Some Shetland folklore characters are familiar, like trows (mischievous fairies) and nyuggles (the legendary water horses). But have you encountered any Ooricks?
The Ooricks are little folk, created by artist Ann Marie Anderson who has also written several books about their adventures.
The Ooricks began life as needle felted characters but it soon became clear they had some stories that just had to be shared!
Ann Marie's books about their adventures were a favourite for my bairns when they were wee, especially Da Ooricks in da Paet Hill. When I recently recorded a reel where they were reading from this book it was amazing how they still remembered pretty much every line!
The books (illustrated by Jenny Duncan or Jo Anderson) offer a perfect introduction to the Shetland dialect for children and adults. I often show them to visitors as an example of how the dialect is written.
You can hear Ann Marie recite Da Ooricks in da Paet Hill below, listen to other stories or download an educational resource by visiting the Shetland ForWirds website.
I visited Ann Marie’s workshop when I was in Whalsay recently and it was lovely to meet the original felted characters. As well as regularly performing readings from her book Ann Marie also offers workshops to teach folk how to needle felt, so it is well worth keeping an eye out for oorick-related events!
Did you know 'oorick' is a Shetland dialect word meaning nonsense or rubbish? Discover more about the island's fascinating dialect and its origins.