A Great Letter, I think . . .

[duchessofnc]

Applause!

[greenguzzi]

I apologise if I am taking this thread off-topic. But the part that I liked most in that wonderful letter was this....

I love tartan for its aesthetic qualities. From a design perspective, I am enthralled by the infinite variety of beautiful patterns that can be produced merely by stringing stripes of colored wool on a loom. Tartan is elegant in its simplicity of means, and eloquent in its complexity of expression.

Wow!

I now own a kilt because my wife, knowing that I've always wanted one, gave me one as a gift earlier this year. Even though I've always wanted a kilt, I'd never really thought much about tartans.

But since I received my kilt I have been fascinated by tartans. I got hooked on the House of Tartan's "Interactive Tartan Weaver". Very cool! Is there any other "loom simulation" software out there? It's amazing how just a few parameters can make such intricate patterns. I love the way the threads interact with each other.

I confess, I have only a basic idea of how a loom works. But I'd love to find out more. Time for me to start googling, or maybe head for the local library!

Sorry if I sound over-the-top, but it's not everyday that one discovers an extra dimension to the "mundane". (Well, it's not really mundane, I just thought it was.)

Are there any rules (or at least advice) in designing tartans? I'd love to try my hand at it. How does one ensure of not accidentally plagiarising (or maybe even caricaturing) another tartan?

I know that there are registers of tartans. But it would seem to me that it wouldn't be that hard to codify tartans. As complex as the end result is, they seem to have so few parameters; so therefore should be easy to codify. Has anyone every tried to do this?

Please forgive me if I'm asking stupid questions. It's late here, and I have a few drams under me belt!

[Master Boid]

Although you're correct that Scotland is not really a nation it is Scotland and can be called and reffered to as Scotland. So although:

. Yes, I am American, not Scottish, by nationality. But then... you aren't Scottish by nationality, either, if the passport you bear is the criterion -- you're British. There isn't a sovereign nation of Scotland any more, the SP and wishful thoughts of the SNP notwithstanding. .

Is good the British passport is only for ease of travel. Scotland, Wales and Ulster (N.Ireland) can all be equally reffered to as seperate countries and nationalities, 'British/Britain' is merely an umbrella term used by those of a unionist mind or those outside of [Insert UK country].

That said, I am all for Whatever-Americans...We're all one people after all.

[Thistle Stop]

Although you're correct that Scotland is not really a nation it is Scotland and can be called and reffered to as Scotland. ... Scotland, Wales and Ulster (N.Ireland) can all be equally reffered to as seperate countries and nationalities, 'British/Britain' is merely an umbrella term used by those of a unionist mind or those outside of [Insert UK country].

That said, I am all for Whatever-Americans...We're all one people after all.

Oh, I know -- and I do think of them as separate countries. My reason for emphasising the 'British' identity is that the guy writing to me does not think we're 'all one people' -- his opinion is that after a person leaves one nation to live permanently in another, they no longer have any cultural identity with the original country. Since he makes such a big deal of the political identity, to the exclusion of family ties and heritage, I couldn't resist making the point about what's written on his passport!

Slainte,

Cyndi

[NewKilt]

What a extremely well thought out response. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Cyndi, your letter in the words of Mohammad Ali "floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee."

Darrell

[Master Boid]

Oh, I know -- and I do think of them as separate countries. My reason for emphasising the 'British' identity is that the guy writing to me does not think we're 'all one people' -- his opinion is that after a person leaves one nation to live permanently in another, they no longer have any cultural identity with the original country. Since he makes such a big deal of the political identity, to the exclusion of family ties and heritage, I couldn't resist making the point about what's written on his passport!

Slainte,

Cyndi

A most excellent response and I agree wholly with NewKilt, all your posts are great reads.

Moran taing,

Murdo

[ghostlight]

A beautiful reply and well worth the read.

[Thistle Stop]

You guys are making me blush! Thanks so much for all the compliments! Maybe I should get 'fired up' more often, it must help my powers of expression! LOL!

Slainte,

Cyndi

[Phil]

Actually, the opinion he expressed about people born in other countries not having a right to refer to themselves as "Scottish" in any regard (whether Scottish-American, Scottish-Canadian, or what-have-you) is not uncommon in Scotland, though certainly not everyone there thinks that way about it. I've encountered other Scots who feel that all of us of Scottish ancestry are sort of one big family, "all Jock Tamson's bairns", as they say.

I have been reading this with interest and a degree of detachment as I know that many members here feel a strong attachment to things "Scottish" so the opinions expressed are not surprising. I would include myself in the "Jock Tamsons bairns" brigade as I feel proud that others wish to share my culture, even if tartan is really only a very small part of it, and hopefully they will go on to embrace other aspects of that culture as a result. I can, however, also see elements of where Cyndi's letter-writer is coming from in that unless you live and breathe your life here in Scotland, share the hopes and aspirations as well as the disappointments of Scots people whether they are black, white, wearing a turban or whatever, you cannot truly call yourself Scottish. Titles such as "Scottish-American" or "Scottish-Canadian" are unknown here and no Ulsterman would ever call himself "Ulster-Scots". Donald Trump tried to weasel through a dodgy development here by proclaiming his Scottish ancestry and it can be counter-productive and not a little patronising when claims of such a nature are made. London is full of ex-Scots who flock to their Caledonian clubs, raise a glass to Rabbie Burns, nibble shortbread religiously and follow London-Scottish rugby. But ask them to return to their homeland. Suggest they contribute to the economic and political future of Scotland. Shock and horror! They suddenly want nothing to do with that dreich, backward, church-going country north of the Tweed that they feel they have escaped from and they, particularly any of them in journalism, have no compunction in saying just exactly that!
By all means call yourself a lover of Scotland and the Scots and if you truly want to be Scottish then be like P1M and come here to live the dream.