Proper Clan Parade Attire??

[ASinclair]

Were there any blue jeans worn in Brigadoon?

What a very helpful post. You're really winning friends and influencing people with your Brigadoon obsession, Mr. Abbott.

[Ron Abbott]

Well, what's with the obsession?
What's the big deal whether you can take part or not?
It's not as if you all live together and steal cattle together is it?
You're not going to start cracking skulls with swords because the other lot are MacWhatevers and stole a Sinclair girl four hundred and fifty years ago in a land thousands of miles away.

And as for Brigadoon....that is exactly what's it like to me, what with all the clan crests, flags and banners etc.
It's over the top stuff. It's amusing, almost childish.

I mean what do you do ?
Tell each other that your cromach is bigger than his cromach?
Where's the sheep bo peep?
Do you all tell each other how much more Scottish you are than the other guy?
Harking back to days that no longer exist and in some cases probably didn't exist at all?

Maybe it's just a bit embarrassing to be told that others who see the whole thing as brigadoonery?
In some ways it almost turns the stomach to see it being done.

[ASinclair]

Well, what's with the obsession?
What's the big deal whether you can take part or not?
It's not as if you all live together and steal cattle together is it?
You're not going to start cracking skulls with swords because the other lot are MacWhatevers and stole a Sinclair girl four hundred and fifty years ago in a land thousands of miles away.

And as for Brigadoon....that is exactly what's it like to me, what with all the clan crests, flags and banners etc.
It's over the top stuff. It's amusing, almost childish.

I mean what do you do ?
Tell each other that your cromach is bigger than his cromach?
Where's the sheep bo peep?
Do you all tell each other how much more Scottish you are than the other guy?
Harking back to days that no longer exist and in some cases probably didn't exist at all?

Maybe it's just a bit embarrassing to be told that others who see the whole thing as brigadoonery?
In some ways it almost turns the stomach to see it being done.

Wow, why don't you tell us how you really feel?

[Father Bill]

Time to cool off now, fellows! It's getting a wee mitey bit warm in here.

[ASinclair]

Time to cool off now, fellows! It's getting a wee mitey bit warm in here.

I'm sorry cousin, I just can't let this guy's snide remarks go unchallenged any longer.

[Ron Abbott]

Snide perhaps, but with reason. I see your whole play thing as farcical. It's a shame that some see Scotland and it's historical cultures through rose tinted glasses and in some cases, what appears to ba blindfold. I won't say it is mocking the culture because I do not for one second think that is what you are trying to do, but it is turning it into something that is almost Disneyland-ish.

[ASinclair]

Snide perhaps, but with reason. I see your whole play thing as farcical. It's a shame that some see Scotland and it's historical cultures through rose tinted glasses and in some cases, what appears to ba blindfold. I won't say it is mocking the culture because I do not for one second think that is what you are trying to do, but it is turning it into something that is almost Disneyland-ish.

I do not wear rose tinted glasses. I am well aware that Scotland's greatest contributions to our modern world -- the Scottish Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution -- came from Edinburgh and Glasgow in the lowlands. The Scottish Highland clans were relatively barbaric and scared the Lowlanders (with good reason). But my father's father's father's father's father's father was born in Caithness and, by God, I'll wear the Sinclair tartan with pride.

[Nathan]

Ron,

Although the "clan system" is part of history, clans still exist. They are extended families and they have chiefs legally recognized as such. Some clan members form clan associations to connect with each other, research genealogy and meet other people with a similar interest and enthusiasm in their culture and their heritage.

Why does a clan's role have to be frozen in time at 1745? My clan buys land and builds museums together. The Scottish Clans of Canada set up an education fund to send young people to learn Gaelic language and culture, pipes, fiddle etc...

Scottish communities do another thing...they hold Highland Games both in Scotland and abroad. There are a few characteristics of Highland Games. Heavy events where they participate in feats of strength using less than modern equipment. They also have Highland dance and pipe band competitions. There is also often a parade of the clans. In Scotland, there are often Clan Chiefs in those parades. In Canada, we sometimes have one chief as a guest of honour, usually not.

Highland Games like these are part of our culture now. While there is continuity with the past, we aren't pretending to live in the past. And no, as a clansmen I'm not going to run up a hill weilding a claymore at the Campbells. I'm going to work on an e-newsletter and organize a ceilidh, dinner or whisky nosing. I'm going to tell my clan members when Gaelic musicians are visiting Toronto and encourage them to go and I'm going to take an interest in people and make them feel welcome and included just because they are my distant relatives.

We help people research their family and clan history and we let them belong to something and feel a little pride in who they are and where they've come from.

You can crap on it and mock it if you like, but that only makes you look boorish and mean.

Go ahead and scoff. Meanwhile I'm going to keep having fun and helping distant cousins find out more about their history while helping to foster an interest in maintaining our traditional culture. These things you mock are what makes us distinct in the world from all of the other peoples. Maybe don't be in such a hurry to shovel the dirt over them.

[ASinclair]

Well said, my young friend. Turning the caber, Highland dance, Scottish country dance, whisky tastings, and on and on. How can this not be a good thing?

[Manxstralian]

Snide perhaps, but with reason. I see your whole play thing as farcical. It's a shame that some see Scotland and it's historical cultures through rose tinted glasses and in some cases, what appears to ba blindfold. I won't say it is mocking the culture because I do not for one second think that is what you are trying to do, but it is turning it into something that is almost Disneyland-ish.

With all due respect Ron, I'd assume (like I did) that you spent some time here "lurking" (as they say) before you became a member.

One would question why you would join an international kilt forum if you are dismissive of the concept of colonials wearing kilts, being interested/involved in their clans, or dressing in what is known here as TCHD? It's quite obvious from even a cursory glance at this forum that this is what occurs here.

Either you wish to educate us poor colonials (like the input of our venerable Jock Scot, who may wince or bite his tongue occasionally, but will encourage people who are "doing it right"), or you want to foster division. If such thing are of no interest to you, do as I do with regard to the athletics section of the forum; just don't post.

Cheers,

Cameron