A Foot In the Door?

[Riverkilt]

Reggie,

Sorry, just realized - One of the days you put down to wear the kilt JUST HAS

to be the anniversary of the day the English forbid the Scots to wear their kilts/tartans.

Don't your bosses know they are recreating your cultural trauma? Would be like if an employer out here forbid Navajos from speaking their language or wearing their traditional garb....which a mom and pop restaurant did a couple years ago and they're still wrangling with the EEOC folks from Washington D.C.

Anyhow, maybe some of the expert historians we have on the board can provide you with the date the English forbid the Scots to wear their tartans. That's gotta be on your list!

Ron

[Retro Red]

The tartan was banned in Scotland, by order of King George II, starting 1 August 1747.

Here's the particulars -

The Act for Abolition and Proscription of the Highland Dress, 19 George II, cap. 39, sec. 17, 1746 made wearing any form of Highland dress, bagpipes, using gaelic, bearing arms, and clan gathering illegal. (1, 7)

That from and after the first day of August one thousand seven hundred and forty-seven, the man or boy within that part of Great Britain called Scotland, other than such as shall be employed as Officers and Soldiers in His Majesty’s Forces, shall, on any pretext whatsoever, wear or put on the clothes commonly called Highland clothes the Plaid, Philabeg, or little Kilt, Trowse, Shoulder-belts, or any part whatsoever of what peculiarly belongs to the Highland Garb; and that no tartan or party-coloured plaid or stuff shall be used for the Great Coats or upper Coats, and if any such person shall presume after the said first day of August to wear or put on the aforesaid mentioned garments or any part of them, every such person so offending being convicted thereof by the oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses before any Court of Justiciary, or any one or more Justices of the Peace for the Shire or Stewartry or Judge-ordinary of the place where such offence shall be committed, shall suffer imprisonment without bail during the space of six months and no longer, and being convicted of a second offence before the Court of Justiciary or at the circuits, shall be liable to be transported to any of His Majesty’s plantations beyond the seas, there to remain for the space of seven years. (7)

[cessna152towser]

shall be liable to be transported to any of His Majesty’s plantations beyond the seas

which explains why so many Australians have Scots ancestry.

[Riverkilt]

Thanks Retro,

Suppose that would be a bit "too sideways" for Reggie to copy and have framed in his office....

America...what a country of Catch-22s....free to wear the kilt, but no recourse if fired for it...

Ron

[mbhandy]

Congratulation on a positive meeting. I have been there over a beard in the 70's and it was with Exxon. I still have a beard and I did while I worked there for 7yrs. Consider the meeting a start and keep on smiling

MrBill

[Retro Red]

Reggie,

I work for a large, international company. I went through a similar hassle 3 years ago when I first wore a kilt to work. Their final judgement was that a kilt is not considered acceptable business attire, BUT I would be allowed to wear a kilt on casual ware Fridays & (I love this part) on Celtic holidays. Pretty sad for a company that loves to tote how diverse they are & the dress code, in regards to skirts, is gender-neutral. Anyway, as to your question about Celtic holidays, here's what I use...

31 October-1 November - Samhain (pronounced sow-in); most important of ancient Celt holidays; Celtic New Year

30 November - St Andrew's Day; patron saint of Scotland

21-22 December - Yule or Alban Arthuan; observance of winter soltice

25 January - Burns Night; this is kind of stretching things, but there's usually a lot of ritualized celebration in the Scottish community on Robert Burns' birthday, the national bard of Scotland

1-2 February - Imbolc (pronounced im-bulk); same day as Groundhog Day, foreshadows Spring

17 March - St Patrick's Day; patron saint of Ireland

20-21 March - Oestre or Alban Eiler; Spring equinox

6 April - National Tartan Day; by proclamation of the U.S. Congress in recognition of the many contribution to American society by Scottish-Americans

30 April-1 May - Beltaine; start of Summer season & most important of the ancient Celt holidays after Samhain

21-22 June - Coamhain or Alban Heruin; Summer solstice

31 July-1 August - Lughnasdha; harvest festival

21-22 September - Mabon or Alban Elued; autumn equinox

As you can see, the ancient Celt holidays corresponded to major seasonal & celestial milestones. The ancient Celt holidays were celebrated from sundown on the eve of the event to sundown on the day of the event, thus the dual dates for the ancient Celt holidays.

Hope this helps...
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[Raphael]

Kilts are definately no traditionally attire for the business/corporate world. It is because no on was doing it. Then again, no one would dare to wear jeans or sports coat to a business meeting 30 years ago.

[GMan]

Reggie,

Well done with the meeting, and really am glad that it went well.

To take it to extremes as far as the dates, you could always say it is in honor of someone from Xmark and you are wearing it for their birthday. In reality I would suggest one or two days a month, because as Raphael has stated it took awhile for other things to become acceptable for business wear.

Glad that your wife has given you the support, that is probably the best news out of the whole thing.

[motorman4life]

The important issue I see is that as Americans, our heritage did not start 230 years ago. Our heritage started many thousands of years ago and unless you are a Native American, you likely trace roots back to Europe.

I know as Americans, we tend to see ourselves as the center of the universe. This is one thing that really pisses non-Americans off. The fact is, we call ourselves Americans, disregarding the fact that "The Americas" encompass over 30 countries and protectorates. Peruvians are Americans as they live in South America. Say that in most US locales and listen to people scoff. Sad really.

It is not coincidence that portions of the US Declaration of Independence were excerpted derectly from the Declaration of Arbroath (Scotland 1320) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Arbroath and that nearly ½ of the original signers of the US Declaration and 9 of the original 13 governors were of Scottish ancestory. Much of this is outlined in the U.S. Tartan Day Resolution, signed by our Senate on March 20th, 1998.

President Woodrow Wilson, the son of a Scots-Irish Presbyterian minister, said: "Every line in America's history is a line coloured by Scottish blood."

So, regardless of your bloodline, race or upbringing , if you are a U.S. Citizen, Scots history is your history. You don’t need to make any apologies. If a female can do your job in a skirt, then you should he allowed to do it is a proper kilt, regardless of their personal feelings. I understand and can certainly appreciate why you are taking the approach you are, but the fact is, it is discrimination nonetheless.

That said, as for the dates you are seeking. I would go with the following, dates and ask that they also allow your birthday too, as you are celebrating your heritage and what better day to do that than on your own birthday?

January 25 (1759): Sir Robert Burns Day, celebrating the birth of Scotland’s national poet. Burn’s Night is considered the 2nd National Holiday, second only to St. Andrew’s Day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns

March 17: Saint Patrick's Day, celebrating Irish heritage.
http://traditions-uk.freeservers.com/StPatricksday.html

April 6 (1320): National Tartan Day, Anniversary of The Declaration of Arbroath – A day officially designated by the U.S Senate to recognize the many Scottish contributions to the formation and development United States (also celebrated in Canada). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartan_Day

July 1 (1792 & 1999): International Tartan Day
This is the Anniversary of the Repeal of the Act of Proscription (1782) and the Anniversary of the Restoration of the Scottish Parliament (1999). This is “Tartan Day” in many countries and some U.S. States, such as Colorado. You may want to check if your state celebrates Tartan Day, and if so, whether it is on April 6 or July 1. Either way, they are both valid dates for celebration.

November 30: Saint Andrew's Day, celebrating Scottish heritage. http://www.geocities.com/traditions_uk/andrew.html

These “top 5” with your birthday equal 6 dates annually. If the actual day happens to fall on a weekend, I would opt for the nearest Monday or Friday to the actual date, as is done with most all holidays.

If you want to lay some more on, chose from any of these very valid celebratory dates:

February 14 (1692): Remembrance of the Massacre at Glencoe (Glencoe Day).
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...coe/glen1.html

April 16 (1746): Remembrance of the Battle of Culloden (Culloden Day).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culloden

June 24 (1314): Bannockburn Victory Day
Celebrating the famous 1314 battle, a significant victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bannockburn

July 22 (1758): Black Watch Day
The 42nd Highland Regiment, the “Black Watch”, is given its 'Royal' designation.

August 1 (1746): Scottish Defiance Day
The Anniversary of The Act of Proscription – Put on your kilt, which was outlawed in this day by the Crown as an instrument of war. It remained a crime to wear a kilt or any tartan for 35 years and 11 months.

August 23 (1305): William Wallace Day
A day of mourning for Sir William Wallace, patriot and protector of Scotland. Executed (hanged, disemboweled and beheaded) in London in 1305.

October 25 (1739): Highland Regiment Day (aka: Regimental Day)
The six independent companies of the "Highland Watch" or the “Black Watch”, originally raised in 1729, along with four newly-raised companies, were incorporated into a Regiment of Foot under John, the Earl of Crawford. This Regiment was originally numbered the 43rd Highland Regiment, but a decade later, it was renumbered as the 42nd Highlanders in 1749.

These dates will be posted at www.KiltDay.com/holiday.htm
If I find any more, I'll add them there.

[Retro Red]

Just one more thing, Reggie, here's a link to the most concise explanation of the ancient Celt holidays I've found on the web, in case your boss wants some proof of them.

http://www.allaboutirish.com/library...wheelyear.shtm
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