Editing Shetland (section)

== Local culture and the arts ==

[[File:Shetland crofthouse museum.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The Shetland [[Croft (land)|Crofthouse]] museum]]
[[File:UpHellyAa3(AnneBurgess)30Jan1973.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Lerwick]] [[Up Helly Aa]]]]

After the islands were officially transferred from Norway to Scotland in 1472, several Scots families from the [[Scottish Lowlands]] emigrated to Shetland in the 16th and 17th centuries.<ref name="Macdougall1982">{{cite book|last=Macdougall|first=Norman|title=James III: a political study|url=https://archive.org/details/jamesiiipolitica00norm|url-access=registration|access-date=19 February 2012 |year=1982|publisher=J. Donald|isbn=978-0-85976-078-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/jamesiiipolitica00norm/page/91 91]|quote=What James III had acquired from Earl William in return for this compensation was the comital rights in Orkney and Shetland. He already held a wadset of the royal rights; and to ensure his complete control, he referred the matter to parliament. On 20 February 1472, the three estates approved the annexation of Orkney and Shetland to the crown...}}</ref><ref name=Goodacre>Goodacre, S. ''et al'' (2005) [http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/v95/n2/full/6800661a.html#bib14 "Genetic evidence for a family-based Scandinavian settlement of Shetland and Orkney during the Viking periods"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103184508/http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/v95/n2/full/6800661a.html#bib14 |date=3 November 2013 }} ''Heredity'' '''95''', pp. 129–135. nature.com, Retrieved 20 March 2011</ref> Studies of the genetic makeup of the islands' population, however, indicate that Shetlanders are just under half Scandinavian in origin, and sizeable amounts of Scandinavian ancestry, both patrilineal and matrilineal, have been reported in Orkney (55%) and Shetland (68%).<ref name="Goodacre"/> This combination is reflected in many aspects of local life. For example, almost every place name in use can be traced back to the Vikings.<ref>Julian Richards, ''Vikingblod'', page 236, Hermon Forlag, {{ISBN|82-3020-016-5}}</ref> The Lerwick [[Up Helly Aa]] is one of several fire festivals held in Shetland annually in the middle of winter, starting on the last Tuesday of January.<ref>[http://www.uphellyaa.org/ "Welcome to Up Helly Aa"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230032437/http://www.uphellyaa.org/ |date=30 December 2013 }}, uphellyaa.org, Retrieved 8 December 2013</ref> The festival is just over 100 years old in its present, highly organised form. Originally held to break up the long nights of winter and mark the end of [[Yule]], the festival has become one celebrating the isles' heritage and includes a procession of men dressed as Vikings and the burning of a replica [[longship]].<ref>[http://visit.shetland.org/up-helly-aa "Up Helly Aa"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722122205/http://visit.shetland.org/up-helly-aa |date=22 July 2011 }}, visit.shetland.org, Retrieved 20 March 2011</ref>

Shetland also competes in the biennial [[International Island Games Association|International Island Games]], which it hosted in [[2005 Island Games|2005]].<ref>[http://www.islandgames.net/cms/member_profile_12400.html "Member Profile: Shetland Islands"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524181034/http://www.islandgames.net/cms/member_profile_12400.html |date=24 May 2011 }}, International Island Games Association, Retrieved 20 March 2011</ref>

The [[cuisine]] of Shetland is based on locally produced lamb, beef and seafood, some of it [[organic food|organic]]. The [[real ale]]-producing [[Valhalla Brewery]] is the most northerly in Britain. The Shetland Black is a variety of [[blue potato]] with a dark skin and indigo-coloured flesh markings.<ref>[http://visit.shetland.org/food-and-drink "Food and drink"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425195139/http://visit.shetland.org/food-and-drink |date=25 April 2012 }}, visit.shetland.org, Retrieved 11 May 2012</ref>

=== Language ===
{{See also|Norn language|Shetland dialect}}

The [[Norn language]] was a form of [[Old Norse language|Old Norse]] spoken in the [[Northern Isles]], and continued to be spoken until the 18th century. It was gradually replaced in Shetland by an insular dialect of [[Scots language|Scots]], known as [[Shetland dialect|Shetlandic]], which is in turn being replaced by [[Scottish English]]. Although Norn was spoken for hundreds of years, it is now extinct and few written sources remain, although influences remain in the [[Insular Scots]] dialects.<ref>[http://www.nornlanguage.110mb.com/ "Velkomen!"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707054624/http://www.nornlanguage.110mb.com/|date=7 July 2011}}, nornlanguage.110mb.com, Retrieved 8 March 2011</ref> The Shetland dialect is used in local radio and dialect writing, and is kept alive by organisations such as Shetland Forwirds, and the [[Shetland Folk Society]].<ref>[http://visit.shetland.org/culture-and-music "Culture and Music"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528121552/http://visit.shetland.org/culture-and-music|date=28 May 2010}}, visit.shetland.org, Retrieved 20 March 2011</ref><ref>[http://www.shetlanddialect.org.uk/ "Shetland ForWirds"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518184140/http://www.shetlanddialect.org.uk/ |date=18 May 2011 }}, shetlanddialect.org.uk, Retrieved 20 March 2011</ref><ref>[http://shetlopedia.com/Shetland_Folk_Society "Shetland Folk Society"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924082933/http://shetlopedia.com/Shetland_Folk_Society|date=24 September 2011}}, shetlopedia.com, Retrieved 20 March 2011</ref>

=== Music ===
Shetland's culture and landscapes have inspired a variety of musicians, writers and film-makers. [[The Forty Fiddlers]] was formed in the 1950s to promote the traditional fiddle style, which is a vibrant part of local culture today.<ref>[http://shetlopedia.com/The_Forty_Fiddlers "The Forty Fiddlers"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716054630/http://shetlopedia.com/The_Forty_Fiddlers|date=16 July 2011}}, shetlopedia.com, Retrieved 8 March 2011</ref> Notable exponents of Shetland folk music include [[Aly Bain]], [[Jenna Reid]], [[Fiddlers' Bid]], and the late [[Tom Anderson (fiddler)|Tom Anderson]] and [[Peerie Willie Johnson]]. [[Thomas Fraser (singer)|Thomas Fraser]] was a [[country music]]ian who never released a commercial recording during his life, but whose work has become popular more than 20 years after his death in 1978.<ref>Culshaw, Peter (18 June 2006) [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jun/18/14 "The Tale of Thomas Fraser"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510203836/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/jun/18/14 |date=10 May 2017 }}, The Guardian, Retrieved 8 March 2011</ref>

The annual Shetland Folk Festival began in 1981 and is hosted on the first weekend of May.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shetlandfolkfestival.com/|title=Shetland Folk Festival|date=21 May 2019|website=shetlandfolkfestival.com|access-date=21 May 2019|archive-date=10 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610092757/https://www.shetlandfolkfestival.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Writers ===
[[Walter Scott]]'s 1822 novel ''[[The Pirate (novel)|The Pirate]]'' is set in "a remote part of Shetland", and was inspired by his 1814 visit to the islands. The name ''Jarlshof'' meaning "Earl's Mansion" is a coinage of his.<ref name="Gaz">[http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1402.html "Jarlshof"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721233416/http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst1402.html |date=21 July 2011 }}, Gazetteer for Scotland, Retrieved 2 August 2008</ref> [[Robert Cowie]], a doctor born in Lerwick published the 1874 work entitled {{cite book|title=Shetland: Descriptive and Historical; Being a Graduation Thesis on the Inhabitants of the Shetland Islands; and a Topographical Description of the Country |url=https://archive.org/details/shetlanddescrip01cowigoog|publisher=Menzies|year=1874}}

[[Hugh MacDiarmid]], the Scots poet and writer, lived in Whalsay from the mid-1930s through 1942, and wrote many poems there, including a number that directly address or reflect the Shetland environment, such as "On A Raised Beach", which was inspired by a visit to [[West Linga]].<ref>[http://shetlopedia.com/Hugh_MacDiarmid "Hugh MacDiarmid"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306032315/http://shetlopedia.com/Hugh_MacDiarmid|date=6 March 2011}}, shetlopedia.com, Retrieved 8 March 2011</ref> The 1975 novel ''North Star'' by [[Hammond Innes]] is largely set in Shetland and [[Raman Mundair]]'s 2007 book of poetry ''A Choreographer's Cartography'' offers a British Asian perspective on the landscape.<ref>Morgan, Gavin (19 April 2008) "Shetland author wins acclaim", ''Shetland News'', Retrieved 26 March 2011</ref> The ''Shetland Quartet'' by [[Ann Cleeves]], who previously lived in [[Fair Isle]], is a series of crime novels set around the islands.<ref>[http://www.anncleeves.com/shetland/index.html "Shetland"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818210534/http://anncleeves.com/shetland/index.html |date=18 August 2014 }}, anncleeves.com, Retrieved 8 December 2013</ref> In 2013, her novel ''Red Bones'' became the basis of [[BBC]] crime drama television series ''[[Shetland (TV series)|Shetland]]''.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vyx9h "Shetland"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010103935/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vyx9h |date=10 October 2013 }}, BBC, Retrieved 8 December 2013</ref>

[[Vagaland]], who grew up in Walls, was arguably Shetland's finest poet of the 20th century.<ref>[http://shetlopedia.com/Vagaland "Vagaland"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716054737/http://shetlopedia.com/Vagaland|date=16 July 2011}}, shetlopedia.com, Retrieved 8 March 2011</ref> [[Haldane Burgess]] was a Shetland historian, poet, novelist, violinist, linguist and socialist, and [[Rhoda Bulter]] (1929–1994) is one of the best-known Shetland poets of recent times. Other 20th- and 21st-century poets and novelists include [[Christine De Luca]], [[Robert Alan Jamieson]] who grew up in [[Sandness]], the late [[Lollie Graham]] of [[Veensgarth]], [[Stella Sutherland]] of [[Bressay]],<ref>[http://www.shetland-library.gov.uk/StellaSutherland.asp "Shetland Writing and Writers: Stella Sutherland"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106041045/http://www.shetland-library.gov.uk/StellaSutherland.asp |date=6 January 2014 }}, Shetland Islands Council, Retrieved 6 January 2014</ref> the late William J. Tait from Yell<ref>[http://www.shetlanddialect.org.uk/william-j.-billy-tait "William J. (Billy) Tait"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106041728/http://www.shetlanddialect.org.uk/william-j.-billy-tait |date=6 January 2014 }}, Shetland For Wirds, Retrieved 6 January 2014</ref> and Laureen Johnson.<ref>[http://www.shetland-library.gov.uk/LaureenJohnson.asp "Shetland Writing and Writers: Laureen Johnson"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106041200/http://www.shetland-library.gov.uk/LaureenJohnson.asp |date=6 January 2014 }}, Shetland Islands Council, Retrieved 6 January 2014</ref>

There is one monthly magazine in production: ''Shetland''.<ref>[http://www.millgaet.com/ "Home"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206175714/http://www.millgaet.com/ |date=6 February 2011 }}, Millgaet Media, Retrieved 17 March 2011</ref> The quarterly ''[[The New Shetlander]]'', founded in 1947, is said to be Scotland's longest-running literary magazine.<ref>[http://www.shetland-communities.org.uk/subsites/vas/the-new-shetlander.htm "The New Shetlander"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212223237/http://www.shetland-communities.org.uk/subsites/vas/the-new-shetlander.htm |date=12 December 2013 }}, Voluntary Action Shetland, Retrieved 8 December 2013</ref> For much of the later 20th century, it was the major vehicle for the work of local writers – and of others, including early work by [[George Mackay Brown]].<ref>[http://www.georgemackaybrown.co.uk/familyhistory/rising.htm "Life and Work: Part 3"], {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011092715/http://www.georgemackaybrown.co.uk/familyhistory/rising.htm|date=11 October 2009}}, George Mackay Brown website, Retrieved 8 December 2013</ref>

=== Films and television ===
[[Michael Powell]] made ''[[The Edge of the World]]'' in 1937, a dramatisation based on the true story of the evacuation of the last 36 inhabitants of the remote island of [[St Kilda, Scotland|St Kilda]] on 29 August 1930. St Kilda lies in the Atlantic Ocean, {{cvt|64|km}} west of the [[Outer Hebrides]] but Powell was unable to get permission to film there. Undaunted, he made the film over four months during the summer of 1936 in Foula and the film transposes these events to Shetland. Forty years later, the documentary ''[[Return to the Edge of the World]]'' was filmed, capturing a reunion of cast and crew of the film as they revisited the island in 1978.

A number of other films have been made on or about Shetland including ''A Crofter's Life in Shetland'' (1932),<ref>[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/711399/index.html "A Crofter's Life in Shetland"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121194620/http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/711399/index.html |date=21 November 2008 }}, screenonline.org.uk, Retrieved 12 October 2008</ref> ''A Shetland Lyric'' (1934),<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419101/ "The Rugged Island: A Shetland Lyric"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208130927/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419101/ |date=8 February 2017 }}, IMDb, Retrieved 12 October 2008</ref> ''[[Devil's Gate (2004 film)|Devil's Gate]]'' (2003) and ''[[It's Nice Up North]]'' (2006), a comedy documentary by [[Graham Fellows]]. The [[Screenplay film festival]] takes place annually in [[Mareel]], a cinema, music and education venue.

The [[BBC One]] television series ''[[Shetland (TV series)|Shetland]]'', a crime drama, is set in the islands and is based on the book series by [[Ann Cleeves]]. The programme is filmed partly in Shetland and partly on the Scottish mainland.<ref>{{cite news|date=9 April 2015|title=Street Closed for Filming Television Crime Series|url=http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2015/04/09/street-closed-for-television-crime-series-filming|newspaper=Shetland Times|access-date=14 February 2017|archive-date=17 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417000223/http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2015/04/09/street-closed-for-television-crime-series-filming|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=2 March 2013|title=Scottish actor Douglas Henshall on the perks of filming new BBC crime drama Shetland ... in and around Glasgow|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/scottish-actor-douglas-henshall-perks-1738133|newspaper=Daily Record|location=Glasgow|access-date=14 February 2017|archive-date=13 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213212334/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/scottish-actor-douglas-henshall-perks-1738133|url-status=live}}</ref>