There has been a development with my clan since my last reply to this thread, that is relevant.

This coming year, 2025, will be the millenium or the 1,000th anniversary since the clan's traditional founding. Naturally enough, plans to celebrate the occasion have been in action for a while, and are due to centre around the chief's castle as usual.

Being somewhat involved myself, I have been keeping a closer eye on progress than many might, so I was astonished to receive information from the American association (which operates independently and separately from the rest of the clan) that they have organised their own separate gathering at the castle, announced dates, and are taking bookings.

A recent chat with the chief had him telling me it was all rather awkward (mild understatement, this), as it takes into no account the arrangements we is Scotland are making, and the tricky position he is now in. It seems the American association expect the chief to fall into line, play ball, and have 'open doors' for the week they are in Scotland.

The open doors thing is the chief's usual hospitality, and it has always been the way, but this secondary American-only Gathering can be seen as a good illustration of why there appears to be a difference between American clan activities and those in the homeland, that Kilted2000 has noticed.

Two things will come from this, as I see it. One will be a disappointing turn-out for the clan's proper Gathering, for the Americans, who normally make up good numbers, will be absent; and the the Americans will get entirely the wrong impression of how the clan functions at home in Scotland - if it is seen to function at all.

It's all a bit puzzling to us.

Did we upset or disappoint our American kin so much last time that they now no longer want to come to our Gatherings, or have they got so fed up with waiting for the finished programme of events to be announced that they have gone off and done their own thing?

Our association has always operated as a kind of clan-themed history society, with its traditions, culture and historical legacy being the main motivation. Pageant has never had a place, and the local Highland games are usually enough to satisfy needs in this direction. As regards tartan, the romantic nonsense that surrounds all that has always been well-understood, and, officially, the association only encourages the wearing - it is by no means obligatory - and only a small proportion actually do.

Other than having pipers to provide thrilling sound at the opening, and sometimes a ceilidh on the last evening, we have nothing in the way of parade or performance. Our way is to have displays, exhibitions, talks and demonstrations on such topics as recent archaeological findings at the castle, the latest from the DNA project, and suchlike.

But I am keen to see what our American cousins get up to, when they have no natives around to spoil their fun.