Would you ever wear a feather in your cap, particularly in the U.S.?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Probably 90% of the people who wear feathers are honestly unaware of the heraldic and cultural significance those feathers represent. As for the other 10%... they are social frauds, pure and simple.

[ThistleDown]

Probably 90% of the people who wear feathers are honestly unaware of the heraldic and cultural significance those feathers represent. As for the other 10%... they are social frauds, pure and simple.

Yes, I believe you are right, Scott. Periodically over the years overseas chaps have appeared at games and sometimes on the street in Scotland sporting handfuls of various feathers sprouting from their bonnets. It takes just a gentle hint that they might want to remove them for them to do so with considerable embarrassment. Ignorance is just that -- an absence of knowledge. Perhaps it is only those who persist once they become informed who are deserving of pointed fingers, shaken heads and snickers.

[Frank McGrath]

I doubt I'd ever wear a feather in my bonnet, and definitely not a large one. I do wear a couple of Buff Orpington chicken feathers in one of these in remembrance of my late, lamented hens, but not with a kilt (yet, at least).

On the subject of feathers in the US, it's more than just eagles and red-tailed hawks. Thanks to our oh-so-thoughtful political forebears it looks like nearly any wild bird is a no-no (turkeys seem to be fair game, though).

Check out the list of birds protected under the Migratory Bird Act (16 USC 703)

That's right - pick up a crow feather, stick it in your hat, and violate federal law. Ain't it grand?

I wish my cats could read. I have been telling them this for years.

[Tobus]

By the way, I got curious about the conversation from earlier about the legality of feathers.

Check this out. According to them, 83% of all birds in the USA are protected, and it's illegal to possess any part of them - even a feather. Here is the text of the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act that spells it out.

This is the part that really shocked me:

In the lower 48 states, all species except the house sparrow, feral pigeon, common starling, and non-migratory game birds like pheasants, gray partridge, and sage grouse, are protected.

[artificer]

By the way, I got curious about the conversation from earlier about the legality of feathers.

Check this out. According to them, 83% of all birds in the USA are protected, and it's illegal to possess any part of them - even a feather. Here is the text of the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act that spells it out.

This is the part that really shocked me:

So I can't even pick up a feather from one of the 1000+ crows or robins that shed them all over my yard?

Sometimes you just have to shake your head and laugh, the only other path is madness.

[Lallans]

I voted 'never' - I mean while in Scottish garb, because I have been known to wear grouse feathers in my upland broad brims (British: in my rough-shooting Trilbies). First, catch yourself a grouse....

[Harold Cannon]

Just something to think about. This is from the tartan authority website.

"It's not known exactly where the custom of Chiefs and Chietains wearing eagle feathers in their hat came from. The black and white illustration shows an Irish soldier in 1588 but it's not known if the feathers were for embellishment or to denote rank. There is a strong suspicion however, that whilst the Scots did wear feathers in their hats at one time, the use and Chiefly significance of the eagle feathers may have been a Victorian invention based upon the American Indian tradition."


Makes you think doesn't it!

[macwilkin]

Just something to think about. This is from the tartan authority website.

"It's not known exactly where the custom of Chiefs and Chietains wearing eagle feathers in their hat came from. The black and white illustration shows an Irish soldier in 1588 but it's not known if the feathers were for embellishment or to denote rank. There is a strong suspicion however, that whilst the Scots did wear feathers in their hats at one time, the use and Chiefly significance of the eagle feathers may have been a Victorian invention based upon the American Indian tradition."


Makes you think doesn't it!

Given the strong ties between Highlanders and the First Nations of North America, it's certainly plausible, but I'd like to see the source for this -- I'll have to e-mail Brian at the STA and ask him about this.

In the meantime, Colin Calloway's "White People, Highlanders and Indians" is the standard work on the First Nation - Highlander relationship.

T.

[figheadair]

Given the strong ties between Highlanders and the First Nations of North America, it's certainly plausible, but I'd like to see the source for this -- I'll have to e-mail Brian at the STA and ask him about this.

In the meantime, Colin Calloway's "White People, Highlanders and Indians" is the standard work on the First Nation - Highlander relationship.

T.

I think that I may be responsible for that. I seem to recall mention this in passing to Brian, more of a musing really when discussing various 'traditions' that don't appear to be based in historical fact by which I mean pre-1745. The Victorians had a great love for, amongst other things, the noble savage and I wonder if they borrowed feathers as a symbol form Native American culture and then applied them to their own culture savage.

[macwilkin]

I think that I may be responsible for that. I seem to recall mention this in passing to Brian, more of a musing really when discussing various 'traditions' that don't appear to be based in historical fact by which I mean pre-1745. The Victorians had a great love for, amongst other things, the noble savage and I wonder if they borrowed feathers as a symbol form Native American culture and then applied them to their own culture savage.

Again, it certainly is plausable, Peter. Please don't think me trying to disparage your theory. Calloway's book is built around that whole theory, and he does an excellent job making his case. We do know, for example, that Highlanders during the French & Indian War adopted more practical parts of First Nations garb, such as wool leggings, that were worn under their kilts in the forests of North America.

T.