Norse in Islay : a settlement historical case-study for medieval Scandinavian activity in Western Maritime Scotland

The aim of this thesis is to examine the assumption that Norse settlement in western maritime Scotland was substantially less extensive and influential than in more northerly parts of the maritime zone. This assumption is based on comparison of the apparent ratios of Norse to Gaelic farm-names in these areas; and the observation that the inhabitants of the former were Gaelic-speaking in both the Early Historic and Later Medieval periods. In view of the virtual hiatus in the documentary record between c.AD 750 and c.AD 1150 and the unqualified nature of the place-name ratios, it is suggested that such evidence is misleading. The investigation which follows comprises a detailed case-study of the island of Islay. Although use is made of environmental, archaeological, historical and fiscal data, the main focus is on place-names. Emphasis is placed throughout on the processes by which names become implanted in the landscape and the factors which affect their survival afterwards. There are three sections. Background material for the study of Norse settlement is presented in the first. This includes: a detailed examination of the physical environment, an ethno-linguistic profile for the preNorse community and a review of the evidence for Norse activity in Islay specifically within the context of western maritime Scotland generally. Aspects of Dalriadan and Norse society are highlighted which prompt critical re-appraisal of theories on Norse settlement. It is suggested that this process was not without friction. It may have involved a certain amount of violent depopulation and almost certainly led to social dichotomisation between the Norse incomers and remaining natives. Section two comprises a theoretical and methodological introduction to place-name studies. Following an overview of basic theory, Islay sources and previous approaches to Norse settlement, a model is presented for the study of Islay's Norse place-names. While use is made of both habitative and nature names, the framework selected as most appropriate is Stephen MacDougall's map of 1749-51. As this provides typologically uniform coverage of all of the island's farm-districts from a period preceding the agrarian reforms and settlement re-organisation of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it is more likely to reflect the settlement patterns and nomenclature of the Middle Ages than later yet more detailed sources. The third section, which constitutes the bulk of the thesis, concentrates on analysis of the place-name data presented in Appendices I and II. There are two main parts to this section. The linguistic back-ground, economic potential and spatial characteristics of individual farm-districts are examined in the first. Contrary to previous assumptions, it is noted that farm-districts with Norse names are spread fairly evenly across all land-types on the island. They are not primarily coastal, restricted to enclaves or less likely to include Iron Age fortifications than those with Gaelic names. Analysis of the distribution and linguistic categorisation of the nomenclature in view of post-Norse historical developments suggests that many of the island's Gaelic settlement names are the result of prestige immigration in the It century or later. This hypothesis is supported by linguistic investigation of the more common habitative generics shown on MacDougall's map. Magnus Olsen's User-group theory is then applied to the typology and distribution of ON nature-name material. It is argued that this too supports the idea of widespread Norse language use being replaced by a reintroduction of Gaelic and Gaelic naming practices. The second part of this section comprises an examination of land and territorial divisions. The fiscal 'extents' of later medieval and early modem Islay have long been considered anomalous in a Hebridean context. Examination of the historical and fiscal sources in conjunction with a geometric analysis of the farm-districts on MacDougall's map, suggests that Islay may once have been divided into the 'ounceland' units more familiar from surrounding areas. These findings are then developed in the context of ecclesiastic organisation. While certain aspects of Islay's later medieval parish system appear to reflect the military districts of the Senchus fer nAlban, it is argued that these survived through the intermediary of an Orcadian style leiðangr system of naval defence. It is concluded that while the Norse impact on Islay was less long-lived than in more northerly parts of maritime Scotland, it was not necessarily any less intense or destructive with regards to the pre-existing ethno-linguistic identity

The facilitators and barriers to exercise in the Noongar Aboriginal population in Perth, Australia

Indigenous Standpoint Theory forms the epistemological foundation for this study and methodological choices were made within this theoretical framework to ensure culturally responsive research processes that engaged the Indigenous agenda of self-determination and rights. The objectives of this research were to determine: (i) Indigenous perceptions of the facilitators and barriers to exercise; (ii) The potential feasibility and sustainability of an exercise intervention. In this context, Participatory Action Research methods were used to design the data-gathering instrument for the study—a questionnaire, co-designed with the Noongar Aboriginal community of Perth, Western Australia. This self-administered questionnaire, distributed to participants by email, post and manual delivery, sought to elicit the factors that impact uptake and retention of regular exercise activities. Questionnaire data included individual demographic detail and specific question responses on labelled 5 point Likert Scales. Specific question responses were tabulated by Likert Scale label category and the response distribution for each question was enumerated. Simple descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and variance) were used to characterize the data set and the Chi squared test was used to evaluate frequency differences between males and females. A total of 133 participants (71 females) completed the questionnaire. The results indicated that people valued exercise. The most common barriers indicated by participants were exercising with an injury (63%), changing diet (58%), finding time to exercise every day (55%) and exercising the next day with pain from exercising the day before (54%). A larger proportion of males (34%) than females (24%) reported greater ease in finding time to exercise every day (p \u3c 0.05). Facilitators mainly related to the potential social and community benefits of exercising with other people, preferably in small groups, and the importance of a culturally secure venue. These findings shed light on what a culturally secure exercise programme might involve for the Noongar community. As this may have implications for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and international First Nations’ Peoples, more focused research is needed on the place of traditional physical activities and the nature of culturally secure exercise programmes and spaces to enable wider application

Physical activity and self-reported metabolic syndrome risk factors in the Aboriginal population in Perth, Australia, measured using an adaptation of the global physical activity questionnaire (gpaq)

Background: Complex, ongoing social factors have led to a context where metabolic syndrome (MetS) is disproportionately high in Aboriginal Australians. MetS is characterised by insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, high blood-sugar and low HDL-C. This descriptive study aimed to document physical activity levels, including domains and intensity and sedentary behaviour, and MetS risk factors in the Perth Aboriginal (predominately Noongar) community. Methods: The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), together with a questionnaire on self-reported MetS risk factors, was circulated to community members for completion during 2014 (n = 129). Results: Data were analysed using chi-squared tests. The average (SD) age was 37.8 years (14) and BMI of 31.4 (8.2) kg/m2 . Occupational, transport-related and leisure-time physical activity (PA) and sedentary intensities were reported across age categories. The median (interquartile range) daily sedentary time was 200 (78, 435), 240 (120, 420) and 180 (60, 300) minutes for the 18–25, 26–44 and 45+ year-olds, respectively (p = 0.973). Conclusions: An in-depth understanding of the types, frequencies and intensities of PA reported for the Perth Aboriginal community is important to implementing targeted strategies to reduce the prevalence of chronic disease in this context. Future efforts collaborating with community should aim to reduce the risk factors associated with MetS and improve quality of life

Traversing the Inner Seas: Contacts and Continuity in and around Scotland, the Hebrides, and the North of Ireland

Throughout the medieval period, the ‘Inner Seas’ linking Scotland, the Hebrides, and the north of Ireland represented a confluence and crucible of identity. The region’s myriad islands served as stepping stones in a maritime network across which people, property, and perceptions travelled freely and purposefully. Encompassing three main themes, ten authors, and a multitude of interdisciplinary insights, this peer-reviewed volume represents some of the foremost research from the most recent residential conferences of the Scottish Society for Northern Studies, exploring the turbulent history and legacy of this interconnected seascape as both centre and periphery