Wearing kilts of other tartans than your clans.

[Swampthing]

Clan affiliations with tartan is quite a recent thing, and completely unnecessary.
I wear a Buchanan, and a Macleod of Harris in my band.
But I do plan to get a Thompson camel and a Thompson gray,
1) because I like them and 2) because MacTavish is my clan.

The traditional thing to do is wear what you like, or what you can afford.

[gilmore]

Apparently, its actually an official tartan, recognized by the Scottish Tartans Authority:

http://www.jewishtartan.com/

The ITI number is 7615. The Tartan Authority says the alternate name is Logan, which may mean that it is shared with Clan Logan, but having visited Clan Logan's website, it doesnt appear that their tartan is anything like the Jewish Tartan. Additionally, the STA lists the copyright owner as Rabbi Mendel Jacobs, which I would imagine would not be the case if it were somehow shared with a clan. It's also a very handsome tartan, so I'm definitely considering it. Unfortunately, it will increase the cost of my "tank" quite a bit.

The fact that a tartan is registered with Scottish Tartan Authority has nothing whatsoever with its being "official" in any way. It merely means that the person who designed it took the trouble to register it.

What makes a tartan official is whether the governing authority of the entity it purports to represent has approved it. In the cases of clan tartans, that authority is the clan chief. In the cases of district tartans, that is the governing body of the country, state, shire, county, city, etc, of the district that that tartan purports to represent. In the cases of religious denominations that is the governing body of that denomination, and there is none for Judaism, as this tartan purports to represent. It is merely a fashion tartan designated as "Jewish" with an extremely recent provenance that is being marketing by some one who either has no sense of the history of Jewish tartan, or does and chooses to misrepresent it, as well as his tartan, to wit: "...it's 100% Kosher - being a non wool-linen mix..."

Has anyone ever heard of a linen blend tartan that the observant need to be protected from? I think not.

[JSFMACLJR]

The traditional thing to do is wear what you like, or what you can afford.

No, the traditional thing to do is to wear your clan tartan, or barring that, a district tartan.

[Bugbear]

Don't forget the Black Watch and Gordon Highlander for those who have served and that kind of tartan. I'm also thinking of the Leatherneck tartan etc.

[Bugbear]

The fact that a tartan is registered with Scottish Tartan Authority has nothing whatsoever with its being "official" in any way. It merely means that the person who designed it took the trouble to register it.

What makes a tartan official is whether the governing authority of the entity it purports to represent has approved it. In the cases of clan tartans, that authority is the clan chief. In the cases of district tartans, that is the governing body of the state, shire, county, city, etc, of the district that that tartan purports to represent. In the cases of religious denominations that is the governing body of that denomination, and there is none for Judaism, as this tartan purports to represent. It is merely a fashion tartan designated as "Jewish" with an extremely recent provenance that is being marketing by some one who either has no sense of the history of Jewish tartan, or does and chooses to misrepresent it, as well as his tartan, to wit: "the only Scottish born Rabbi living in Scotland, it's 100% Kosher - being a non wool-linen mix..."

Has anyone ever heard of a linen blend tartan that the observant need to be protectd from? I think not.

That's a good point, Gilmore. If there is already an historacal association between a tartan and the Jewish faith or culture, then something like this is more of an insult than official. If there were no tartan historically associated, then maybe it could become generally accepted; especially if it were recognisable to those in the faith or culture. Everything starts somewhere...

It's not a tartan, but I seem to recall a discussion of a certain color of kilt being associated with Buddhism because of the color's symbolic conection; I can't recall the specific details, though. Something on that line.

[gilmore]

That's a good point, Gilmore. If there is already an historacal association between a tartan and the Jewish faith or culture, then something like this is more of an insult than official. If there were no tartan historically associated, then maybe it could become generally accepted; especially if it were recognisable to those in the faith or culture. Everything starts somewhere...

It's not a tartan, but I seem to recall a discussion of a certain color of kilt being associated with Buddhism because of the color's symbolic conection; I can't recall the specific details, though. Something on that line.

Do you mean this:



and this:

[Bugbear]

I have no idea; can't look at the pictures.

[gilmore]

I have no idea; can't look at the pictures.

O, right, sorry, I forgot.

It's a news story about two tartans designed by the abbot of Samye Ling, a Buddhist monastery in Eskadelmuir in Dumfries-shire. One is in shades of red for lining the robes of monks and nuns, while the other is for lay people, in the five colors of the Tibetan spectrum, yellow, red, blue, green and white.

[Bugbear]

Yes, that's it... or them.

[Swampthing]

No, the traditional thing to do is to wear your clan tartan, or barring that, a district tartan.

I suppose that is true for the mindset of most in the modern world, a new tradition of clan tartans is real, in a sense.
But it stems from misconceptions and myths, and therefore, though it may be a tradition, it's one for the ill-informed.

I also suppose that it was not actually a tradition in the old days, but rather, a trend and consequently, a custom.

You really should have a look at albanach.org, scottishtartans.org, kiltmaker.blogspot.com, or simply speak to Mr. Matthew A.C. Newsome, of the Scottish tartans museum, he's very good with that stuff.

Please note that I have nothing against you, or am arguing with you, it's just that this notion of clan tartans being ancient and all simply isn't true.