Columbus, IN Scottish Festival - Grumblings

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I agree with your sentiment there, as I said; "Personally I'd wonder why military re-enactors are at a Celtic event" Other than the Black Watch guys, I wonder what they, or indeed the organizers, felt they had to add?

As far as the renfair folk, I guess they were just patrons? Unfortunatly, we can't really control how people dress! I assume they like to dress up and felt they were getting into the spirit of things? Honestly, I'd rather not see anybody shlepping around in crocs and those baggy khaki shorts everyone seems to have, but they do it anyway!

As to Scottish festival vs. Celtic (or Irish/Welsh/Manx etc..) festival, I think you would have a hard time seperating them in the US.

As someone very involved with the Greenville, SC, Scottish Festival, I can tell you that it is very hard not to be "hijacked" by "Celts". That said, I think The Greenville Scottish Festival does a darned good job of remaining true to our Scottish heritage.

At Greenville we encourage those reenactors who are representing Scottish military units to attend and to take part in the festival. We don't, however, allow non-Scottish uniformed groups to take part. The Renn-Fair folk are a different kettle of fish-- as are the LARPies who are beginning to show up. I'm sure that in time we may have to address this issue, but for the moment it hasn't become anything close to even being a problem. Maybe it's that the folks in South Carolina are more focused on Scottish heritage and less focused on fantasy costuming. And that's why our Scottish Festival is so great! Y'all come on down on June 5th and see for yourself!

[ForresterModern]

As it was a scottish festival the black watch re-enactors being there were entirely appropriate. But as it was on US soil, and, to the best of my knowledge, other than a few spy type events no battles of the second world war occurred on US soil (i.e., there were no uniformed nazi troops on our soil), and certainly no battled between them and the Black Watch Scottish regiments on US soil, I am not sure what part the re-enactors might have played in the event. Baffles me completely.

I will not address the matter of offensive symbolism as it relates to militaria displayed in this situation as that is not relevant in my particular opinion.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As it was a scottish festival the black watch re-enactors being there were entirely appropriate. But as it was on US soil, and, to the best of my knowledge, other than a few spy type events no battles of the second world war occurred on US soil (i.e., there were no uniformed nazi troops on our soil), and certainly no battled between them and the Black Watch Scottish regiments on US soil, I am not sure what part the re-enactors might have played in the event. Baffles me completely.

Since there are all kinds of reenactors in the USA (as well as all sorts of fantasy/scifi groups) it seems obvious (to me at least) that reenactors will represent everything from the battle of Hastings on... I don't have any problems with Napoleonic reenactors in the UK (Old Boney never managed to invade) any more than I find it odd that Germans would reenact the American west. So, the fact that reenactors in the USA would want to portray WWII German military units should be neither surprising nor upsetting-- unless one wishes to object on purely PC grounds, in which case there is really nothing more to be said. Except this: People will always indulge in playing "Cowboys and Indians", it's just that sometimes their enthusiasm gets the better of them and they end up playing in the wrong garden. That doesn't mean we should outlaw play-acting, just that we should politely suggest that there may be better places to play.

[hospitaller]

Except this: People will always indulge in playing "Cowboys and Indians", it's just that sometimes their enthusiasm gets the better of them and they end up playing in the wrong garden. That doesn't mean we should outlaw play-acting, just that we should politely suggest that there may be better places to play.

hear, hear!

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[Catdad]

All things have their place, however; it does strike me odd that they would have WWII reenactors at Scotish festival.