Why do you wear the kilt.

[Dreadbelly]

No other garmet says "Bad mutha farker" like a kilt does.

It's what seperates the men from the neutered drones.

[beerbecue]

Bubba,

Do you recall how old, or to what date was attributed to those artifacts? I have a vague memory of reading about it, but I can't recall the details.

[Alan H]

No other garmet says "Bad mutha farker" like a kilt does.

It's what seperates the men from the neutered drones.

I'm wearing blue jeans today, so I guess that makes me a neutered drone.

[Thistle Stop]

I must admit I do find its stretching things a little when you have born and bred Canadians or Americans claiming to be Scottish- like Ive said before a more accurate term is american or Canadian of scots descent, or Scots American or Scots Canadian
I think the culture your born into our brought up with is what makes you who you are-Prime minister Tony Blair is a good example he was born in Edinburgh to english parents, but he moved I think to australia at one stage, he went to eton college and had elocution lessons to rid him of his accent, despite being born in Scotland Blair is not a Scot hes spent his whole life running away from his Scots background -hes English in every way! because thats the culture he chooses to identify with
seriously I hate labels so you just be who you want to be

When Americans say they are 'Scottish', they are referencing their heritage, not claiming Scottishness in the sense of being equivalent to someone born and living in Scotland as a citizen of the UK. The US is a nation of immigrants. People born here (except the Native Americans, i.e., American Indians, of course) have a sense of having 'come from' somewhere else, one or more generations back. Since it's always within the past 400 years, we're not talking about a great number of generations, and for many Americans, it's just 2 or 3 generations. So it's perfectly reasonable for them to say that their family is 'from' Scotland, or wherever. But in talking to another American, it's often phrased as 'my family is Scottish' or 'I'm Scottish' and it's understood that they mean that's the European heritage of the family. Yes, we are all Americans, but we all have another geographic origin not so far back along our branch of the family tree. So we are African-Americans, or Chinese-Americans, or Scottish-Americans, or German-Americans, etc., etc. The conventional shorthand, amongst the many kinds of European-Americans, is to just say 'I'm Scottish', or whatever it happens to be. Other Americans know what that means, but naturally it sounds a bit odd to the ear of someone who was born and bred in a country where most people's ancestors have been there for so long it's hard to even know how long, or where they came from before that. It's all a matter of perspective.

This 'foreign' origin is often reflected to a great degree in the culture of one's family and community in the US. For example, I currently live in an area originally settled by Germans. So the churches found here are predominantly those that early German settlers founded -- in my wee village, there's a Lutheran church and a church descended from the Bretheren churches of the early German families. No 'Scottish' Presbyterian or Episcopal churches -- for that, you have to go to the bigger city! When the local civic organisations and fire departments have community dinners, they serve foods that reflect a German heritage. The names of most of the old families, the streets, etc., are of German origin. In other parts of the US, you find similar communities filled with the influences of Scandinavian, Italian, Polish, Greek, Spanish (or otherwise Hispanic), and many other heritages.

So, try not to be affronted by this manner of speaking. All we are saying is that we treasure our families and the cultures, places, languages, religions, etc. that make up our personal heritage.

[Geoduck]

Well put Cyndi.

This is just another vernacular issue that this board, as an international forum, will always have to deal with.

[Thistle Stop]

Well put Cyndi.

This is just another vernacular issue that this board, as an international forum, will always have to deal with.

Thanks, Geoduck.

One of the things I love about the forum is that there are members from several countries. It's a great place to share our perspectives on many things -- not just kilts! I also like the fact that not everyone here has a Scottish family heritage, for the same reason.

[Manu]

[quote="Thistle Stop"]

naturally it sounds a bit odd to the ear of someone who was born and bred in a country where most people's ancestors have been there for so long it's hard to even know how long, or where they came from before that. It's all a matter of perspective.

I must agree with you there Cindy. I was born and raised in Spain, a country where immigration is weird and usually you stand out if you are not from there, so when I read or hear someone say "Im Scottish, or Irish, or German, or from Spain" I kinda look at them and ask, were you born there? not to be an a-hole, just cus it sounds weird. And another point I'd like to make is that UK is not the only place in Europe where Celts settled. Lets not forget about thoe parts of France(Breton-Celts) and Spain (Hispano-Celts) where Celtic culture was and still is pretty strong.

[Thistle Stop]

Anyway, a few comments in this thread have led me to wonder -- when and why did the kilt begin to be seen as a "celtic" garment rather than a specifically Scottish garment? I'm not trying to say that non-Scots should not wear the kilt, I'm just wondering about when and how the notion started that the kilt was something generally "celtic."

Based on nothing but my own observation, I think the origin of the idea that the kilt is 'Celtic' probably has to do with St. Patrick's Day parades in New York, Boston, etc. For a long time, maybe from the beginning, these big US celebrations of Irish heritage have included pipe bands, wearing the usual kilted uniforms derived from British military uniforms. Since Irish-Americans are the largest and most highly visible 'Celtic' ethnic heritage group in the US, many people associate the Highland pipes and pipe bands with Irish culture, and more broadly, 'Celtic' culture, even though they are of Scottish origin. In fact, many of these US pipe bands are connected to Irish heritage organisations. By extrapolation, if the bands are wearing kilts, then the kilts, too, must be 'Irish' and/or 'Celtic'! Though I think most Americans, if asked, would say kilts are Scottish, they may associate them with Irish or pan-Celtic heritage, as well. Until Tartan Day (and let's face it, Tartan Day is no St. Patrick's Day, at least not at this point!), there was no comparable 'parading' -- literally! -- of Scottish heritage in public in the US.

Contributing to this blurring of national identities into a pan-Celtic identity is the popularity of 'Celtic' music, which can include traditional melodies from Scotland or Ireland (primarily -- though I have also known Breton music to be included in the mix), as well as modern music that uses instruments and musical styles related to folk music of these countries, like the music of Irish performers Clannad and Enya, amongst others.

[Thistle Stop]

Some more thoughts on the development of a pan-Celtic identity for the kilt...

Tartan has tremendous appeal, because it's so beautiful and has come to be imbued with so much meaning. When Polly Wittering designed the Irish County tartans for House of Edgar a few years ago, suddenly there was a tartan 'heritage' for Ireland! (There were some tartan artefacts found in Ireland previously, but no long-standing tradition of district or clan tartans.) Some tartan designers (including me) have developed surname/family tartans for Irish clients in recent years, too. Likewise, when the Welsh Tartans Centre began ten years ago, with the introduction of Welsh district and surname tartans since then, the Welsh became 'tartaners' (a weak word play on 'armigers'), too.

One garment is overwhelmingly associated with tartan: the kilt! So, wotcha gonna do with yer tartan? Get a kilt, of course!

My husband Alan and I attended a big annual trade show this past weekend, the Ireland Show, in Secaucus NJ. Other than a couple of Scottish vendors, the only guy wearing a kilt, besides Alan, was Tony Collins of the Welsh Tartans Centre -- his wife was in a mini-kilt, too. I did not see any Irish vendors in kilts. I didn't see any buyers in kilts, either, except Alan. Most of the buyers, of course, own Irish import/heritage shops. We go to this show mainly because there are a number of Scottish vendors there, and we do buy from a few Irish manufacturers, as well. But the giants of tartan weaving and Highland apparel, Lochcarron and House of Edgar, always exhibit at the Ireland Show, so they must count a good number of US Irish shops amongst their customers. And all they sell is tartan, things made of tartan, and Highland apparel and accessories.

So perhaps the lure of tartan has something to do with the idea of the kilt as a pan-Celtic garment -- ?

[chacbalam]

Well I certainly opened a can of worms. I just reread my first post ansd realized that I used the "c" word more than I ment to. however it certainly has lead to an interesting thread.

Americas intrest in expressing our ethnic heritage probably stems from the simple fact that for the vast majority of us this is a nation of imigrants. The average American has very shallow roots on these shores , but a long history in the old country. Discovering ones ethnic heritage gives a feeling of conection to the past. For me the visable part of that connection is expressed in wearing the kilt, just as other ethnicities have their own traditional dress.