Clan tent suggestions needed

**bonniegraham** · 5th July 14, 04:29 AM

Great suggestions here, and an interesting post to follow.
As a relative newbie to hosting a tent, I've thought a lot about my tent "philosophy." We see all different kinds of tents and I want to be sure that the Graham tent I host reflects what I look for when I attend games and celtic festivals.
I can add a few ideas here.
*Have fun! If YOU are having a great time your clan's tent will be a place people want to be.
*Be prepared. The old Boy Scout motto works here. Is your tent paraphernalia easy to pull together so you won't forget something? Do you have a list or spreadsheet? Do you wait 'til the last minute to pack?
*Variety of experience is important. Your tent should reflect some aspect of the different things that attract folks - sports, history, heritage, food, MUSIC.
*Music hasn't been mentioned at all. Let's bring music back to the tents! Your clan has songs that reflect your history and heritage. Sing them, or at least have the words handy so tent visitors can sing them together. One of my favorite memories of past games is Grahams singing Killiekrankie together. We could do it because I had the words printed out in a song book. Look at Haughs of Cromdale's lyrics. I bet your clan is there.
*Find a way to make your tent different. Your clan has unique heritage that should be highlighted. I make authentic, home-made Graham Crackers for the Graham tent and can relate the history of Sylvester Graham (1870's health nut) if you are interested. I created a few things only found at our tent such as a sign post with mileage to Edinburgh, Belfast (where my Ulster Scot Grahams are from), and Mugdock Castle (near Glasgow).
*Most Important - Connect. Wear a name tag and have extra name tags handy for any clan member who shows up who wants to help. Keep that guest register filled out so you have the email you need next week when the games are over. Send your tent visitors a copy of the photo you took of them. Find knowledgable clan members to help you at the tent so you can get away for a bit to visit vendors and other clan tents. I like what has been said previously about engaging visitors with something other than the big push to JOIN UP. Help them with their clan heritage...have a copy of "Tartan for Me" on hand. It links all known Septs to their Clan by last name.

I LOVE hosting our Graham tents in western NC. Hope to see lots of you next week at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games!

**Bluescelt** · 6th July 14, 05:54 AM

All good suggestions in previous posts. Most people stopping by your tent want to learn and share so try to absorb as much history of your clan as you can. Visual presentation draws people in. I took a high resolution panoramic photo of Loch Tummel when in Scotland and printed it out on a 120"x36" banner which I hang in the tent. It gives those who haven't been there a good feel of what it's like and has been a good addition to the tent. It's always good to have photos of your chief if you have one. Another trademark of our branch of Clan Donnachaidh is we make a homemade batch of shortbread for every games. People have really responded to this.

**Ron Abbott** · 6th July 14, 06:22 AM

I don't see the Scots on the forum rushing to advise what is displayed in their clan tent/s at the games held throughout Scotland......

This a very much a new world thing!
The last Games I visited....two years ago was when back home on holiday. The Lochearnhead Games.

The MacGregors, McLarens and MacNabs were there with the MacGregor's sons wearing their blazers and brigade of guards regimental ties. The range rovers were parked next to them, and the only tents I saw were either for the traders, the showground tinkers or for the clan chiefs having their fancy picnics.

**McMurdo** · 6th July 14, 07:15 AM

Ron Abbott There are games going back quite a long way in Scotland, thats where the tradition comes from.
The Braemar Gathering:
http://www.braemargathering.org/
Harpenden:
http://www.harpenden-lions.co.uk/highland-gathering
Here is a list of other Highland gatherings in Scotland:
http://www.shga.co.uk/visitor-events.php

I have hosted a tent before, what we did was to have homemade shortbread for the visitors to our tent, it was a huge hit and brought many more people to our tent. Of course the woman selling shortbread was none to pleased with us as ours was better and it was free. Nonetheless it did help with traffic through our tent.

**Ron Abbott** · 6th July 14, 03:08 PM

I'm well aware of that.

What I was getting at is the whole tent and clan thing. That's the sort of thing where I would suggest there is a huge difference. On one side of the pond it's all kitsch and "hey I'm MacGregor from Illinois", with tartan everywhere and people wanting to connect with what they perceive as their roots.

And on the other side of the pond. It's more a case of, "where's the fish n' chips van...and/or where's the beer tent".
Clans? That's a sort of thing for Americans, Canadians et. al. For many the only 'clans' of interest are Rangers, Celtic, Hearts or whomever.

p.s.....love your shortbread but can you put it away for now as I'm supposed to be on a diet and the missus just might come in and see me munching away.....?

**MacKenzie** · 7th July 14, 07:52 PM

Ron, why do you wear a kilt? From your posts it seems that you're put off by it.

**Chas** · 8th July 14, 02:18 AM

I think Ron makes a good point, maybe without knowing it. All things in life come down to 'time and place'. We all know that the jacket that is ideal at noon at the County Show, will feel a little out of place that evening in the local city at the opera.

Likewise, what works on one side of the country, falls flat on the other. The visitors in a farming area might well be happy with pictures of highland cattle, whereas the urban visitors are more at home with pictures of icon buildings.

The important thing is to cater for the visitor expectations - and be willing to learn from experiences - both good and bad. If we wish to project an air of authority, then we must dress accordingly. A shirt, tie and jacket gives a professional impression. Whereas a crumpled T shirt with a "witty" slogan does not.

First impressions count for everything. The world's best and safest airline pilot arriving wearing a fur-coat and flip flops will do nothing to instil confidence in the nervous first time flyer.

If a person projects an air of being an expert who knows what he is talking about - he becomes an expert.

**Jock Scot** · 8th July 14, 04:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ron Abbott

I'm well aware of that.

What I was getting at is the whole tent and clan thing. That's the sort of thing where I would suggest there is a huge difference. On one side of the pond it's all kitsch and "hey I'm MacGregor from Illinois", with tartan everywhere and people wanting to connect with what they perceive as their roots.

And on the other side of the pond. It's more a case of, "where's the fish n' chips van...and/or where's the beer tent".
Clans? That's a sort of thing for Americans, Canadians et. al. For many the only 'clans' of interest are Rangers, Celtic, Hearts or whomever.

p.s.....love your shortbread but can you put it away for now as I'm supposed to be on a diet and the missus just might come in and see me munching away.....?

This is how I percieve things too, I am not a football, rugby, shinty, golf fan either, I am a fan of shortbread though! I think the difference between Highland Games styles--------I am not saying that one style is any more right, or wrong than the other------is that the Scots (on the whole) are living the "Scottish lifestyle"for real, they know who they are, they are unconciously surrounded by their history, traditions and culture and have sorted out most of the fairytale bullsh@t that many outwith Scotland are struggling with.The tourist industry for the last 150 years have not helped there, I am afraid. The Scots don't need to pretend at playing at being a Scot, or be "weekend Scots", or "pocket Scots", they are living it for real 24/7. They can hear bagpipes any day if they want to find it, they are surrounded by tartan and "Clanism"(is that a word?) its old hat to us. If we want to wear the kilt------assuming we own one-----we can at the appropriate moment, we dont have to invent a reason to wear the kilt we just do it when we feel the time is right. These daily influences and many more things that the Scots are probably unaware of, are the some of the reasons that our style of games are not the same as those outwith Scotland.

**Jock Scot** · 8th July 14, 03:18 AM

Originally Posted by Ron Abbott

I don't see the Scots on the forum rushing to advise what is displayed in their clan tent/s at the games held throughout Scotland......

This a very much a new world thing!
The last Games I visited....two years ago was when back home on holiday. The Lochearnhead Games.

The MacGregors, McLarens and MacNabs were there with the MacGregor's sons wearing their blazers and brigade of guards regimental ties. The range rovers were parked next to them, and the only tents I saw were either for the traders, the showground tinkers or for the clan chiefs having their fancy picnics.

Highland Games are of little interest for me, but Ron does paint a fair picture of a Games in Scotland, some may be a tad more grand, but assorted Clan tents are not a feature at any Games that I have ever been to.There may be a "Host Clan" tent though, where a Games is held in MacOnion territory for example, then they will have a tent. We have a Highland Games in Inverness in a few weeks time where some sort of "World Championship" is involved and as I intend to go this year, I shall be interested to see if a more "colonial" style of games happens.

**Bluescelt** · 8th July 14, 04:23 PM

Jock Scot, you may get a little more clan participation than you're used to at the Inverness games. I saw the newly formed AHCS (association of highland clans and societies) will be in attendance. They may have multiple clans involved but don't be too alarmed because I'm sure the Clan members will be Scots with a Scottish perspective.