A Good Kilt for Native Americans?

[Ayin McFye]

There is a member of the Sonoran Scotsmen group out here in Arizona that is Native American and he typically just wears plain color kilts out with us when he joins us. I believe he also owns a few fashion tartans but no family tartans. I stumbled across this image that I intend to send to him as well, but I thought I'd post it up here as well to see what you all think.

As we have all established many times before, you don't have to be Scottish, or Irish or Welsh or whatever to wear a kilt. You can wear one just because you want to, even if you have no family affiliation whatsoever. I have always agreed with this philosophy, as has my friend.

What do you all think, what would you think/say if you saw someone wearing this tartan?

[McMurdo]

I think it looks great, I would have to go up to anyone wearing that and compliment them, I'd also ask where they got it. The sporran helps as well.

[tlabbydon]

I think its a great thing, alot of us in the good old USA have native heritage as well as part Scottish, Irish, Welsh, blood in our veins. As of the photo, great looking kilt and sporran, would like to find out where these items came from

[macwilkin]

There are a number of tartans that would be appropriate for a Native American to wear:

1. The Ross Tartan -- Cherokees (in honour of Chief John Ross)
2. Hudson's Bay Company (Many Scots worked for the HBC in the fur trade)
3. McGillivary -- Creeks (in honour of Lachlan and Alexander McGillivary)
4. MacIntosh -- (Also for the Creeks, and for the Scottish-Indian Scout Archie MacIntosh)
5. A district tartan, such as the Oklahoma, Tulsa, Arizona, etc.

Regards,

Todd

[TheKiltedCoder]

Hmmmm...

And Hmmm... again

Part of me likes it, but I don't think it's actually tartan, for one thing (if I recall correctly, tartan is a subset of plaid, and the kilt isn't actually plaid).

When I go out in public, I tend to try to reinforce the concept of being kilted (as opposed to cross-dressing) by always wearing a sporran and hose, and all of my kilts are either tartan or plain. Having a non-plaid pattern (even if it is repeating) would (in my opinion) really detract from the concept of being kilted as opposed to just wearing a cute skirt.

My personal opinion (for what it's worth) is that it doesn't say "kilt" to me. It says "gender-nonspecific pleated skirt".

However, the hunt for something is worthwhile: even though I'm blue-eyed, I've actually have more Native American genes in me than any other ethnic group my family's been able to identify. We'll have to keep an eye out for something.

Maybe at some point come up with a tartan based on the New Mexico state flag?

[jgorley]

Hmmmm...

And Hmmm... again

Part of me likes it, but I don't think it's actually tartan, for one thing (if I recall correctly, tartan is a subset of plaid, and the kilt isn't actually plaid).

When I go out in public, I tend to try to reinforce the concept of being kilted (as opposed to cross-dressing) by always wearing a sporran and hose, and all of my kilts are either tartan or plain. Having a non-plaid pattern (even if it is repeating) would (in my opinion) really detract from the concept of being kilted as opposed to just wearing a cute skirt.

My personal opinion (for what it's worth) is that it doesn't say "kilt" to me. It says "gender-nonspecific pleated skirt".

However, the hunt for something is worthwhile: even though I'm blue-eyed, I've actually have more Native American genes in me than any other ethnic group my family's been able to identify. We'll have to keep an eye out for something.

Maybe at some point come up with a tartan based on the New Mexico state flag?

As a Native American myself, I think it is great. Isn't a kilt really how it is made, and not what it is made of. The kilt is the cut and fasioning of a garment with a flat apron and a pleated backside, not the pattern or fabric. If that were the case, wouldn't solid color kilts be considered skirts? In no way does this say skirt to me. I personally embrace all aspects of my heritage (Scottish and Native American) and have been looking for a way to tie them together. It is difficult when one is mostly buckskin and feathers and the other is wool. This is a great kilt, I would love to own one such as this!

[TheKiltedCoder]

As a Native American myself, I think it is great. Isn't a kilt really how it is made, and not what it is made of. The kilt is the cut and fasioning of a garment with a flat apron and a pleated backside, not the pattern or fabric. If that were the case, wouldn't solid color kilts be considered skirts? In no way does this say skirt to me. I personally embrace all aspects of my heritage (Scottish and Native American) and have been looking for a way to tie them together. It is difficult when one is mostly buckskin and feathers and the other is wool. This is a great kilt, I would love to own one such as this!

I love the pattern, and I'd at least commit some level of minor mayhem to have a nice wool sweater out of the wool that gave birth to that kilt.

Let me perhaps clarify what I meant: I actually do like both the sweater and the fabric pattern. The only sticking point for me was whether it said "kilt" to me when I saw it. At first glance, it didn't.

However, that reaction has been fading throughout the day as I've come back to look at the thread. I think a great deal would depend on how the pleats came out: the more that I look at it, the more that the temperature of the colors and generic background remind me of the Lady Chrystel tweed tank that had been getting (justifiably) rave reviews a few threads over. So, if the back was box (or double-box) pleated in line with the pattern, that might just have something to say for itself. I suppose they might have tried to knife pleat it to the "sett", but I expect they'd have been better off doing a box pleat.

And the heavens know I've seen... odder.. fashion tartans.

On a slightly different note, I was interested in some of the suggestions Todd put forward as other tartans that would have some level of connection to one or more of the Native American nations. In particular, I've now put a Hudson Bay kilt on the list.

Todd, my wife and my credit card company would like a word with you.

[fluter]

On a slightly different note, I was interested in some of the suggestions Todd put forward as other tartans that would have some level of connection to one or more of the Native American nations. In particular, I've now put a Hudson Bay kilt on the list.

KC you mentioned New Mexico... If you have a connection there yourself, there's already an official state tartan. It has red and yellow stripes that echo the sun symbol from the flag.

Just trying to help!

[TheKiltedCoder]

KC you mentioned New Mexico... If you have a connection there yourself, there's already an official state tartan. It has red and yellow stripes that echo the sun symbol from the flag.

Just trying to help!

I actually do have a connection to New Mexico. I've looked at both the official tartan and the "Land of Enchantment" tartan, and the jury's still out.

Thanks!

Brian

[macwilkin]

On a slightly different note, I was interested in some of the suggestions Todd put forward as other tartans that would have some level of connection to one or more of the Native American nations. In particular, I've now put a Hudson Bay kilt on the list.

Todd, my wife and my credit card company would like a word with you.

Oh, dear...

By-the-way, for those who might be interested in the relationship between the Scots and Native Americans, there is a very interesting new book out by historian Colin Calloway entitled White People, Indians and Highlanders: tribal peoples and colonial encounters in Scotland and America (Oxford, 2008). I am currently reading it and it is well worth the price of admission.

Regards,

Todd