Bagpipe ban for tat shops

[Cowher]

Wow I just typed a huge post and deleted it to simple say this.

My fathers mother is 100% Native American. Someone told me "Native American is a phrase for white people who feel guilty. Bull! My grandmother doesn't love the term Native American she prefers Crow or Blackfoot. But she'll smack you in your mouth if you call anyone who isn't from India, Indian.

The point is people honor their heritage how they like. If native Scots get all pissy if I kilt up then they can go learn to breath water. I try my best to honor and respect the items that represent my cultures. I could care less if some jackarse thinks I don't. I know how I feel about it and that's all I need.

[Geoff Withnell]

One of the reasons(not the only one) that I spend more than a wee tad of my time on this website is to try and educate, encourage and help non Scots into wearing my national attire----yes I do think it is that------ properly.That way, when I see the kilt being properly worn I can AND DO feel just more than a wee tinge of pride to think "there goes my Scots national attire and doesn't it look damn good!"

Jock, Speaking as a "generic Celt" - Welsh, Scot, and Irish, I really appreciate the viewpoint of a traditional Scot. While I may not follow your advice 100%, I feel it gives me a solid foundation to work with. I like to think I could usually give you that "wee tinge of pride". I try to feel pride whenever I go kilted.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I believe it is a little deeper than that. Without going on at great length, Scotland and its people have contributed immensely to the modern world. From the enlightenment, the ideas of Adam Smith and the innovations of the likes of Lister and Fleming with antisepsis and penicillin, not to mention the first kidney transplants paving the way for modern organ transplantation. I won't even begin to list the inventions from telephones and television to bicycles and tarmacadam roads made by Scots. But what comes to mind when a tourist visits Scotland? Yep. Kilts and bagpipes! And how is that cheap and shallow stereotype reinforced in the mind of the tourist? Yep again. Tourist tat shops blaring out a pastiche of Scottish music further cheapening an already skewed cultural image.

Scottish people are justly proud of their national dress and, by and large, wear it to celebrate important occasions when they can feel proud to do so. It is not something that identifies them, however, rather something that is an inseperable part of their identity. Scots, however, see themselves more as a modern, well-educated people, fully able to operate at the highest levels in modern society, which, of course, they do both in business and political life. For a small nation of 5 million or so people they do indeed punch well above their weight and have done for hundreds of years.

To then see something that Scots regard with a certain degree of reverence being cheapened and prostituted in the way it is by these vendors offends deeply. That such action as this is the only manifestation of the Scots' reaction says a great deal about the toleration of our society. I certainly cannot see other cultures regarding a similar debasement of their symbolic national identities quite so benevolently.

***

[madmacs]

And by the way again... What exactly is wrong with Blackpool? It's the best holiday destination in all of Lancashire I'll have you know! Lots of Scots people go there. (hehehehe)

Now you dont really want me to answer that... I recently went on a communications course over here courtesy of management... I suspect too many of the colonials were having issues with me not candy coating things... So one of their suggestions was when you have to deliver bad news, use the hamburger method, so here goes...

Dont they make great chips in lancashire... Somthing to do with beef lard for frying them i think (course now we just made the yorkshire folks mad... Just as well they dont both hold grudges about the war of the roses huh?)

Golden mile... Tat shops... Nuff said...


And they had that super duper fastest in the world roller coaster (or was it the fastest wooden coaster in the world)

well not sure if that worked, but they said you'd now be really happy about the bad news...

Honestly though... I did get a pair of really nice spanish leather cowboy boots from a shop in Blackpool about 15 years ago... Still have them

[Dale Seago]

Jock, Speaking as a "generic Celt" - Welsh, Scot, and Irish, I really appreciate the viewpoint of a traditional Scot. While I may not follow your advice 100%, I feel it gives me a solid foundation to work with. I like to think I could usually give you that "wee tinge of pride". I try to feel pride whenever I go kilted.

Same here.

I'm fond of occasionally bending and even breaking "rules". But I like to know when, how, and in what ways I'm doing so rather than doing so out of simple ignorance (like wearing the "bathroom slippers" back out into the home in Japan in which you're a guest. ). Jock provides an incredibly valuable educational service in establishing a "baseline" of what is traditionally considered "proper" regarding wearing of the (traditional tartan) kilt in the country of its origin and initial development.

I've learned much here that has informed my choices regarding what I'll wear, where, and when, and I'm grateful for that even (and perhaps especially) when I consciously choose to do something that might not be considered quite "proper" by a traditional Scot.

If I'm going to break "the rules", I want to know enough about them to be able to still look good when I do it.

[WillieMacG]

Incidentally, of the three Kilts in the centre of the picture above, two are sold by outlets like the high street vendors in question as well as ebay and the like. One is "Freedom" tartan (left of picture) and the other is "Heritage of Scotland" tartan (right) both come in a PV fabric and are worn for pubbing it generally. Nothing wrong with that, just pointing out that it isn't just the duped tourists who are buying them. Assuming of course that the Scots in this photo ARE Scots.
(I have no reason to doubt you Willie, I just don't know your source).

They are indeed Scots. Photo was on a Scottish forum I frequent.

My one word illustrated remark was also not intended to be combative. I was simply, (and graphically,) pointing out that "non-Scots" are not the only offenders when it comes to falling victim to the vendors and dressing out in a non-traditional manner. Personally, I know that someday when I finally visit Scotland, one of the many Scottish "web" friends I have made over the years will steer me well clear of the tourist traps to the "real" Scotland.

[Hocfutue]

I was confused by the headline. A "tat shop" in the US is a place to get ink permanently injected under your skin.

[Dale Seago]

I was confused by the headline. A "tat shop" in the US is a place to get ink permanently injected under your skin.

I must admit that this was my own thought when I first saw the thread title.

[Mule]

First off, I totally agree with the new changes in law against the tat shops. I can't stand that sort of thing on this side of the pond either. I can only emagine how frustrating that must be for locals there.

@ Jock.
I'm close to Father Bill's mindset in his first post. I got excited to buy my first kilt and start putting together a proper outfit. I have pretty strong Scottish and Irish family presence, so I felt proud of that heritage. I wanted to take my wife to visit Scotland, especially the Highlands for our 25th anniversary. However, after reading in another post on the board, I was crushed. I don't remember who it was, but the whole statement came down to this; "Only tourists wear kilts and the locals just look down on them". I decided at that point that I would only wear it over here where I could be proud of my ancestors and not worry about anyone.


PS, sorry for any misspelled words... I'm on a fishing trip - on a strange computer with no spell check and no contact lenses in, so things are a bit fuzzy.

[Dale Seago]

I decided at that point that I would only wear it over here where I could be proud of my ancestors and not worry about anyone.

Sounds about right. I doubt I'd wear one on a visit to Scotland, while on this side of the pond the only times I don't wear one these days is when I'm at work or in the dojo.