Quote Originally Posted by Nathan View Post
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This context of diaspora Scottish culture in general should explain why people feel the need to connect themselves to a clan or family or tartan from the Auld sod and why they like to share what they have learned with anyone they assume (rightly or wrongly) might share their interest. The tourists you meet are likely at the height of their personal interest and research into such matters and bursting to tell anyone who will listen about it.
Nathan, you make several good points and I would like to piggyback on the above if I may. For me, selecting a tartan meant I would be connecting past generations to future generations. In the absence of historic precedent I felt a strong obligation to get it right. While I would not personally expect future generations to follow my lead in tartan selection they may consider my decision to be precedent setting. Consequently, I acquired a fair bit of knowledge about my ancestors extending over the past 300 years before joining a clan association and selecting a tartan.

It has been a year since acquiring my kilt and I am probably not bursting at the seams anymore but woe to anyone who asks me how to select a tartan as I am loaded for bear and have a hair trigger.