In a historic first, 45-year-old Peter Mackay has been named as Scotland’s new national poet or “makar” – the youngest person and first Gaelic speaker to hold the esteemed position. Mackay, who hails from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, expressed a mix of elation and astonishment at his appointment. “I’m flabbergasted and delighted, but also slightly bemused,” he admitted. “There are so many other great, distinctive voices who could do this role.”
Bridging Linguistic Divides
For Mackay, who speaks multiple languages including Gaelic, English, Spanish, Danish, and Irish, exploring the relationships between languages and cultures will be a key focus of his tenure as makar. He sees poetry as a powerful tool for building bridges between Scotland’s diverse linguistic communities.
“I’m interested in how Scotland has always been multilingual, and multilingual in ever-increasing and fun ways.”
– Peter Mackay, Scottish Makar
Mackay’s appointment comes at a critical juncture, as the Scottish parliament prepares to give official status to Gaelic and Scots through the Scottish Languages Bill. He believes poetry can play a vital role in keeping endangered languages like these alive by “pushing the boundaries of what can be done.”
Nurturing Living Languages
However, Mackay is quick to point out the challenges involved. When a language is under threat, he notes, there can be a tendency to become overly conservative and resistant to change. But for these tongues to thrive, they must be allowed to evolve.
“These have to be living languages; they have to be able to evolve and change.”
– Peter Mackay, Scottish Makar
At the same time, Mackay is acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with representing not just his own work, but Gaelic speakers and poets as a whole. It’s a balancing act he approaches with thoughtfulness and care.
Inspiring New Generations
Looking ahead, Mackay sees exciting opportunities to engage with themes of climate change and the environment, building on the legacy of his predecessor Kathleen Jamie. He also hopes to use events like the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as a chance to celebrate linguistic diversity on a global scale.
Ultimately, Mackay believes his role as makar is to be an instigator for new ways of thinking about poetry, especially in an age of social media and performance. By pushing boundaries and sparking conversations, he aims to inspire new generations to fall in love with the power of words – in all their myriad forms and tongues.
“Poetry in Scotland is in a really solid and interesting place…The makar allows for those conversations to happen but can also be an instigator for new ways of thinking about poetry.”
– Peter Mackay, Scottish Makar
As he embarks on this groundbreaking journey, Mackay remains humbled by the opportunity and determined to make the most of it. “We’ll just have to see how the next couple of weeks and months go,” he mused. “And – in the words of RuPaul – try not to fuck it up.” With a spirit of experimentation and a deep reverence for language, Scotland’s new makar seems poised to craft a legacy as multilayered and vibrant as the communities he aims to serve.