Two Telling comments? The Answer Perhaps?

[Cyd]

Cyd, interestingly, several of our UK customers have purchased scarves or yardage for a table runner...things like that. I figure, that's still great. The more the merrier, and I hope that the scarves fly off of Paul Henry's shelves. I'm not angry or upset about the likeliehood of sparse kilt sales in the UK, just curious. The whole point of the Wildcat Tartan exercise (for me) is to generate awareness. Like I've written several times...if we sell only six yards of tartan, but 50,000 Scots hear about the issue and become aware of it because of press releases and some celebrity trotting out the tartan on TV, then my little project is a huge WIN in my book. Well, we're going to sell something like 200 yards of tartan I think, when all is said and done. That's a lot more than six yards, so we'll see how the "awareness" thing pans out.

I am glad your tartan is selling "yardage" in Britain. I didn't even consider table runners and scarves. Let's hope they become really big sellers and your cause gets all the exposure it deserves.

As you probably know, places like Inverness, Blairgowrie and Braemar are not exactly metropolises. Everyone knows everyone. This is true even in some areas of larger cities like Aberdeen and Dundee. Trust me. If you have more than one kilt, even for the same clan, lots of people are likely to know about it before you even get a chance to wear one and for many it will seem extravagant.

[Cyd]

I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would have to collar you, Jock...or anybody else... and launch into a tirade about why they wear whatever tartan it is that they wear. If an explanation is due, then sixty seconds will serve nicely.

A short response is an explanation, a long one just an excuse.

[cizinec]

The thought occurs to me, do the other European countries have to suffer the equivalent of a tartan justification lecture?

If it makes you feel any better, we had a friend from our high school in Eastern Oklahoma go to Yale. A lot of folks here are citizens of one or two Native American tribes, especially in the town where we grew up. Almost everyone there was a citizen of either the Creek, Choctaw or Cherokee nations. These are Eastern tribes that were pretty much agricultural, mixed a lot with Europeans and, with the Chickasaw and Seminole, were called the "Civilized Tribes." When he got to Yale, somehow his roommate found out he was a tribal citizen and he started asking crazy questions. After a while, our friend said he just started answering the way they expected him to answer.

By the time the semester was over most of his buddies thought that he was born in a teepee and rode his horse to school. This was Yale, mind you, and this kid was almost all white and looked it. It was the late 1980s, so this didn't happen when I wouldn't expect a Yale man to know better.

We also hosted an exchange student from France. We decided to take him to a Powwow. I don't think he really understood what it was. When we got there and stepped out of the car, all the dancers were bedecked in their regalia (just google fancy dancing) and you could hear the drummers and singers. The French kid turned white as a sheet, jumped back in the car and locked the doors. We eventually convinced him to come out. The funniest thing was, all the dancers wanted to have their pictures taken with the French guy.

I have other stories of stupid assumptions about and by Okies, Arkies and Texicans. I'll just say that Scotland isn't unique in its having to deal with Hollywood inspired fantasies. More people would like to vacation in Scotland than Oklahoma, however, so you have to deal with it more.

[Cyd]

Perhaps the name of the forum needs to change to XMarkstheAmericanTourist. While I completely understand where you are coming from Jock and I do appreciate your bringing this up I wonder where exactly the tartan industry would be without the enthusiastic American Tourist? It seems to me that there is a love hate relationship with all things kilt and tartan in Scotland, on the one hand tartan and the kilt are national symbols that have resonated and become recognized the world over. On the other hand people do not want to look like a tourist in their own country or look too Scottish.

Another symptom of this type of thinking is that the kilt is to be only worn in Scotland by Scots in a certain way, Tartan Army be damned. The real problem with this exclusionary, inclusive thinking in the modern global climate is that the market will continue to shrink into non existence.

I am not a Scot, I am a Canadian, born to Scottish parents. One thing about Canada is that we are never too far away from our heritage. For example, just a few blocks away is Bannochburn Drive. A few weeks ago I was watching a news program, the news started with pipers then it went to a céilidh, after that they went over to a story on the gaelic community centre, was I watching news from Scotland? No it was news from Atlantic Canada. So you see I am living in a place that tells me that traditions are really kept alive by people not places.

I am sorry you feel the way you do and I am sorry your friend feels the way he does regarding the kilt. To my mind one way to change the mindset would be for Scots, real Scots, to wear the kilt and show the unwashed masses how to do it right.

McMurdo, I think this has pretty much worn itself out, but I will accept for the sake of discussion that I have completely misinterpreted your comments.

So everyone knows what we are talking about, I have quoted your post in its entirety. As you claim I have taken you out of context, perhaps you would be kind enough to explain to me and everyone else who exactly you were referring to as "real Scots" and "the unwashed masses." On their face those certainly seem to be derogatory references.

[ThistleDown]

Cyd et al, we'll just drop this aspect of the discussion, shall we? Move along, move along. This is now the second warning shot in an otherwise instructive thread.

[McMurdo]

Cyd
I originally posted on July 13 of last year, to date you are the only person to question my post or what I meant. I therefore see no need to explain that which was clear in the first place.

[Cyd]

Cyd
I originally posted on July 13 of last year, to date you are the only person to question my post or what I meant. I therefore see no need to explain that which was clear in the first place.

You have a need because you have accused me of getting it wrong by "quoting you out of context." It makes no difference how old your comments are. Time does not make them any less offensive. Now you have context. Where is the problem with the interpretation.

I have given you an opportunity to clarify and as you can't seem to explain yourself or how I am wrong in my interpretation, there is no reason to believe my original comments are not correct. Your claims to being "quoted out of context" are nothing more than an attempt to deflect attention away from your actual remarks.

Just explain were the error is or have the integrity to admit you misspoke.

[ThistleDown]

Another flag has been dropped. This thread is moving to the Cooling Off corner while the Moderators meet to discuss. Such a shame.

[cessna152towser]

Thread returned to original location and re-opened for posting now that the flags have been resolved.

[Reiver]

We are planning a trip, in a few years, when the Duke of Buccleuch invites world wide Scotts to attend festivities at Bowhill/borders area.
I'll bring my trad clothes but wondered about this. I suspect at this event, with Americans, Aussies etc. and from the pics I've seen from past events, kilts are worn.
I also suspected the 'tourist' look from the locals so I'll also bring my western gear.
I feel very comfortable wearing kilts in the US, funny that one might feel uncomfortable in Scotland.