Wearing the kilt in Scotland

[John_Carrick]

There are plenty of good history books but this seems a reasonable summary:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/histor...neth_macalpin/

[tpa]

I can tell you one young man's thoughts on kilts in the Hebrides.

We were having a superb dinner on South Uist, when Mrs Jock asked our young waiter, a local, why he was not wearing the kilt-----he was wearing a pair of very well cut trews--- the reply was instantanious, "no one wears the kilt over here, not even for weddings.

I have never been to the Outer Hebrides, but if they are anything like Shetland then I'm not surprised no one wears kilts. In Shetland there are hardly any trees, the wind is too strong. In Skye the midges are too strong. Hopefully I be able to manage a Hebridean visit in the not too distant future, then just as at home, I'll probably be the only one in a kilt.

[Nathan]

I correspond with some Hebridean friends online who wear the kilt occasionally.

[Nathan]

This strikes me as surprising again, because arguably one of the most famous celtic musicians internationally is Julie Fowlis, and she hails from North Uist. She often speaks about how strong the culture was and how she was surrounded by traditional music growing up, as she does in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qczDug2BNRo


But again, I don't live there so I get all this secondhand. Skye is the only part of the Hebrides I have visited myself. Some day I shall have to remedy that.

Slàinte

Julie Fowlis did grow up in a traditional culture in North Uist surrounded by music, but the kilt isn't at the centre of that traditional culture. The culture of the Hebrides that Julie describes is much like the one I grew up with in Cape Breton. First of all, the people were poor and life was very hard. I can tell you that while there is respect for the kilt, it is living the culture that is far more important than dressing the part.

If you like Julie Fowlis, you'll probably enjoy Mary Jane Lamond. She's from Cape Breton and has worked with Julie in the past. Here's a nice introductory playlist.

http://youtu.be/24_W4lkc5xA?list=PLr...ZCIP8-WGpYi7vW

[Dundonian.on.Islay]

I correspond with some Hebridean friends online who wear the kilt occasionally.

Of course I can't speak for the whole of the hebrides, but on Islay like the majority of Scotland, the kilt is worn as occasion wear, for weddings, christenings, by pipe bands and such

[ASinclair]

<snip>
If you like Julie Fowlis, you'll probably enjoy Mary Jane Lamond. She's from Cape Breton and has worked with Julie in the past. Here's a nice introductory playlist.

http://youtu.be/24_W4lkc5xA?list=PLr...ZCIP8-WGpYi7vW

Thanks for the link Nathan. I really like Julie Fowlis, and now I like Mary Jane, as well.

[Mel1721L]

whiskey? whisky if you don't mind.

Sorry, don't drink it myself. Horrible stuff!

"The Scots originally came from Ireland"....well that's certainly what's been taught in the classrooms for a very long time, but in reality I think that you'll find that the jury is still out on that one. In more recent times, there have been some some academic discussions partly based on archaeological evidence (or non evidence?) and DNA analysis that suggests that it may not be the case.

Interesting, but we are going back a few years. I know the Spanish origin is being questioned.

"The Scotti who subdued the Picts"....hmmm.....jury's still out on that one as well. Subdued may not be the best of words. Subsumed perhaps? maybe culturally overwhelmed? Inter-married?

Maybe a wrong choice of word, overwhelmed? Intermarried perhaps.

.......anyone got an alternative, better word or expression?

"I think the education system in America and the UK is generally very bad". Could be better I would certainly agree with but 'very bad'? In comparison with what? I'm not so sure. Even within the UK, Scotland has a different education system to that of England and Wales. Are we talking about formal education based on academic results or a more rounded education? So many questions

In 2 words, political correctness.

The older religion? Buddhist? Zoastrian? Druid? Sun-worshipper?

I'm a Bard within the British Druid Order but my leanings were more Norse than Celt. Currently my spiritual path is moving more in the Celtic direction.

[John_Carrick]

On Harris a lady working in a tweed shop had never seen a kilted man in the shop before.
Moving East, I remember a kilt hire shop in Kirkwall and an Orcadian friend of mine has a kilt, but there is still a distinctly different identity to there to mainland Scotland.

[Calgacus]

The Scots originally came from Ireland, a tribe called the Scotti who subdued the Picts, I'm not well up on the details though.

As Ron points out, that's not really what happened. This documentary gives a nice little summary of what appears to have actually happened. The relevant section starts at 34:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6JDPd-T2BQ

[Mel1721L]

As Ron points out, that's not really what happened. This documentary gives a nice little summary of what appears to have actually happened. The relevant section starts at 34:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6JDPd-T2BQ

Thank you for your interesting link.