Living Memories: Voices from the Shore

This page will soon be home to a collection of powerful oral testimonies from those directly involved in the 2023 mass stranding, as well as from islanders who have encountered whales and strandings over the years. These voices offer more than just facts, they hold the emotion, memory, and lived experience of moments that matter. By recording and sharing these stories, we are preserving a vital part of the human and natural history of these islands, ensuring that the insights, reactions, and reflections of those who were there are not lost to time.

These testimonies have been recorded with the invaluable help of Aoife Glass, who is also producing the podcast: Keening: Voices of the Stranding.

“On 16 July 2023, a mass stranding of 55 long-finned pilot whales occurred at Tràigh Mhòr, North Tolsta, on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The impact of that event sent ripples through the communities involved. Rooted in community, art, science, and the environment, this podcast series shares the experiences of those affected by the event. It explores the wider context of cetacean science and stranding research, while keeping at its heart the stories of the whales themselves.”