Why so serious?

[macwilkin]

I concur with the distinction discussed above:

1. Mock "sword-bearing escorts" that accompany the piper and the presentation of the haggis at a Burns Supper.

OR

2. Bizarrely dressed folks who think that a Highland Games is a chance to channel their inner "Conan" and let their freak flag fly. I have to say that it is really amazing and ridiculous what you see at American Highland Games: pirates, fairies, Vikings, barbarians, half highland clansman/half Native American warrior, etc. For some reason, people seem to think that Highland Games are a cross between Halloween, a Star Trek convention, and the Renaissance Fair...

Cordially,

David

I would tend to agree, with an exception to reputable living history organisations that portray a Scottish military unit from a particular period of history. Such programs, if done correctly, can be very educational & informative.

T.

[davidlpope]

I would tend to agree, with an exception to reputable living history organisations that portray a Scottish military unit from a particular period of history. Such programs, if done correctly, can be very educational & informative.

T.

Todd,

Fair enough. There's a reenactment group here in the Carolinas that does quite a good job portraying F&I/Rev War Highlanders (other than the average age of the "recruits" being about 55yo...). I hadn't lumped them in with the "Spawn of Braveheart"-types in my mind when thinking about the subject.

Cordially,

David

[Semiomniscient]

One thing I've noticed at Scottish events--why is it there's always that one guy who brings a big claymore just to carry around in a very serious manner? It happens at all the Highland Games, Burns Suppers, and Tartan Days that I attend, and it looks kinda silly. Are the Wisconsin events the only place that this happens, or do other places have these guys too?

If I'm just goin' crazy let me know, but sometimes it feels like these guys are just looking for any excuse to carry around a big sword in front of them--as if the English will storm the banquet hall!

Those Highland Two-hander swords are popular everywhere (particularly thanks to Braveheart). Usually, I'll see someone in a poorly made great kilt or some non-wool kilt worn too low carrying around a smaller Pakistani made version. Usually, it's a younger person who's obviously not seen a lot on it and believes everything about the kilt he's ever heard.

Then there are the better dressed types who might be wearing period highland attire or are at least going for the rustic look carrying around this huge broadsword for no other reason than to show it off. I don't really get it either... The Highlanders were known for going about contantly armed, but that is in a time past. I don't mind the weaponry for parades or at Ren Faires but just walking about at a modern festival, unless you're a re-enactor or planning on giving demonstrations or history of the weapon, it's kind of over-the-top and a little weird.

[Tobus]

Bizarrely dressed folks who think that a Highland Games is a chance to channel their inner "Conan" and let their freak flag fly. I have to say that it is really amazing and ridiculous what you see at American Highland Games: pirates, fairies, Vikings, barbarians, half highland clansman/half Native American warrior, etc. For some reason, people seem to think that Highland Games are a cross between Halloween, a Star Trek convention, and the Renaissance Fair...

I've not seen anyone in that much of an obviously venue-inappropriate getup, but I have seen a few men walking around with swords and shields. The one I distinctly recall was a fellow wearing a modern kilt and t-shirt but had an el-cheapo replica two-handed claymore and some sort of shield (not a targe) that looked like it was made out of plastic with a big red Spanish cross on it. He had a young boy with him who was barely old enough to walk, so I figured he was doing it for the sake of having fun with his son.

I think, though, that some people are under the assumption that a Scottish Festival and Highland Games event is the place for fantasy reenactment (which I separate from historical reenactment). Just like people who show up to a Renaissance festival in a Storm Trooper outfit, they are kind of making it into a circus-like atmosphere. And while most Renaissance festivals, it seems, have turned into a circus-like atmosphere anyway, I would like to think that Scottish festivals and Highland Games events would be a little more on the serious and respectful side. The difference being that Ren fests are tailored more towards fantasy reenactment while Scottish festivals and Highland Games are more for celebrating a specific culture.

That said, I would like to see more accurate and historical reenactment stuff at Highland Games. And by that, I mean official events or displays, not just random dudes walking around in their costumes.

[macwilkin]

Todd,

Fair enough. There's a reenactment group here in the Carolinas that does quite a good job portraying F&I/Rev War Highlanders (other than the average age of the "recruits" being about 55yo...). I hadn't lumped them in with the "Spawn of Braveheart"-types in my mind when thinking about the subject.

Cordially,

David

Aye, David...that's one of the major ironies of most living history groups, is that the rankers are generally much older than their historical counterparts, mainly due to the fact that they can afford the uniform, kit, weapon, etc. much easier than someone who is 18-23 years old -- save for history nerds like myself!

T.

[Semiomniscient]

At our burns Supper, we often have someone "armed" with either a claymore or baskethilt (or both) escorting the haggis. It's the "guard" for the haggis to make sure no one tries to reive it or anything.

No one--and read that carefully--no one takes it seriously. People don't show up wearing swords or anything. I would consider wearing the powder horn, pistol, jewleled dirk, basket hilt, etc. at the right event, but I don't have any idea what that event would be so it's not likely to happen. I'm thinking of some of those outfits worn in the early 1800s when Georga IV visited; man, I'd look great in one of those.

Of course, I also liked wearing a cowboy hat and spurs when I was a kid.

At the games--as at many other types of outings--there are always people who like to dress up in costumes with rough boots, swords, and trying to look like an extra from Brave Heart. But it's a costume; everyone knows it's a costume, and I don't think anyone take it very seriously. I think of it as being similar to the "living history" people who dress up in 17th century outfits or even the 78th Highlandes who wear the old style uniforms and carry muskets. It's just for fun. Might look a bit silly on Main Street, but at the games, everyone just takes it all in stride.

Yeah, almost ALL of our men, besides our pipers, went in armed to parade the Haggis. The whisky bearer, haggis bearer, and myself (the deliverer of the Address) kept our swords sheathed, but we had two other guards with weapons drawn. But it is always taken as a ceremonial/non-serious type of thing. Not entirely humorous as in "haha" but more tongue-in-cheek.

The problem with Braveheart is that none of these folks realize how much of an anachronism the entire costume department serviced!
Kilts: not invented yet, nor were they true great kilts
Blue paint/woad: hadn't been in use for hundreds of years.
Not to mention the plot line anachronisms. Granted, it's still one of my favorite movies and it did ALOT for getting the public interested in things Scottish and so for that, I thank it greatly! But still... it's all wrong and it bothers me a little to see people painted up blue for highland games.

[Panache]

Now, I'm not talking about reenactors that have swords with historical purpose. I'm talking about the guys wearing the raggéd PC outfit with a huge feather in the caps, carrying an over sized claymore as if a ninja is going to jump in and steal the haggis. There's an 'honor guard' at all of the events in Wisconsin that parades around with flags and swords and it makes me laugh. Why is there such a stupid macho attitude at all of these Scottish events? Yes, clan have a war-torn past and the Scots are certainly fearless warriors, but at a civilian function, shouldn't we be acting civil?

Greg,

It is part of the fun!

The Address to a Haggis is actually a pretty funny poem. Bringing the simple haggis in on a silver platter with great ceremony, with an honor guard, led by a piper adds a certain wonderful ridiculousness to the poem that follows.

Burns himself had quite the sense of humor (see this link below)

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...8&postcount=38

I can't but help think that Robert Burns would have smiled broadly to see his poem to a sausage turned into such a delightfully fun production.

I'm not big on the whole weapons and kilts thing unless one is at some sort of costumed event like a Renaissance Faire, but I think that it is quite fine for a haggi procession

Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[Semiomniscient]

Yeah! Ditto!

[Smayniac]

I've always chosen not to carry large weapons even to the Renn Faire; I'm not there to compete in the tourney. I usually carry some sort of sgian dubh equivalent to eat my lunch with. Who want's to carry a sword around all day anyway?

Bob

[Zardoz]

Highland Games are "historically themed events"?!