LIVELIHOOD

Strong winds and salt spray make crofting difficult in Foula the crofts themselves average 5 6 acres. The hill grazing is good, but severe weather can prevent stock reaching market. Islanders seize every opportunity to wrest a livelihood from sea and land and any ancillary activity which offers.

Most people keep hardy native Shetland sheep, and some islanders have Shetland ponies. Tourism and shell fishing provide seasonal income, along with sales of sheepskins, handspun garments in natural coloured local wool, and the traditional Foula ganzy. The local smiddy sells wrought iron work, as well as providing a service to the community. Modern electronic communications have reduced geographical disadvantage, allowing some islanders to supplement their croft income with computer work.

HISTORY AND FOLKLORE

One of the stacks at the north end is called Da Broch earlier this century there were remains of an old stone wall on top, but the arch fell in 1965. Very old maps of Foula call these stacks the `Priest Stacks', or `Friar Rocks', and round the coast is Simmons's Heid (St Simon's Head), all these names reminiscent of the spread of Christianity from Scotland. Around 800A.D. Norsemen conquered Foula and took up residence in the fertile Hametoon, leaving us croft names like Norderhus, Krugali, and Guttren, and many descriptive Norse placenames round the isle.

The grassy knowe outside the Hametoon dyke called Krukaitrin (Katherine's shelter) reminds us of the tragic end of Katherine Asmunnder, the last Norse queen of Foula. After the Scots took over James IV's dowry lands of Shetland and Orkney, Foula became part of a west Shetland estate. The fire in the middle of the floor of the last inhabited blackhouse in Foula at Da Breckins went out in 1964. The Foula mailboat Island Lass was lost in 1962 and the population dropped to 27, but the remaining islands were so determined to stay they built their own airstrip in the early 1970's.

CULTURE

Foula's rich culture is evident in the Norse dialect and placenames, and a strong tradition of folklore, music and special festivities. The Lord's Prayer was still said in Norn in the Foula kit at the end of the 19th century. Foula ft celebrate Christmas and New Year according to the feast days of the old Julian calendar. The community celebrate Yule on January 6th and Newerday on January 13th. The whole way of life in the island is based on a strop tradition of caring community values, with many sharing co-operative working and an internal barter system.

FILM