Why so serious?

[thescot]

At our burns Supper, we often have someone "armed" with either a claymore or baskethilt (or both) escorting the haggis. It's the "guard" for the haggis to make sure no one tries to reive it or anything.

No one--and read that carefully--no one takes it seriously. People don't show up wearing swords or anything. I would consider wearing the powder horn, pistol, jewleled dirk, basket hilt, etc. at the right event, but I don't have any idea what that event would be so it's not likely to happen. I'm thinking of some of those outfits worn in the early 1800s when Georga IV visited; man, I'd look great in one of those.

Of course, I also liked wearing a cowboy hat and spurs when I was a kid.

At the games--as at many other types of outings--there are always people who like to dress up in costumes with rough boots, swords, and trying to look like an extra from Brave Heart. But it's a costume; everyone knows it's a costume, and I don't think anyone take it very seriously. I think of it as being similar to the "living history" people who dress up in 17th century outfits or even the 78th Highlandes who wear the old style uniforms and carry muskets. It's just for fun. Might look a bit silly on Main Street, but at the games, everyone just takes it all in stride.

[Panache]

At our burns Supper, we often have someone "armed" with either a claymore or baskethilt (or both) escorting the haggis. It's the "guard" for the haggis to make sure no one tries to reive it or anything.

Young Gregory,

Jim is really only telling half the story here. I think you are now old enough to know the ugly political truth behind the "honor guard" that accompanies the haggis at Burns Night Suppers.

I hate to have to get political here on XMTS but there is just no way to sugar coat this. In truth the haggis is often targeted by extremists.

These fanatics whose numbers include gourmets, food critics, health inspectors, and members of the FDA will target Burns Night Supper haggi. Through use of either stealth or force they will attempt to remove the haggis from the event to prevent it being consumed by the unsuspecting guests. If they are successful the extremists will take the haggis to a remote location. There rouge bio-hazard technicians and bomb squad teams will attempt to safely destroy the haggis to neutralize its threat to the health and taste buds of the General Public.

Therefore most Burns Night Supper parties provide an "Honor Guard" for the haggis to protect it during its procession. You (and the rest of the guests) only see the ceremonial weapons carried by the "honor guard". What you don't see is the body armor underneath their Prince Charlie coatees.

I'm sorry to have to be the one to have to break this to you, but you had to know.

Sincerely

Jamie

[Semiomniscient]

At our burns Supper, we often have someone "armed" with either a claymore or baskethilt (or both) escorting the haggis. It's the "guard" for the haggis to make sure no one tries to reive it or anything.

No one--and read that carefully--no one takes it seriously. People don't show up wearing swords or anything. I would consider wearing the powder horn, pistol, jewleled dirk, basket hilt, etc. at the right event, but I don't have any idea what that event would be so it's not likely to happen. I'm thinking of some of those outfits worn in the early 1800s when Georga IV visited; man, I'd look great in one of those.

Of course, I also liked wearing a cowboy hat and spurs when I was a kid.

At the games--as at many other types of outings--there are always people who like to dress up in costumes with rough boots, swords, and trying to look like an extra from Brave Heart. But it's a costume; everyone knows it's a costume, and I don't think anyone take it very seriously. I think of it as being similar to the "living history" people who dress up in 17th century outfits or even the 78th Highlandes who wear the old style uniforms and carry muskets. It's just for fun. Might look a bit silly on Main Street, but at the games, everyone just takes it all in stride.

Yeah, almost ALL of our men, besides our pipers, went in armed to parade the Haggis. The whisky bearer, haggis bearer, and myself (the deliverer of the Address) kept our swords sheathed, but we had two other guards with weapons drawn. But it is always taken as a ceremonial/non-serious type of thing. Not entirely humorous as in "haha" but more tongue-in-cheek.

The problem with Braveheart is that none of these folks realize how much of an anachronism the entire costume department serviced!
Kilts: not invented yet, nor were they true great kilts
Blue paint/woad: hadn't been in use for hundreds of years.
Not to mention the plot line anachronisms. Granted, it's still one of my favorite movies and it did ALOT for getting the public interested in things Scottish and so for that, I thank it greatly! But still... it's all wrong and it bothers me a little to see people painted up blue for highland games.

[Riverkilt]

Makes sense to me that if someone lays out all the money for the sword and leather they wanna show it off.

Maybe they're frightened inside and its a "don't mess with me" message. Visions of the end scene in Rob Roy where the fop gets cleft into two pieces...or was he cloven...

Maybe they want us to learn to conjugate the verb cleave. Cleft, Cleaved, Clove, Cloven, Clave...

[Inchessi]

I feel out of place. I have never seen this at any of the few events that I have attended. One of which is "Feast of the Hunters Moon" in West Lafayette Indiana. At the "Feast" they go full regalia circa 1700's. I have seen numerous rapier (sp) never a claymore.

[Brasilikilt]

I am one of those guys.....

This past Saturday I was part of an honor guard for the haggis.
I was however carrying a flintlock musket, I loaned my sword to the guy in front of me.

Whenever I go to a historically themed event such as Highland games, I don my great kilt and related garb and walk around with my basket-hilt claymore hanging on my hip by a shoulder belt....I don't even mess with a back scabbard.

The serious look on our faces might be that of borderline heat stroke....Wearing all that wool in summer is itchy, sweaty and tiring!
Also, having me be one of those who guards a bottle of single malt, would be like having the fox watch the hen house :-)

I however am very flattered when people ask to have a photo taken with me...When ya look as good as I do, who can blame them? :-)

[Woodsheal]

When the big, two-handed swords fell out of use as actual combat weapons, they still found a role as "bearing swords" and often acheived ridiculous, heavy proportions unseen in true fighting swords. "Bearing swords" were simply carried ceremonially as part of a king's, chief's or laird's entourage when they were parading about in an official manner.

That's why you still see them today born in that stiff, upright, ceremonial manner during the march of clan associations at Games, and at Burns' Suppers, etc.

That's a seperate phenomenon from the "living history" guys donning period garb and weaponry. That IS just for fun...!

[slohairt]

One thing I've noticed at Scottish events--why is it there's always that one guy who brings a big claymore just to carry around in a very serious manner? It happens at all the Highland Games, Burns Suppers, and Tartan Days that I attend, and it looks kinda silly. Are the Wisconsin events the only place that this happens, or do other places have these guys too?

If I'm just goin' crazy let me know, but sometimes it feels like these guys are just looking for any excuse to carry around a big sword in front of them--as if the English will storm the banquet hall!

Hee Hee! Yes, I've seen those people at Games as well. What's more is that their entire 'outfit budget' was probably spent on the Mel Gibson claymore they are wielding. The rest of their ensemble consists of a flannel fèileadh mhòr, a modern-styled rabbit fur sporran (frae Pakistan), a Jack Sparrow blouse, and some Birkenstocks!

Oh well, those people will always be there, I guess...

[St. Amish]

In California, I regularly see guys carrying claymores over shoulder at the Games. It looks ridiculous.

We also have a large guy who dresses like a half naked Viking and one who dresses like Capt. Jack Sparrow.

Any time you have a large group of people, there will be someone acting out and looking for attention. When you have a large group of people who are already out of the "norm," the act has to be even more extreme in order to get attention.

[beloitpiper]

Now, I'm not talking about reenactors that have swords with historical purpose. I'm talking about the guys wearing the raggéd PC outfit with a huge feather in the caps, carrying an over sized claymore as if a ninja is going to jump in and steal the haggis. There's an 'honor guard' at all of the events in Wisconsin that parades around with flags and swords and it makes me laugh. Why is there such a stupid macho attitude at all of these Scottish events? Yes, clan have a war-torn past and the Scots are certainly fearless warriors, but at a civilian function, shouldn't we be acting civil?