Siún Ní Dhuinn reviews Ó Bhéal, an exploration of the rise of hip hop and electronic artists in Ireland who are embracing oral traditions of folklore, ancient poetry and sean-nós.
Since the wonderful reception An Cailín Ciúin received, audiences have opened their minds to how the language and its surrounding culture is full of art, power and beauty. Having spent many years on the fringes, film-making in Irish is not in fact in its infancy, but is getting some well deserved investment and time in the sun.
Director, Ciara Nic Chormaic has been working on fascinating films such as last year's Clouded Reveries, a biopic of poet and writer, Doireann Ní Ghríofa and her creative process. This year, Nic Chormaic has taken a look at Irish hip hop, thoroughly inhabiting TG4's Súil Eile perspective.
Similar to Irish language cinema, Irish hip hop isn't new, it has been growing and evolving in recent years but you might not hear much of it, unless you know where to go looking. Ó Bhéal chronicles the work of Seán 'Mory' Ó Muirgheasa and Oisín Mac, producer and multi-instrumentalist Fehdah, and Limerick rapper Strange Boy. Notably, Strange Boy was awarded the Liam O' Flynn Award from the Arts Council this year.
Ní haon iontas é dóibh siúd a bhfuil spéis acu i gcultúr na hÉireann go bhfuil an scéalaíocht agus cumhacht na scéalaíochta sa tír seo lárnach in Ó Bhéal. Insítear scéalta na n-ealaíontóirí chomh maith leis na scéalta a bhaineann le meabhairshláinte, fadhbanna sóisialta agus na scéalta na ndaoine atá fágtha ar an trá fholamh ag an sochaí.
We are presented with a culture of young artists questioning societal norms and traditions, building and deconstructing heritage and literature and coming up with their own answers along the way. Oisín Mac, a Wicklow-born Dublin based rapper is particularly striking, mixing political questioning on issues such as the housing crisis in the Gaeltacht, his philosophy on community, underscored with the words of Máirtín Ó Cadhain who also challenged sociolinguistic issues in his work.
Baintear siar as an lucht féachana nuair a aithníonn siad glór duine de mhórscríbhneoirí na Gaeilge, Máirtín Ó Cadhain ag cur na gcruacheisteanna, ceisteanna atá fós bailí agus á gcur ag leithéidí Oisín Mac. Labhrann Oisín go hionraic faoi chúrsaí féiniúlachta, faoi bheith i do Ghael nach bhfuil ag cur futhu sa Ghaeltacht agus faoin tábhacht a bhaineann le do ghlór féin a aimsiú mar chuid den traidisiún béil seo.
Fehdah's modern take on Amhrán Mhaínse, one of the big, heartbreaking sean-nós songs with her influences from West Africa serves as a perfect example of how tradition needn't stagnate but rather inspire a new generation of artists to do what they see fit with it. Fehdah admits 'if we don't make the older generation mad at us, what are we doing?'
Unsurprisingly, given this country's history of storytelling, stories are at the heart of much of what we see in Ó Bhéal, stories of societal change, mental health challenges and reclaiming culture.
'An slabhra neamhbhriste', the 'unbroken chain' is what Oisín Mac calls the oral tradition which has moved into Irish hip hop, long may it continue.
Ó Bhéal is being shown tonight, Wednesday, at 6.30pm in the IFI with a Q and A afterwards with Director Ciara Nic Chormaic.
