2025 Chesapeake Mòd Highlight – Meet Bèbhinn Shimada

Beverly Wilson Shimada (Bèbhinn) achieved Air Leth Math honors at the 2025 Chesapeake Mòd in the Bàrdachd Ùr | Original Poetry category, with her poem, An Tìr. Bèbhinn began her study of Gàidhlig in 2021, as did so many, on Duolingo, as a way to pass the time during Covid. She chose Gàidhlig because it is an endangered language and because her Scots-Irish ancestors may have spoken it. Wanting to learn to speak, she began classes with Colaisde na Gàidhlig online that fall, where she found a welcoming and fascinating community. Bèbhinn is a new student with Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir. She lives in New Jersey, and when not studying up on the genitive, enjoys gardening, cooking, knitting, aerobic dancing, playing the mandolin, and staring at the ocean.

Tha sinn a’ cur meal-a-naidheachd mhòr gu Bèbhinn!

An Tìr

Le Bèbhinn

Chuir iad na bòtannan aca orra
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Chuir iad an casan ann am bàtaichean
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Alba gu Èirinn
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Èirinn gu Ameireagaidh
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Chuir iad an cùirp air plèanaichean
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Cha do chuir iad freumhaichean sìos
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Cha do ghlèidh iad an dualchas
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Cha do bhruidhinn iad an cànan
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Ameireagaidh an ear, an iar, tuath, deas
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Dh’fhàs iad nan Ameireaganach
Dh’fhàg iad an tìr
Dè chiallaicheas an tìr nuair a dh’fhàgas sinn
cho tric i?
Dè chiallaicheas an tìr nuair a chaidh a ghoid
bhuainn?

(English Translation)

The Land

By Beverly

They put their boots on
They left the land
They put their feet on boats
They left the land
Scotland to Ireland
They left the land
Ireland to America
They left the land
They put their bodies on planes
They left the land
They didn’t put down roots
They left the land
They didn’t keep their culture
They left the land
They didn’t speak their language
They left the land
America east, west, north south
They left the land
They became American
They left the land
What does the land mean when we left it so
often?
What does the land mean when it was stolen
from us?