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The harvest custom of giving a bannock to the 'skitter in th...

Date 20 September 1974
Track ID 72795
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1974.197.B5

Original Tape ID

SA1974.197

Summary

The harvest custom of giving a bannock to the 'skitter in the slap'.

When sheaves were being taken into the barn yard after the harvest, no one liked to come in with the last sheaf. The last person in was given an unpleasant name, 'skitter [excrement] in the slap [gap in a dyke]'. The skitter in the slap received a special flour or bere [barley] meal bannock. The custom is still [1974] observed.

Item Notes

'Skitter in the slap' was also known as 'drite [excrement] in the slap' or 'drittle [lag, walk slowly] in the slap'.

Recording Location

County - Shetland

Parish - Delting

Island - Shetland Mainland

Village/Place - Lunnasting, Laxo

Item Location

County - Shetland

Parish - Nesting

Island - Shetland Mainland

Village/Place - Lunnasting

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good