Mighty Men tartan

**Mike_Oettle** · 2nd July 10, 01:17 PM

News has reached me of a brand new tartan design in South Africa – so far it’s just a design, since it has not yet been woven, but that should be done in a few weeks’ time.
The concept comes from James and Ina McGowan, who run a business in Cape Town with Ina’s son, Eugene Murison, called Tartans 4 Africa. (I am trying to get them to advertise here, by the way.)
They belong to a Christian fellowship that has a ministry to workers on wine estates in the Western Cape, and is hoping to erect a church building.
They were looking for a way to promote their project when James got to thinking about what a mighty task it would be, and what came to his mind was the name Mighty Men.
This is the brand name of a series of conferences that have been held annually on a farm called Shalom, in the Natal Midlands. Shalom belongs to kilted evangelist Angus Buchan, who travels all over Africa in a large truck to deliver the gospel message.
(The conference held recently was the last planned for Shalom. Another venue is now being arranged.)
Buchan has a ministry to men, because he believes that many families are suffering because the fathers in those families are not taking a leadership role in the household.
(Some critics have cavilled that the conferences are discriminatory on the grounds that they exclude women, but I feel this is an unfair approach.)
Buchan has given his blessing to the use of the name Mighty Men for the new tartan, and it will be marketed in South Africa in the coming months.
When I spoke to James about the project earlier this week, I told him that the focus on wine estate workers was something close to my heart.
This is because my father used to have a wine farm (producing the grapes for a co-operative, that is, not making the wine). In the wine-producing districts of the Cape there is a practice called the tot system, under which workers are given a daily ration of wine. (In Afrikaans this is called the dopstelsel, and the wine they receive is called dop.)
My father did his best to encourage his workers not to take the wine (it involves mugfuls morning, noon and night) by offering them more money.
Unfortunately they were not interested. One told my father (speaking Afrikaans): “I would rather work for another boss for less money than go without my dop.”
They spend a sizeable proportion of their Friday pay packet on more wine, and spend the weekend inebriated. Needless to say this leads to many kinds of trouble.
The systematic alcoholism of the workers in that district eventually led my brother, who was working with my dad on the farm, to go farming elsewhere, in an area where wine was not available.
Since I am not able to post attachments, I cannot provide an illustration of the tartan. And since I am at work, I cannot connect to Facebook, either.
But tomorrow I will provide a link to Facebook, where you can see what it looks like.
Regards,
Mike

**BoldHighlander** · 2nd July 10, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

Shalom belongs to kilted evangelist Angus Buchan, who travels all over Africa in a large truck to deliver the gospel message.

Isn't that the bloke that the movie "Faith like potatoes" is based on?

**Mike_Oettle** · 2nd July 10, 01:35 PM

Thanks for asking, Terry. Angus is the man from Faith Like Potatoes. I neglected to mention that.
There are two versions of Faith Like Potatoes. The one is just a straight movie, with actors taking the parts of Angus and his wife. The other, available on video, includes interviews with Angus, footage of his missions, and old family photographs, blended with scenes from the movie.
When Angus first started his evangelism, he had never worn a kilt. He was born to Scottish parents in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), and has lived in Southern Africa all his life.
But when he went to Scotland a few years back to do a series of missions there, a member of the Buchan clan went to see him after one of the meetings and produced his entire kilt outfit. “This is for you,” he said.
Angus asked: “How much do you want for it?”
The fellow said: “God told me to give it to you.”
So when he does his missions in faraway places elsewhere in Africa he often wears his kilt, and tells the folk present that this is what men wear in his country (meaning Scotland). It always draws a positive response.
This story comes into the Faith Like Potatoes video and is also told in the book of the same title.
Regards,
Mike

**BoldHighlander** · 2nd July 10, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

Thanks for asking, Terry. Angus is the man from Faith Like Potatoes. I neglected to mention that.
There are two versions of Faith Like Potatoes. The one is just a straight movie, with actors taking the parts of Angus and his wife. The other, available on video, includes interviews with Angus, footage of his missions, and old family photographs, blended with scenes from the movie.

Thanks Mike, I thought that was him

My wife picked up the dvd (with all the extras you mention). A great story, we enjoyed it a lot. I especially like when he wears the kilt

**AFS1970** · 3rd July 10, 01:41 AM

Sounds like an interesting mission method and an interesting movie.

**herminator** · 3rd July 10, 06:52 AM

Link to the description:

http://www.scotweb.co.uk/tartandesign/details/19986

of the tartan:

**Mike_Oettle** · 3rd July 10, 12:39 PM

Hi, Herminator – that’s not quite the design that has been selected.
Here are two links to the actual one:
http://www.facebook.com/mike.oettle#...7&id=779424459
http://www.facebook.com/mike.oettle#...6&id=538865803
Still no further details, however.
Regards,
Mike

**Mike_Oettle** · 5th July 10, 10:49 AM

This message came today from James McGowan:
The design has been submitted to the next stage, Watch this space. Please support us in this. Start telling your family, friends, colleagues, churches, christians everywhere. Start placing orders for we are now getting them in. R100 per metre. We will be able to CMT if required and there will be some lovely bits and bobs available such as hats, scarfs, shawls, balnkets, kilts etc. God bless the Mighty Men, Angus and all that are involved including God! Have a great day, Piperjames
Contact him at http://tartans4africa.co.za/
Regards,
Mike

**Mike_Oettle** · 2nd August 10, 05:08 AM

PLEASE NOTE that the image above is not that of the Mighty Men tartan.
Go here to see what it looks like, and who to contact:
http://apps.facebook.com/marketplace...ssage-_-UNUSED
Regards,
Mike

**Mike_Oettle** · 23rd August 10, 08:03 AM

News from Edinburgh is that the Mighty Men tartan has been registered.
The illustration on the Scottish Register of Tartans website is somewhat different from the image I obtained from Kilts 4 Africa. It would be interesting to see it woven.
For that I will probably have to wait until the new year, more’s the pity.
The registration notes state:

Restrictions: Yes. Anyone may wear this tartan.
This tartan however is under licence to Tartans 4 Africa and can only be woven by them. Copyright pending!
Registration notes: This Tartan has been designed in honour of Mighty Men who stand united in Christ. Mighty Men is a movement that was started by Mr Angus Buchan from Shalom Ministries in South Africa, and which is now spreading around the world. This tartan has the approval of Shalom Ministries.
Registrant details: Mrs Ina Murison-McGowan, 21 La Domaine P.O. Box 15457, Cape Town, South Africa, South Africa, 7506
inamurison@worldonline.co.za

Now I will see what I can do about posting an image or two.
Regards,
Mike