Real life connection in Kirkwall with Kate Coutts

"Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far into the future,you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way in to the answer?"
Rainer Maria Rilke 1903

I am to meet Kate Coutts outside the St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall at 10:00. The sun is shining, and it's a little windy.

When we shake hands it is the first time we have met, or even talked although we have been collaborating for two years.

Kate starts to tell me that the Cathedral is owned by nobody but belonging to the people of Orkney. I struggle with the idea. Is there no ownership? I go to the website of the Cathedral and find: "The Cathedral belongs to the people of Orkney and its doors are open to all".

This week the Flower Festival is going on in the church. Different Flower arrangment clubs from Orkney have each made a flower arrangement on the theme: "Once upon a time". The purpose is to raise funds for the keeping of the church, and you are asked to make a donation on entering.

A Space, welcoming everybody. Kate thinks the Cathedral is a good metaphor for the Metasaga.

The Metasaga of Orkney started here in Kirkwall with teachers from all islands of Orkney gathering in the Town Hall. Each island around one table.

The groups were asked to identify a number of places in their environment that could be a Metasaga place, and for each place think about Values, Tasks, a Soundtrack and some questions.

Back home at their schools they would work with the children to identify Metasagas for their islands. Ideally a Metasaga should have 5 or 6 stops where one student would be the host to each stop. The places, information about them, and questions have been worked out by the students themselves. For each of the islands then a booklet was produced with selected Metasaga stops.

This booklet is sold at the Tourist information and in some shops for £1. You can also find them here!

So what is the Metasaga/Metafari idea, I ask Kate. "It's a learning journey, or just a modern pilgrimage. An ancient tradition that we re-package for today. When you are on a pilgrimage walk you are taking turns, walking together. The fluidity of conversation as you move forward.

As for my self, I sense happiness after my two hours with Kate. Maybe we could invite people from around Europe to do a Metasaga around Orkney, where also the journey here would be part of it.

I am already dreaming of coming back. Maybe to the Ba game.... See the film below