Food For Thought

[Ian.MacAllan]

Thanks for the post, Jock; I found Mrs. Jock's survey fascinating. I, too, wish similar information were available from younger generations.

Best wishes!

.

[RockyR]

Interesting information, Jock! I have to say the only thing that surprised me was the frequency that your friends all wear the kilt, with 100% of them wearing it at least monthly.

I was not, unfortunately, surprised that about half of them couldn't tell you whether their own kilt was pleated to stripe or sett. That has largely been my own experience over here, as well.

No surprise that 100% of respondents take note of how others wear the kilt. (Though I suppose we would do well to keep in mind that half of them apparently don't know the difference between pleating to stripe and sett!)

I suppose the questions about wearing the kilt outside of Scotland would be influenced by the fact that most, if not all, of these gentlemen live in Scotland, I assume. If I asked a similar group of Canadians "where would you normally wear the kilt" most would say Canada! Substitute in the US, or Australia, etc.

Now, it would be very interesting to see the responses to the same questions put these gentlemen's sons and grandsons!

+ 1 on ALL points Matt raised and eloquently stated. I think a part (not sure if it's a large part or just 'part') of this has to do with age and traditions they grew up with or the swath of cloth they are cut from.

In 40 - 50 years when the 'acrylic kilt rugby match wearing Scots' grow into old age, I would wonder if the answers will remain the same.

[AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH]

Food for thought indeed Jock.

Funnily enough,if I were asked any of those questions my answers would be pretty much the same on many of them.As you well know,I do find the feeling that only Scots,or more narrowly highlanders,should only wear the kilt a little baffling. That due to so much evidence that not only the wearing of the kilt,but other Scottish customs and manners,in music,cooking,etc have shown to have the resilience and strength to be transported with Scots to were they have emmigrated to,sometimes unwillingly.

To me it is only natural that in some families,the love of dearly held colours,flavours and sounds from Scotland(of which wearing the kilt on occasion is only a part)would be felt and willingly continued by children and grandchildren.

Correct me if I am wrong but is there not more gaelic(of the Scottish strain) speakers in Canada than in the highlands just now?Proof that strong customs and traditions can travel and survive outside Scotland.This forum showed me that proof has been found of old tartan weaving methods that pre date the forty five rising,having been used in Canada.Methods that give us a reliable link to highland tartans that was thought to have been largely lost due to the proscription,etc.Again showing that just moving Scots around is not enough to stop them taking their ways with them.

I was just enjoying a look on another corner of the innernet that was listing the military regulations governing Scottish dress in the Australian army.(Not sure what era from)I imagine hearing Scottish highland dress and the Australian army mentioned in the same sentence would be enough to make your after dinner atholl brose go down the wrong hole(joke,no dissrespect intended!)

It was very detailed and explicit,as armies are,listing items,how they are to be worn,what they are to look like,from hose to bonnets to officers claymores.Yet in the regulations it continualy mentioned that none of these things were to be supplied at government expence.The officers and men of the unit had to pay for the things themselves.That any units at all raised a pipe band or kilted uniforms for ceremonial march pasts shows the level of continuity that Scottish folk can pass on down to their families,the level of commitment to continuing something that these offspring of Scots can so obviously still strongly relate to.

Still,a fireside after dinner chat among the beauties of Invernesshire with old highland freinds is a far cry from the often sun partched grounds of an Aussie military parade ground.The following could bring my point closer to you,but I fear I know you well enough to think it probably won't:

My grandfather told me once of an old fellow from Appin who was in a Caledonian society he was involved with.Every time he heard 'Lochaber nae mair' the old boy would get teary.Is it so hard to understand that folk like him would feel only pride,and not chagrin,if a son or grandson of theirs could don the kilt and play them a few pipe tunes from the old country on occasion?

However Jock, you always speak truly,whether folk are pleased,agree with you or no.I respect that.I can't help but feel that your stubborn preferance to only Scots,and not even thier close descendants,wearing the kilt is closely linked to the descendants of far flung Scots stubbornly not wanting to let the old customs of their families slip away easily.

Food for thought indeed.May you and your wife enjoy many more pleasant evenings with old freinds.Thanks for sharing.

[robthehiker]

13. Do you know what a district tartan is?
Yes: 0
No: 9

14. Would you wear one?
Yes: 0
No: 9

lol

[Jock Scot]

Thanks for the post, Jock; I found Mrs. Jock's survey fascinating. I, too, wish similar information were available from younger generations.

Best wishes!

.

Alright, I have a plan, don't hold your breath though as it will take more than a wee while for the occasion to appear.

[kilted scholar]

An Coigreach Albannach:Correct me if I am wrong but is there not more gaelic(of the Scottish strain) speakers in Canada than in the highlands just now?

From another angle, the last time I was in the Highlands - in the Gairloch area - around 90% of the accents I heard were Dutch or German, or from the south of England, and the latter were evidently residents rather than tourists, as the Continentals probably were. I imagine that a large proportion of younger people raised in the Highlands move south in search of work.

[CDNSushi]

Thanks for posting that, Jock. Sometimes when I read your posts and opinions on kit-related matters (especially ones dealing with tradition or history) I've found it difficult to understand or relate to the viewpoint. But this certainly helps clarify your feelings about certain issues and puts it into a relevant framework of reference. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to listen to some of the comments and discussion that may have surrounded some of the answers to those questions.

Regards,

JD

[Jock Scot]

From another angle, the last time I was in the Highlands - in the Gairloch area - around 90% of the accents I heard were Dutch or German, or from the south of England, and the latter were evidently residents rather than tourists, as the Continentals probably were. I imagine that a large proportion of younger people raised in the Highlands move south in search of work.

An interesting observation there and had you been a fly on the wall the other evening you would have had to listen very long and very hard to detect even a smidgen of a Scots accent.

[Christo13]

Thanks to Mrs. Jock for taking some time to ask the old friends about kilts, and thank you for sharing the answers. I wear my kilt here and there each month, mainly when Cynthia and I are enjoying a drink, or when cooler weather hits and I wear it for the occasional stroll.

It's great to hear how the kilt is viewed by people who have worn it for some time over there.

I hope all is well with you and your family,

Christopher

[Jock Scot]

Thanks to Mrs. Jock for taking some time to ask the old friends about kilts, and thank you for sharing the answers. I wear my kilt here and there each month, mainly when Cynthia and I are enjoying a drink, or when cooler weather hits and I wear it for the occasional stroll.

It's great to hear how the kilt is viewed by people who have worn it for some time over there.

I hope all is well with you and your family,

Christopher

Hello Christopher, nice to see you here! Yes all is well here thank you.

Do you know, Mrs Jock really hit on a winner there, we all had great fun and it was well after 1.30 in the morning before we could get the questions answered. It is something of a shock, to those that do not spend time on here, that there are things about Our national attire that the locals have never heard of. And explaining a civilian box pleated kilt , for example, particularly as I have never seen one was hilariously tricky! Also the blank looks on the faces when district tartans were mentioned was a wonder to behold!