History of Scotland series online

[BruceBC]

Just a heads up that the BBC's 10 part series on the history of Scotland can be seen online at the knowledge network's website. A great series that cuts through much of the mythology. The second to last episode has a segment on kilts and tartans - and calls it like it is. The small kilt was not highland clothing and most tartans did not have clan connections until the 1800's. For me this helps to end the age old question "Can I wear this tartan?" They were mostly made up - heck ya .. wear it if you like it. If anyone gives you grief - cite the BBC.


http://www.knowledge.ca/program/a-history-of-scotland

[BoldHighlander]

The second to last episode has a segment on kilts and tartans - and calls it like it is. The small kilt was not highland clothing

Huh??

[BruceBC]

Walter Scott was largely responsible for the current concept as to what highland culture was though his books and by staging a royal visit (interesting note is that the King paid about 1000 pounds for his kilt for the event - that was some kilt). The British army also played a role in defining the kilt. For me this does not take away from the kilt or tartans but only serves to show that they are items that have changed over time and should continue to change.

[BoldHighlander]

Walter Scott was largely responsible for the current concept as to what highland culture was though his books and by staging a royal visit (interesting note is that the King paid about 1000 pounds for his kilt for the event - that was some kilt). The British army also played a role in defining the kilt. For me this does not take away from the kilt or tartans but only serves to show that they are items that have changed over time and should continue to change.

I agree that Sir Walter Scott (& the later Victorians) have defined a lot of what we know as the Highland traditions/culture of today.

Yeah, the British army helped define the kilt as we know it today, but it had a longer tradition (both the feilidh-mór & the feilidh-beag) in Scotland than the British army

If you haven't done so, I'd highly recommend Matt Newsome's historical articles on the development of the kilt. They're well worth the read.

Thanks by the way on the heads up on the series, I've been interested in seeing it (I think its on youtube too).

[Burly Brute]

Ok, so this won't play in my area...bummer.

But here is some really creepy stuff. I was so bummed out about this fact, I flipped through the Tele to get to pbs, and guess what was on? Not the same thing you posted--i dont believe...but a show about SCOTLAND!!?!?!?!? No joke! Im freaked...

Anyhow, thanks for the post!


Slainte,

Zach

[BoldHighlander]

Ok, so this won't play in my area...bummer.

But here is some really creepy stuff. I was so bummed out about this fact, I flipped through the Tele to get to pbs, and guess what was on? Not the same thing you posted--i dont believe...but a show about SCOTLAND!!?!?!?!? No joke! Im freaked...

Anyhow, thanks for the post!


Slainte,

Zach

Zach,

if you got to youtube & type in "The History of Scotland", you will find it posted there.

I'd post it on here for everyone, but the way its been broken up there would be way too many parts to post!

(maybe I'll find the kilt portion Bruce mentioned & post it )

[BoldHighlander]

(interesting note is that the King paid about 1000 pounds for his kilt for the event - that was some kilt).

Any reason given for it costing so much?

[tripleblessed]

Read the above and went straight to the section on Scott and THE VISIT.
I did not hear what the OP cited, or more properly, what I THINK I heard would not be accurately summarized in the manner in which I THINK I read. I am not surprised, nor do I think there was deliberate misleading going on, this happens a great deal, and is why I am always skeptical of history and science as
commonly taught and popularly understood. I intend to run it again, but I think
what it said is that the common working man in the Highlands did not wear
the small kilt on a daily basis. It was, however, worn by gentry, which is why
people had it to wear to Edinburgh for the festivities. That is not the same as saying it was not Highland attire. It also did not say that Scott invented clan affiliations with specific tartans; rather that at the time, that had not yet fully evolved into how it is understood today.

[BruceBC]

It is safe to say that the small kilt was not evolved by the common highlander nor used as typical highland wear. Many of the clan chiefs were in all but name English or sucking up to the English during the period the episode covers.

I do not think it is by pure chance that in a 10 hour series about Scotland that kilts are seen for about 2 minutes. A few seconds on soldiers putting down an uprising, a pipe band playing Bruce's address (30 seconds), modern footage of the gathering of the clans on the Royal Mile , and by the host when covering the period around King George's visit and Sir Walter Scott's creation of the highland myth.

The small kilt is now seen as a highland garment - something it was not pre King George's visit. This is not a bad thing because the kilt has become a symbol of Scotland and the Highlands . May be in some way this is the golden era of the small kilt. I like the thought that the small kilt is not a musty old relic of bare legged Highlanders running around with an 8 yard knife pleat to the sett but rather a way to make a statement relevant today.

As for tartans - some have a longer linage that most. Many of today's tartans have at best very week connections to a clan. Then there is the issue of what a clan was - but will leave that subject for another time.

As stated in the intro to the series it set out to tell a history of Scotland while cutting through the myth and flights of fancy. I feel the series succeeded in doing so. I am not a formally trained historian of Scottish history but did spend too many years hanging out in campus pubs with the likes of Scottish historian, Ted Cowan. The series rings true to the historians' view of Scotland.

Too often I have seen folks overly worry as to what clan they belonged to - or if they could wear a given tartan. This is sad given how the history of both is so much more complicated. The series has a fitting end. It takes the history in stride - but more importantly it looks forward.

[DougC]

Thanks for posting these videos. I'm about half way through and learning tons.