Was Tartan ever actually banned?

[macwilkin]

CajunScot

I was not trying to argue your point either. I understand where you are coming from, I was sort of suggesting that some traditions start in fact, move to fiction and end up as legend.

The question for ME is - "Is it important that people KNOW why they are doing something or is it more important that they are doing it"

Depending on the event the answer to that question may be different.

Kirkin of the tartan - Is to ask a blessing on the tartans (and those families which fall under them).
Does it REALLY matter when, how, why it started?
If a person never knows the real story - does it matter?

Just a few questions i have to ask myself

As a history instructor, I feel that it does matter, because the original intent of the service wasn't even to "bless" tartans, given that it was a Presbyterian minister who started it. Dr. Marshall was trying to rally Scottish-American organizations (he was a member of the St. Andrew's Societies of Atlanta and Washington DC) to raise money for an effort to relocate children in Glasgow and Edinburgh to the Highlands to escape Nazi bombing raids in a "Kirkin' of the tartans".

As an Epsicopalian, I have no problem with blessing tartans and the families they represent. My issue is with a inaccurate history of the service which is now accepted as "gospel" by many. As any native Scot will tell you, they have never heard or participated in such a service in the auld country. I personally believe the Scottish diaspora community should embrace the Kirkin' as our own tradition, and not try to create some romantic legend as a justification. To me, it's far more inspiring to have the descendants of Scottish immigrants helping the auld country during WWII than the legend that has sprung up.

I know a lot folks subscribe to the John Ford School of history -- "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend" -- while I love John Ford, as a historian, I fight against that way of thinking everyday.

T.