"Rules" for wearing family tartan

[robthehiker]

I stand by my right to have expressed the way I was feeling about some of the kilt discussions.

I truly think that everyone here stands by your right to express the way you're feeling Ted.

[Brian K]

"I made it through the wilderness.... Somehow I made it through..."

Day two of reading through this most interesting of threads.

Two comments and then my point.

1) over and over in my head I kept on hearing my grandmothers voice mumbling behind my aunts at family reunions... "You girls sure do insist on swallowing camels." and giggling.

2) That being said, out of all the forums I have been a member of, this place, by far, has some of the most civilized arguments I have seen.

Now to the entrée.

I have been a member of XMTS for half a decade (my gawd, say it isn't so!) and have been rather reticent about being participatory. Although the Good Lord knows I ain't shy, there are a few reasons for my wall-flowering but it comes down to mostly two.

Kilt wearing is something that I enjoyed in a two fold way. I have enjoyed the distictive look and I secretly take a little pride at the chance to embrace the connection that it gives me to my (assumed) Scottish heritage. The kilt, IMHO, is one of the coolest and most expressive pieces of male clothing that has come down from western antiquity. It is distinctive in almost every way and immediately sets itself apart from any other item of masculine attire with class and style. Knowing that my great grandmother on my mothers side is MacCraken I held a certain pride knowing something so cool (and something I looked so damn good in) might possibly be part of my heritage. Note that I say "might".

My name is John Smith. This is my second reason for my uncertainty to bring anything to the table.

I am, for all intents and purposes, a true Heinze 57. Ask any one of my relatives what our ancestry is and you will get everything from Cherokee to Russian Jew. Most are willing to admit/include the various African inclusion or Caribbean Islander. However, no one can give a lick of proof or a name past their own parents and maybe a random grandparent. I know that my fathers mother was adopted or handed over to another family as a teen. I do not have any clue as to my great grandfathers name other that he was also a Smith. So if asked my heritage I would say "distinctly American Melt with Russian Jew, English, French, Scot, with a touch of Greek from my mother and English, Swede, Spanish, Cherokee, other from my father". or simply "Mutt".

The lack of true claim which leads to a lack of confidence in confiding my love for all things kilted has left me mute.

But no more.

I appreciate this thread for its candid and open discussion concerning the why's and wherefores of a kilted heart and where it has lead most. I now feel that if I was to find out tomorrow that most of my family was genetically bred to look like Europeans from Oriental stock and we are all from the Himalaya's I would still embrace and enjoy my love for all things kilted and the Scottish heritage it springs from. That being said....

Hi, my name is John and I wear a kilt.

Isle of Sky light weight off the rack bought at the Letchworth NY Highland Games 1996.

It's nice to see that something very positive came from our back and forth here!

Good on ya, John

Regards,

Brian

[butch]

But it's a real pretty skirt, with lots of character!

[McClef]

My name is Trefor and I wear a kilt.

Kiltwearers Anonymous is born!

[auld argonian]

...we're not very anonymous, though...are we?

Best

AA

[Micric]

Ted,

We're not meant to have emotional guts.(:-)
Some would Like us to feel that we have no right to wear the tartan.
but just go back and read Andrew S's post at top of this page. I can't fault it.

If only True Highlanders wore the tartan, all the mills would close, the highland games would die, and our own "the Scotsman" and three others would be put in a glass case as
"Endangered species" (:-)
Now, Which way do we want it?

Wear it with respect, and Wear it Well!

[BoldHighlander]

If only True Highlanders wore the tartan, all the mills would close, the highland games would die, and our own "the Scotsman" and three others would be put in a glass case as
"Endangered species" (:-)
Now, Which way do we want it?

Wear it with respect, and Wear it Well!

Hear! Hear!
Very well said sir.

[Bugbear]

Ted,

We're not meant to have emotional guts.(:-)
Some would Like us to feel that we have no right to wear the tartan.
but just go back and read Andrew S's post at top of this page. I can't fault it.

If only True Highlanders wore the tartan, all the mills would close, the highland games would die, and our own "the Scotsman" and three others would be put in a glass case as
"Endangered species" (:-)
Now, Which way do we want it?

Wear it with respect, and Wear it Well!

Don't know, sometimes that gut feeling is trying to tell you something important. "Reading between the lines," and picking up on what people are really conveying without saying what they are feeling, comes from the gut feeling.

On the other hand, you might be conveying to other people, in ways you are not even aware of, your own unspoken feelings, which they pick up with their own gut feelings.

"the Scotsman," would not fit in a glass case with the other three folks you may be thinking of.

Anyway, just thought I would throw it out there since it's been bothering me, and since this thread took a whole different turn.

[Rob Wright]

Don't know, sometimes that gut feeling is trying to tell you something important. "Reading between the lines," and picking up on what people are really conveying without saying what they are feeling, comes from the gut feeling.

On the other hand, you might be conveying to other people, in ways you are not even aware of, your own unspoken feelings, which they pick up with their own gut feelings.

"the Scotsman," would not fit in a glass case with the other three folks you may be thinking of.

Anyway, just thought I would throw it out there since it's been bothering me, and since this thread took a whole different turn.

Ted, sometimes unintentional messages get broadcast clearer than intentional messages. In the case of this thread, a certain individual is sending very intentional messages trying to make themselves appear to be a font of knowledge and put down others. In contrast we have many wonderful posters from across the pond, and here in the states and Canada, who provide us with knowledge and context so that we may learn and grow in our kilt wearing. Which message's should we give value too? The one that attempts to make us feel inferior? Or the ones intended to help us?

Rob

[DRUMMIE]

The youtube video you are talking about is the Gordon Highlanders International Beating Retreat. This coincided with The Homecoming Scotland celebrations. Participating bands and contingents came from:

The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons, and Camerons) 4th batt. The Royal Regiment of Scotland (Pipes and Drums)
The Gordon Highlanders Association (Drums and Pipes)
Aberdeen Universities Officers' training Corps (Drums and Pipes)
The Toronto Scottish (Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother's own (Pipes and Drums)
48th Highlanders of Canada (Pipes and Drums)
Cape Town Highlanders (Drums and Pipes)
5/6 Batt Royal Victoria Regiment (Pipes and Drums)
The London Scottish (Pipes and Drums)

A programme of events was as follows:

July 29, 2008 The Gordon Highlanders Museum Beating Retreat
July 30, 2009 Huntly Mini-tattoo
July 31, 2009 Museum fundraising dinner
August 1, 2009 Aboyne Highland Games
August 2, 2009 Tartan Day Beating Retreat, Aberdeen

The only pipers on parade wearing eagle feathers were the Highlanders. The ONLY Regiment to do so, this was inherited from the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. All other pipers wore Blackcocktail feathers. The modern feathers are synthetic, as it is very difficult to get authentic feathers. If you are friendly with a gamekeeper then you may be in luck!