10am - 3pm, 16 August 2026

Square Deal

“When I see a dandelion growing on a roadside, it reassures me of stewardship to land, ingrained into most that inhabit this shared soil, carried as an embodied knowledge, a will to protect, repair and preserve. Much like a dandelion or the fireweed, which grows abundantly on neglected grounds, our purposes to nurture rather than conquer, is reflected in them. When there are fires that char the earth and all that stands upon it, it is fireweed that first appears, it heals, grows, provides, and in its passing restores the land for life to continue on the once depleted land.”

– Rah Naqvi

During their time in Huntly, artist in residence Rah Naqvi has explored how the global movement of plants can be a great teacher of what it means to traverse boundaries, to travel between places, times and cultures. Often overlooked as weeds, many plants make valuable offerings to ecosystems and demonstrate great resilience in taking root in a new land. Rah likens this to how humans also bring valuable offerings as they move from place to place – be that recipes, knowledge, skills or practices of care. 

In Land as body, body as trace we will explore this practice of plant-inspired exchange to build connections through history and across geographies. Coming together, we will learn how to forage and prepare local ‘Ivan Chai’ tea, bake sweet chai buns and explore the colonial histories of tea that expand beyond Huntly into South Asia.

On the day, we will start with a walk to gather Rosebay Willowherb (Fireweed) with Rosie Leagas, a local regenerative grower and forager. Rosebay Willowherb is prevalent in Scotland and easily identified by its spears of brilliant pink flowers. While we forage, Rah will introduce us to sites across Huntly that are linked to tea plantations in India and Sri Lanka, to  consider the legacy of Scottish-led colonial capitalism that continues to influence workers in the industry today. In returning to Square Deal, Rosie will step us through the process of preparing and fermenting the Ivan Chai, followed by a sweet chai bun baking session with Amsterdam-based baker Alysha Aggarwal. 

This workshop is free but numbers are limited, please let us know you are coming by booking a spot here, or emailing bruce@deveron-projects.com.

Lunch is included – let us know on booking if you have any allergies or dietary requirements.

Accessibility

• This workshop is free, but booking is essential.
• Children and young people are welcome to join in. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
• An accessibility guide for Square Deal community hub can be found here with photos and information about the space.
• We will provide lunch - do let us know on booking if you have any allergies or dietary requirements.
• This workshop will be lively, with up to 20 people attending.

Allergens/ dietary

Refreshments at this event will be prepared in a kitchen that may have traces of nuts, seeds, dairy and other allergens. Everything is clearly labelled and there are always vegan and gluten free options. Please let us know if you are planning on coming along and have any food allergies by emailing: bruce@deveron-projects.com

About the project

Land As Body, Body As Trace is taking place as part of Rah Naqvi’s residency at Deveron Projects. Their residency is focused on building communities through foraging, song, traditional crafts and radical readings. You can find out more about Rah's residency here.

This workshop is made possible with thanks to Mondriaan Fund and Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding.