Duncan Livingstone - Knowledge (XXG)

555:, Donald E. Meek describes Livingstone as a, "very fine modern Gaelic poet", who, "wrote some splendidly prophetic verse on the twentieth-century challenges which were to confront white rule in South Africa. He thus has a claim to be included in any forthcoming survey of the Gaelic literature of Africa!" 345:

when the poet first settled there and he, his wife, and both of his brothers were very active in both Scottish and Gaelic circles. Duncan and Alex Livingstone edited a Gaelic page in the Caledonian Society's journal. Duncan also founded the Celtic Society of Pretoria, which was a literary association

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on a voyage back to South Africa. He never returned to Scotland and was soon joined in South Africa by his brothers John and Alex. The three brothers briefly owned a house building company in

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Duncan Livingstone left his books and papers to the State Library in Pretoria. A manuscript of 140 unpublished poems, mainly in Gaelic except for few verses in English and

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According to literary historian Ronald Black, Duncan Livingstone's poetry was doubtlessly assisted by the Gaelic broadcasts which he began making from South Africa for the

467:, where some 77 Africans had been shot dead by police (mostly in the back). This had obviously affected him greatly. Unfortunately, I don't have the copy anymore." 463:) at his hotel (the Union Hotel, Pretoria) in 1959. He was resident there. Later, when I was back in Uganda, he sent me a long poem, in English (10 pages) on 1024: 1004: 999: 593:

did not until very recently draw the connections and parallels between their own experiences and those of other Colonized peoples throughout the world.

241:, where he was educated. He later recalled, however, "The scholars of my day were thrashed if they spoke Gaelic in the school or it's environs." 1044: 1039: 558:

In an essay, Scottish professor Wilson MacLeod described Duncan Livingstone as a "poet of significance", who became a perceptive critic of the

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Duncan Livingstone's "Bean Dubha' Caoidh a Fir a Chaidh a Marbhadh leis a' Phoiles" ("A Black Woman Mourns her Husband Killed by the Police")

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to elevate the quality of life for the native African population. Instead, European colonialists had been corrupted by the twin vices of

1034: 510: 226:(1724-1812). The Bard was the third of seven children and the outlines of the house where he was born may still be seen today. 402:

Catriona died in September 1951 and Duncan, who adored her, never recovered from the blow. In response, he composed the poem

539: 452: 268:, Duncan Livingstone was shot through the ankle and returned, lamed, to Glasgow. At this time, he carved the inscription 85:

in 1746. According to the local oral tradition, Duncan Livingstone eloped with Anne MacLean, whose father Hector was the

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troubled Livingstone deeply. The Poet's nephew, Prof. Ian Livingstone, recalls, "I visited Duncan (from

333:("To the girl I left to go to war"). Duncan and Katie Livingstone were never to have children, however. 292: 119: 70: 974: 378: 994: 989: 530: 471: 464: 223: 154: 237:

and worked in the construction of timber houses. When Duncan was 18-months old, his family moved to

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The bard's grandfather, Alexander Livingstone, was the uncle of the African explorer and missionary

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The Poet's great-great-great-grandfather and namesake, Duncan Livingstone, although descended from

81:. With Duncan also fought his brothers, brother-in-law, and his father, who was killed during the 571: 421: 277: 82: 306:

In 1911, Catriona (Katie) MacDonald, whose father owned the Torrans Farm and Kinloch Hotel near

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According to David Livingstone, their ancestors were members of the illegal and underground

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The Wiles of the World Caran an t-Saohgail: Anthology of 19th-century Scottish Gaelic Verse

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The Wiles of the World Caran an t-Saohgail: Anthology of 19th-century Scottish Gaelic Verse

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by their landlord. For this reason, the Livingstone family long afterwards referred to

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in Mull, and whose absence in Mull allegedly inspired Livingstone to write the Gaelic

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in 1872. His mother had worked as a domestic servant. His father had lived in

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and whose mother was Isobel, the only daughter of Ruairi Mear, 17th Chief of

970: 514: 456: 311: 166: 114: 248:. Duncan first became a clerk and then a stonemason's apprentice. When the 272:("House of My Heart, House of My Love") on the lintel of the main door of 577:, the vast majority of whom were "Pro-British and Pro-Empire", including 495: 342: 195: 106: 35: 27: 955:

Within and Without Empire: Scotland Across the (Post)colonial Borderline

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When Livingstone was 16, his family moved to 126 Talisman Road in

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Bean Dubha' Caoidh a Fir a Chaidh a Marbhadh leis a' Phoiles

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in 1939. He published three other poems in Gaelic about the

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Dòmhnall Mac Alasdair 'ic Iain 'ic Dhòmhnall 'ic Dhonnchaidh

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in honor of his wife. According to Donald E. Meek, however,

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during the early 1930s. His first poem to be published was

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origins. Also Duncan established a Celtic section in the

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was raising a cavalry regiment and immediately enlisted.

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