa, has been playing mandolin since the 1970’s in a variety of styles like bluegrass, jazz and traditional fiddle music. Rob performed with the bluegrass ensemble the Little Mountain Band back in the 1980’s and currently plays with the Little Mountain Trio and the Sybaritic Stringband.
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TAIWANfest Vancouver is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered here, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples of this land while we engage in meaningful conversations of culture and reconciliation.