Scots Language Awards 2023: Danielle Jam

Weel duin tae Danielle Jam wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Performer o the Year sponsored by Tracs in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!

The Scots Language Awards are in the Johstone Toon Ha, Johnstone on 16th September at 7pm. Tickets fir the ceremony are available tae buy here: https://handsup.link/SLA-BuyTickets.

We askit Danielle Jam o Danielle Jam thae speirins.

Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
I'm a Doric spikkin quinie fae Aiberdeen deein the actin on stage and screen fir the fowk o Scotland an beyond. I'm kent best fae the Cbeebies show 'Molly and Mack' far I play Daisy the Vet. I've also bin on Scot Squad on BBC Scotland and I'm aboot tae dee my third year in the HMT panto far I spik mair Scots as a magical fairy than I've iver spoke afore in my puff! Maist o my theatre work is in Scots. Oot o the 9 stage shows I've performed in since graduating uni, 7 o them have bin Scots spikkin roles. So I'm affa lucky.

Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
I wis brocht up by a Doric spikin mither fa wis brocht up by her Doric spikin mither fa wis brocht up in Torry aifter arrivin fae Kolkotta as a bairn wi her Anglo-indian siblings an mither.

Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
Oor country his a history o nae bein allowed tae practice or celebrait oor culture an the Scots his oftin bin seen as nae 'proper' tung. Fan in fact its jist as 'proper' an normal as ony ither language or dialect. Its an ancient leid. So I hink it helps normalise it. It's also an opportunity tae educate ithers aboot oor incredible history an it brings fowk thegither, encouragin community. There's a hunner reasons why its so important!

Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
Usually fan I'm teaching fowk nae fae Scotland hoo tae spik Scots, I stairt wi 'I da ken fit yer gan on aboot.' It's got plenty simple wirds tae stairt aff wi, an it also describes fit the person's probably hinkin fan I'm spikin it! Or faniver I couldna find summin at hame, my mither wud look fir twa seconds and find the hing, haud it up tae my face and go 'Fits this? Scotch mist?'

Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
My grandma. She spiks the maist Scots oot of oor femily. She taught me and my wee brither maist o the wirds we spik the day.

Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
I hear it aa the time. I bide in Glesca noo so I hear a lot oot an aboot. Its also blended intae my ain Scots a wee bit. So I spik hauf Doric and half West Coast Scots noo. I end up gettin the mickey takin oot o me fan i ging back tae Aiberdeen by my fowks for spikin like a Glaswegian! Fan I went tae uni my Scots softened a lot as I wis meetin fowk fae aa ither pairts o the world. Fits funny tae me noo is 'at I wis telt I micht hiv tae lose my 'accent' so that I could soond mair neutral fir characters. But as I said earlier pretty much a'hing I've done since graduatin has bin in Scots! So I hiv my upbringing tae thank for that.

Ony particlar career heighlichts
Playin Ellen in Rona Munro's 'James IV: Queen of the Fight' last year. She arrives in Edinburgh fae Moorish Spain in the year 1504 and quickly learns tae spik Scots, becoming the 'Queen of the Fight' – the heid o the tournaments King James IV wid display his strength in. She wis a real person oftin left oot of oor history buiks an it meant so much tae me that we were baith mixed heritage Scots spikkin performers. It was a professional heighlicht as weel as personal.

Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
Tourin 'Dracula: Mina's Reckoning.' by Morna Pearson. It's set in the North East o Scotland far Dracula decides tae mak his nest. I'm playing Mina, anither Doric spikin powerhoose wummin fa his an encoonter wi Dracula an shares her story at the Aiberdeen Asylum. We stairt the tour in Aiberdeen, then ging roon Scotland then tae Coventry an Liverpool. I'm lookin fowart tae seein hoo the Scots is takin further doon the country! Grab a ticket if ye funcy a Halloween nicht oot!

The Scots Language Awards are in the Johnstone Toon Ha, Johnstone on 16th September at 7pm. Tickets are available to buy here: https://handsup.link/SLA-BuyTickets There wull be some grand entertainmint oan the nicht tae, includin a recital fae Renfrewshire’s poet laureate Shaun Moore,wha wis appointit as the region’s Tannahill Makar last year. talks fae weel regairdit Scots scrievers Cat Cochrane an Shane Strachan, alang wi musical performances fae celebratit multi-instumentalist brithers Euan and Lewis McLaughlin, an sangster Iona Fyfe.

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