Quote Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC View Post
Most Clan societies, at least in N. America, are more akin to social groups. Joining a Society gets you the newsletter.

I know of at least three who always seem to have a tent at Highland Games who have no connection to the Scottish Highland Clan at all.
I have one customer who always refers to "My Clan" when she actually means her small, local, social group that meet and dress up under a banner with the Clan name on it.
A Clan Chief may or may not know what the societies are doing.

But hey, you get the newsletter so may get some background and perhaps a little history.
Agreed, in my experience most US clan societies are such. However, I was thinking specifically of the UK Clan Gunn Society wherein the Clan Chief is also the head of the society.

I'd seen the notion that actual clan membership is a 'gift of the chief' conferred upon an individual in another post on Xmarks somewhere.