The Traquair Dialogues part 2 - A song that cannot be kept from singing
About this Event
It is here, among these companies of green, that the song that cannot be kept from singing is sung - David Gee
In April 2024 David Gee was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He chose to spend the last 8 months of his life living to the full and writing a short, poetic book entitled Wildest Dream: An imagined history of the Green Man (Ember Press: 2025). David was aware of the Traquair murals and hoped to contribute to The Traquair Dialogues. While his in-person contribution is no longer possible, we have David's book to work with and inspire us.
At the heart of David's book is a wager on what Hildegard von Bigen called viriditas, the divine, life-giving force of nature. In this second Traquair Dialogue we aim to explore the ways that this 'green truth' or 'green power' manifests today, calling us to 'resist the violence as well as we can, and let the future come.'
Presented in two parts:
22nd Aug, 7-9.30pm
Where: The Cathedral's Song School
A celebration (and Scottish book launch) of David's book in conversation with the Phoebe Anna Traquair's Song School murals. With presentations from Nadine Andrews, Jonathan Baxter and Alette Willis. (More info in the line up below.)These presentations can be engaged with on their own terms, but they also pick up a thread from our first Traquair Dialogue (June 2026), by reading the concept of veriditas ('green truth' or 'green power') alongside Julian Caldecott's distinction between a 'frontier conquest mindset' and an 'indigenous mindset', the latter being an expression of veriditas.
Presentations will be followed by an open dialogue that includes everyone in attendance.
(Refreshments and nibbles provided.)
23rd Aug, 10am-5pm (approx) (possibly arriving earlier with the option of enjoying a drink in the pub)
Where: meeting in the Cathedral's Chapter House, before walking to South Queensferry (where public transport for the return trip will be signposted)
A walk from St Mary's Epsicopal Cathedral to South Queensferry, joining the previous walking route of Pilgrimage for COP26 (2021), a walk David writes about in the closing chapter of his book. The walk will include 'chapter stops', where we offer creative invitations to engage with the theme of each short chapter. Invitations will be offered by Nadine Andrews, Jonathan Baxter, Olga Bloeman, Sarah Gittins, Heather Stacey. Expect a convivial walk with plenty of dialogue and opportunities to quieten the mind and experience the greening.
(Dress for all weather walking; bring a picnic and plenty of water.)
For a review of David's book see: https://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2025/10/wildest-dream-david-gee-review/
To order a copy from the publishers see: https://emberpress.co.uk/wildest-dream/
Additional copies will be for sale at both events.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
