joining the clan

[dowofbuchanan]

so many people have posted that there are no kilt police and i know this. but i guess im just not that type of girl (im more of the large hairy Y chromosome girl) and those people where told if it means that much to them then write a letter to the clan chief asking for permission to wear the tartan. so how do i go about swearing loyalty to a clan without a chieftain

[gilmore]

If there is no chief, there is no clan.

[dowofbuchanan]

so then ive got a super common tartan that has no clan with it ... guess i should find a good clan join it ... and hope its not as bright a tartan

[Bugbear]

so many people have posted that there are no kilt police and i know this. but i guess im just not that type of girl (im more of the large hairy Y chromosome girl) and those people where told if it means that much to them then write a letter to the clan chief asking for permission to wear the tartan. so how do i go about swearing loyalty to a clan without a chieftain

Look, I have Gilmore's voice in my head saying things every time joining a clan comes up, so "ya what he said."

Perhaps you could consider a clan change if this is something you feel you must do. I just saw something about the procedure in another thread.
Good luck.

[gilmore]

To me, clans are interesting relics of centuries ago. The clan system was a viable way of life, a real, living entity, at one time, but that was a very long time ago. We may be descendants of those people, but we can never live like they did, and being "in a clan" can never be the same thing to us that it was to them.

In other words, I wouldn't worry about it.

[DamnthePants]

Please forgive me, I base my opinion off only one book I read on the subject, and naturaly with out more sources it can be construed as bias, but this answer on the subject is one that I have come to agree with:

It is a some what romantacized idea that in the highlands, the various clans would be able to identify eachother strickly by the pattern of thier tartan. It is equaly as romantacized that an entier clan would prescribe it self to one set ( or sets) of pattern. Often times you just had to wear what ever could be taylored.

Now, if you were the lord of a Castle, and just happend to be a Campbell, and you had an eye for a certian blue green tartan pattern, it was well within your economic scope to say "I want this pattern to be the official pattern of my castle". and it could be done. So if you worked for him, then you could be issued the Campbell pattern in what ever garment was worn.

Over time the patterns became known as the Campbell Tartan, and then though the years it somehow gets tied to the Campbell clain, and then somehow the idea of every Campbell wore this specific tartan color grew, and thats thats.

The further back you go in history the less importent wearing a specific type of pattern becomes.


Again this is just my interpretation.

To Summise, as long as you know the name of the tartan should anyone ask, and it matches your shirt, everything is kosher.

[Mael Coluim]

Your Clan of interest has no, chieftain. ( I think you mean chief, chieftains rank below their chief.) Does your clan have a society? I belong to three clans, all three are societies. You can easily join the society and then feel comfortable to wear their tartan.

[Phogfan86]

I can't remember who it is who says it, but they are a wise XMTSer: "The only rule is, there are no rules."

Wear it respectfully and with pride and you'll be fine.

[hospitaller]

If there is no chief, there is no clan.

somebody forgot to inform Clan Young of that little detail...

[hospitaller]

so many people have posted that there are no kilt police and i know this. but i guess im just not that type of girl (im more of the large hairy Y chromosome girl) and those people where told if it means that much to them then write a letter to the clan chief asking for permission to wear the tartan. so how do i go about swearing loyalty to a clan without a chieftain

I really don't understand what you are trying to say here, but I guess I can answer in a generic sort of way.

You don't "HAVE" to be a clan member or have the surname to wear a specific clan tartan, but it sure helps if you do.

With that said, there are several 'universal' tartans and 'fashion' tartans that can be worn by everyone and anyone.

Now, if you feel you want to join a clan, I'd suggest you join a clan affiliated with your surname...not with whatever tartan you happen to like.