"Safe Oot, Safe In": Place, Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the role of the museum

The concept of Place in Scotland’s Museums and Galleries Strategy is designed to help the museum sector to support the needs of their locality with the aim of contributing to Scotland’s thriving cultural life.

All communities are different and each has its own special relationship to place that manifests in a variety of cultural forms such as food, music, dress, and festivities.

Sometimes these diverse cultural forms could be seen as ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’; a concept which has received increased attention in Scotland following the UK Government’s recent decision to ratify the UNESCO ICH Convention in 2023.

One example of ICH in Scotland is the Riding of the Marches in the town of Annan in Dumfries and Galloway. According to the UNESCO ICH Convention, this custom is classified as a ‘social practice, ritual and festive event’. Stuart J. Thompson MBE, Chairman of Annan Riding of the Marches, explains:

“AROM has a strong history, with records dating back to 1871. The famed custom, which is held annually on the first Saturday in July, is an inspection of the town’s boundaries – and, owing to its 15 mile perimeter, now takes place on horseback. The checking of Annan’s boundaries is a historic local tradition which has been duly upheld throughout the generations.”

Visitors to Annan in early July will see parades of riders and horses following an ancient route around the district, galloping over merse, sand and hills. The riders stop at various boundary marks such as the Beltedstane – a granite boulder where fairies supposedly danced – and the Altarstane – an arcane boulder out in the Solway Firth that is completely submerged at hightide. “It is a sight to behold,” writes Thompson, “as the Cornet, who is elected earlier in the year, and his Lass lead a cavalcade of horses – usually over 120 strong… They are supported by the Standard Bearer, who proudly carries a flag bearing the town’s emblem. This is shown at every Boundary mark.” The riders visit the boundaries to ensure that they are ‘safe’ – whereupon the cry of ‘Safe Oot, Safe In!’ is heard. This tradition is thought to go back 700 years to times when relations between Scotland and England were tense and often violent.

Today, AROM is a peaceful fun-filled spectacle that the whole community enjoys. The history and living traditions of the event are preserved in part by Annan Museum: “Staff at Annan Museum have also been keen to celebrate and promote the annual spectacle”, writes Thompson, “they have curated a small display of objects relating to past March-ridings, and have also compiled exhibitions of photographs and memorabilia documenting the importance of the cultural event.”

The specially curated exhibition is open to all on the afternoon of the AROM event as Judith Hewitt, Curator of Dumfries & Galloway Museums (East), explains: “Several significant objects, held by the museum throughout the year, are integral to the event. The main one is the Boundary Map.  It shows the route of the Riding and the way markers which are checked each year. The map itself is an historically significant item but it changes each year as a new Cornet’s name is added. Annan Museum was also pleased to receive the donation of the Cornet’s sash from 1963 during this event from one of many locals who visited us for the afternoon (many with their families).”

This highlights an important link between place, community, intangible and tangible heritage – customs and rituals produce material culture: from objects to sound recordings, film, paintings, photographs, to name a few. The AROM Map is similar to many items in local museums across Scotland; it is an item that the museum safeguards until it is needed by the community for an annual custom or event. Other such ‘ICH objects’ range from Burgh regalia to trophies for curling, similarly held at the local museum. “Annan Museum’s AROM afternoons are an opportunity to show the material culture that is created through tradition,” writes Judith, “by showing it we the museum shows its value to history and the community, and in doing so this has created a lot of goodwill among the community, because the AROM is the history that matters to them, it interests and inspires them.”

Events like AROM build community bonds, provide entertainment and sustain the local economy. “The AROM Committee stage … events that help increase footfall and subsequent spend within local businesses,” says Stuart Thompson. “Visitors, many who are enticed to return each year, provide a welcome boost to the local economy as they pack out hotels and explore many of the other local attractions.” This ‘added value’ of intangible cultural heritage is sometimes repaid by local shop-owners who might sponsor AROM events.

But funding is difficult to find and therefore the custom is precarious, as Thompson explains: “Key annual challenges experienced by the organisation include fundraising, developing sustainability and paperwork associated with legislation, permissions and grant applications.” Museums often have staff with competence in these areas, so closer working between museums and communities to help sustain events and exhibit their cultural significance could be a way forward.

In hosting an AROM event, Annan Museum has become a community hub and cultural centre; it is a place that raises awareness of this important cultural tradition and can signpost would-be participants to the right people. The museum also operates as a trusted advocate and bridge builder between local heritage bearers and the authorities and other stakeholders. This is important as local traditions are often run by volunteers with busy lives and other responsibilities. The work of Annan Museum shows how museums have a role in addressing and helping their locality to safeguard thriving traditions and cultural heritage.