an coigreach albannach

**AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH** · 17th March 11, 07:07 AM

allright lads? scott here from a wee place called buln buln out in the country about two miles east of melbourne in australia.introducing myself. o.k well guessing you're most probably thinking what is that with the title? translated from the gaelic it means the foriegn scot.i have scottish ancestry on both mother and fathers side but there's irish and anglo as well.but as i grew up the main cultural bent was scottish. and i'm talking being taken to ceilidhs, highland games,scottish caledonian society dance nights and growing up with my scottish grandfather in the house.when my great uncles and aunties came visiting the brogues were thick and the humour was unmistakably scottish.pride in being scottish and holding onto the heritage was just there,as naturaly as my mother cooking porridge whilst telling me the only way to do it was with water and salt,thick to warm the cockles o yer heart,(and only daft english would ever commit the sin of cooking it in milk with sugar!)i loved it,the reminders that scotland was and is very much a heart land for us were every where as i grew up.but nothing will change the fact that i was not born there, and even though i have gone back to scotland to live for a while and i was warmly recieved by all my family still there,i was known as 'the australian' or by my hamilton and glasgow work mates as ' skippy the kangaroo'.yet back in australia my friends know me for my strong family scottish heritage.and so i'm the foreign scot,an coigreach albannach.i know and respect scottish culture and heritage enough to know that there must be respect for old things held dear by those to whom they belong.such as the wearing of the kilt.och i know i've heavered on here but to wind up,i do love wearing the kilt,but i've always tried to wear it correctly.and if you're a scot or from a family with strong scottish heritage you'll know that there most definately is a wrong way and a right way to wear the kilt.and aye its grand to see so many of you out there wearing it,and i've found scots to be,though at times blunt(good straight out honesty,who could fault it!)a hospitable folk who are happy to share with you what is theirs if they see you are genuine and respectfull.but show your respect by continuing to learn, wear it right,wear it for the right reasons and wear it proud.each time you put on the kilt you're putting on something that is a symbol of what scots and thier descendants have ever held dear,and that's our identity as our own people.and i say that without bigotry.but take that kilt,and try to leave behind and disrespect the long held dear traditions that go with it,and you will be given as much respest by scots and those sprung from them,as you are showing to our heritage,our identity.and sooner or later you will be told,and as i've said,scot or descendant of,we can be blunt man!if you are putting on the kilt with no regard for the heritage,do the right thing and don't call it a kilt,for what you are is a man in a skirt.(and it doesn't matter what the dictionary says,the kilt is NOT a skirt)don't hide behind a proud culture just because you want to dress differently.you can dress how you want,of course, but dont lay a sham claim to sharing our traditions, because they aren't yours to disrespect.but if you are wanting to don the kilt because you have a claim to keep alive a brilliant garb for the culture it comes from,then i say good for you.even if you find it takes a while to learn all of the correct ways to show your respect to it and the heritage that goes with it,i say it's a fine thing.who wants to see a world where the colourfull old badges of different cultures get ground down into extinction by a world that mutters 'i haven't got time for this' as it brushes past you on the way to check it's bank accounts.will try to get a photo of me wearing my kilt,a beautifull heavy old ex army black watch,up for you but as you can tell by my lack of paragraphs etc i'm a dafty at this computor game!lads to those who wear the kilt with love and respect for scottish culture,i salute you.listen and learn from those who know and we can help hold the heritage up.(jock scot i'd gladly tak a dram wi you any day man!)i hope here at xmts i can learn and help keep the kilt what it has been up to now and what it ever should be.

**Chas** · 17th March 11, 07:15 AM

Hello Scott,

Welcome to XMarks from the other side of the world in Norfolk, England. Paragraphs tend to be very over-rated.

Regards

Chas

**Jock Scot** · 17th March 11, 07:28 AM

G'day to you laddie and welcome, from Inverness-shire. As to the wee dram, anytime you are in the area give me a shout!

**AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH** · 17th March 11, 07:42 AM

much appreciated jock. and don't worry,every time it gets hot and sweaty here 'doon under' i wish i was away up there in your highlands! i've found blood can stay thick enough to prefer the cold over the heat even after a couple of generations of living here in the sun burnt country.here's to the kiss of sweet scottish rain!and let it not go unsaid,should you venture down here,you've only to be letting me know and it's a single malt we'll be opening sure. failte oirbh!

**AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH** · 17th March 11, 11:21 AM

to chas.scott here,an coigreach albannach.thank you for accepting my rude attempts at computor writing with such a flourish!in sasainn eh? the auld foe.as the song goes;'those days are past now,and in the past they must remain'. but every time a man correctly puts on the kilt down there every scot must still somewhere in his head hear the whisper of the old tune blue bonnets o'er the border no?when i first set foot on u.k soil it was in london via heathrow because i couldn't fly direct to scotland.i went for a run in hyde park(no not in the kilt)but following a cheeky urge set up 2 convenient sticks found under a majestic old oak and practiced the sword dance.unnuccessary in todays blessedly more peacable times i know,but a youth spent often reading of scotlands long history of trouble with her bigger neighbor left me with an unmistakably deliscious feeling of "get that up yers!"