Wearing your kilt to other cultural events

[apack]

A bit off topic, but amusing nonetheless...

I wore a kilt to the Harry Potter release party at a local bookstore. I was accompanying my daughter, who went as Ginny Weasley, complete with robes, wand, and Hogwarts tie. MANY people asked me what character I was supposed to be! They were all convinced there was a kilted Scotsman in the book somewhere, and they couldn't quite remember his name...

[Frank McGrath]

Okay, but what is 'respectful'?

Should the kilted NOT do the "Chicken Dance" if the spirit so moves them?

I have done the Chicken Dance in my kilt. If you ever get to see the band, "Brave Combo", they do the worlds greatest version of the Chicken Dance. No, I don't get out too often, but when I do............

[James MacMillan]

I am from the old school. I have a problem with the entire term "disrespectful."

To my mind, with my background, and my education, I can not understand Respect in a negative direction. To me, you either respect someone, or you don't. Not having respect for someone is not the same as the current usage of "Disrespect" is being used.

Secondly, one must earn respect. Respect is not a given! Respect is not free to all. An individual gains respect by the way he/she acts. If a person acts badly, they do not have my respect.

Having said the above, in my life, I attempt to treat all people I meet respectfully. I expect the same in return. Would you consider showing up to an event dressed in a sporty kilt with flip-flops and a dirty t-shirt? -Or would you show up, dressed correctly for the event? Choosing your kilt to match the level of dress of the other attendees. Are they in shorts, and flip-flops? -then a sporty kilt is OK. Do they have the evening attire of their culture? - then wear the proper kilt and the PC.

If I am in their country, I try to understand their language; I try to understand their culture. If a stranger enters my group, I try to give the benifit of the doubt. If he/she is ignorant of my customs, I try to educate them.

If you feel uncomfortable wearing your kilt in all situations, maybe you need to look within yourself, and ask the question: "Why do I wear the kilt?"

[turpin]

Look at it this way - for Octoberfest you can get a German American Heritage kilt from Rocky, and the Greek soldiers formal dress outfit is "kiltish". IRIC, the original Celts, or Keltoi, in Greek, were anyone north of them who wasn't Greek.

A bit off topic, but amusing nonetheless...

I wore a kilt to the Harry Potter release party at a local bookstore. I was accompanying my daughter, who went as Ginny Weasley, complete with robes, wand, and Hogwarts tie. MANY people asked me what character I was supposed to be! They were all convinced there was a kilted Scotsman in the book somewhere, and they couldn't quite remember his name...

I wore a kilt with my badger sporran to a HP opening party at Borders. I overheard one girl ask a friend "Why is he wearing that", to which she replied, "The bager is the mascot for Hufflepuff, dummy!"

And I learned that night that the badger is the mascot fot Hufflepuff.

[Kid Cossack]

I wear a kilt pretty much all the time, and I've been to an Oktoberfest, a couple of Greek festivals and a Polish festival kilted. Everyone seemed to like it, although one Greek fellow ribbed me about the funny looking fustanella I was wearing!

I think that, at cultural events particularly, people are in a "let's celebrate our unique little slice of humanity" mood to begin with, and thus probably more receptive to the kilt than they'd otherwise be.

As to not disrespecting the culture being celebrated, I don't think the kilt has any more to do with it than, say, shoes or a shirt. For a formal event, I'd avoid a t-shirt and flip flops, but I'd wear a polo shirt and Keen sandals (modern ghillies).

If anyone was offended, I'd explain that this is how I dress, and that I came to the event to celebrate their culture (and score some good food and wine or beer!), and that I meant no offense.

I had a conversation like that at a BBQ joint with two very large, very tough looking black dudes. They were plenty surprised to see a fellow sporting tartan there, but while we waited in line we had a really good conversation about comfort, heritage, what people thought, and how much chicks dig on the kilt.

I was the only white face in the room, I got a lot of attention, and everyone pretty much liked the kilt.

In the end, the kilt is just a kilt, it's just a few yards of cloth wrapped around you. If a man in a kilt is a man and a half, then a jerk in a kilt is a jerk and a half, and a good guy, a good guy and a half. What you do with that extra self confidence, and that extra attention, the kilt gives you is up to you.

Use your powers for good, brothers!

[macwilkin]

I've worn a kilt to a joint Midsummer/Midsommar celebration that our local Scottish and Scandinavian Societies had last june; there were folks there dressed in traditional Norwegian and Swedish costumes, and everyone loved the kilts -- we even brought our piper along and he played as everyone danced around the Maypole in the front yard of the Lutheran church.

During the program, I discussed the close ties between Scotland, Norway and Sweden, and brought along my Norwegian tartan tie to show off (thanks to Freelander!) -- several folks inquired as to how they could order material.

Our Scottish society has also held a "Nova Scotia night", where my MIL discussed the connections betweens the Scots and the Cajuns. One year we invited a local Sikh psychologist to discuss the long relationship between the Sikhs and the Scots, especially the Singh tartan and Lord Singh's love of Robert Burns.

Bottom line: of course it's appropriate. Just quote Burns's "A Man's a Man for a' that" to anyone who objects, or tell them the auld Scottish saying:

"We're a' Jock Tamson's Bairns -- who's Jock Tamson? Well, he's God."

Regards,

Todd

[Archangel]

I think you need to pick and choose. I wore mine to my Canadian citizenship, what the hey, but I didn't wear sandals, did everything proper and nobody brought a camera.

I had another occasion last month to participate in a First Nation Day of Protest. I did not wear the kilt since I thought it would take away from their event. I didn't get a chance to discuss it with the organizers. As it turns out, I was invited to the front and my picture was in the paper. So I'm satisfied that I did the right thing. The Feather Bearer should be the focus, not the guy in the kilt behind him.

[Fedgunner]

I wear kilts to any event. It doesn't matter what.
I have never gotten any grief from any one (other than the norm) from anyone.

[Riverkilt]

I've been kilted at the Gathering of Nations for two years now - a huge Pow-Wow in Albuquerque and have seen other kilted gents there.

I've been kilted to local Navajo Pow-Wows.

I've been kilted to Hopi dances.

Only problem is the Hopi's call be Mike since a high school teacher at Hopi High School wears kilts from time to time.

Ron

[emolas]

If thinking that attending a culturally themed event in a different culture's traditional clothing is disrespect then you have to realize that almost everyone there is dressed in the wrong culture's clothing because they are dressed in modern American (or whatever country you are in) clothing. Unless everyone is specifically asked to dress in national clothing for the event then anything you wear that is in keeping with the formality of the occasion should suffice. I attended an asian festival last month kilted and met someone wearing a utilikilt at the event.