looking for advice: Presenting the kilt to Cub Scouts

[Kilted Jeeper]

So this weekend I am missing out on the local Tartan Day festivities to participate in a cub scout camping trip with my son (I am one of the den leaders). I discussed the idea of wearing my kilt on the trip with the scout leader as a tribute to Tartan Day and also because kilts are the best for hiking. He agreed so long as I was willing to give a 10-15 minute presentation to the scouts. I of course quickly agreed as spreading the gospel of kilting is always a great option.
Here is my question to the group....

I need to be able to give a short history of kilts and tartans to a group of boys that are 7-11 years of age. I can discuss this topic all day long with an adult willing to listen to me that long, but I'd like to be able to both educate as well as entertain the boys. Are there any suggestions as to what points I should touch on? Any I should avoid?

Thanks in advance.

[Chas]

Send a PM or email to Panache (Jamie Tanner) - he has just gone through the same thing with his son.

Regards

Chas

[MacMillans son]

Developmentally, that is a pretty wide age group (2nd-6th grade?), so I would use a multi-sensory approach, visual, auditory, tactile. Talk a little about who, what, where, why and how, and support it with pictures and samples of tartan, sporran, and even a kilt, if you have an extra, for them to see and feel.

Don't forget your sgian dubh, and it's true history (utility knife used by hunters/gamekeepers), not the knife hidden under the arm pit story. Scouts should appreciate a good knife!

Good luck!

[Nighthawk]

Developmentally, that is a pretty wide age group (2nd-6th grade?), so I would use a multi-sensory approach, visual, auditory, tactile. Talk a little about who, what, where, why and how, and support it with pictures and samples of tartan, sporran, and even a kilt, if you have an extra, for them to see and feel.

Don't forget your sgian dubh, and it's true history (utility knife used by hunters/gamekeepers), not the knife hidden under the arm pit story. Scouts should appreciate a good knife!

Good luck!

With that in mind, here's an essay I wrote recently that may be of help with the sgain dubh part of the discussion:

"THE SGIAN DUBH



The modern day sgian dubh is inspired by history, myth and misinterpretation. The Gaelic word Sgian means knife, and dubh means black. Sgain dubh translates, then, as “black knife.” The “black” may refer to the fact that it was a hidden knife or a concealed weapon, but could also be attributed to the fact that many were made from bog oak, which had a very dark, almost black appearance.

The modern sgain dubh tends to have an extremely ornate handle, with scabbard being accented in silver, pewter or gold. The blades have no edge, and are sometimes jokingly referred to as “knife like objects” with blunt points and dull edges. The less expensive ones are often made in Pakistan, and while the Pakistanis are excellent metal workers and craftsmen, vendors seldom disclose the actual metal content in their less expensive blades. But the bottom line is, with Highland wear, you get what you pay for. Our sgain dubhs are made in Scotland, by Scottish craftsmen, and while they are sold blunt in keeping with the laws of the United Kingdom, they have quality blades that hold their edges quite well, once sharpened. I know this from experience- I use one on a daily basis.

So why the ornate scabbards? Once you tuck it into the top of your kilt hose, you can’t see anything other than the hilt or handle! Well, the way I see it, simply wearing something beautiful gives one a sense of pride, even if no one else knows it’s there. But if you’re looking for a more in-depth answer to the question of why, it dates to the Victorian period of fashion excess. The dirk, or Scottish short sword, was a knife the size of a North American bowie knife. The dirk was standard issue to Scottish soldiers, with very ornate and elaborate dirks being issued to officers. The officer’s sgain dubh was designed to mirror his dirk, and therefore was as elaborate and ornate.

The Sgian Achlais

The modern day sgain dubh is the evolution of the sgian achlais. The term sgian achlais means “arm pit dagger” or sleeve dagger. As the name implies, the sgian achlais was most often concealed in the folds of the great kilt underneath the armpit, or hidden in the sleeve, used for close combat. Often, if a Highlander had a targe, the round leather covered wooden Scottish shield, a sgian achlais would have been attached to the back of the targe in a permanently attached sheath. A good descripion of the sgian achlais was written by George Alexander in his work “A Topography of Great Brittan”. The key word in all historical accounts is the word “dagger.” All old accounts called the sgian achlais a dagger; not a knife. A dagger is described as a double edge weapon for stabbing or thrusting in close combat. A knife is described as a single edged utility tool for skinning game, cutting bread, etc. I personally use mine for gutting fish and as a general utensile when camping. This accounts for the filework on the false edge of the blade, representing damage from the days when the sgain dubh may have been a utilitarian, and not decorative, knife.

So why is it that the sgain dubh is worn in the top of the kilt hose? Well, the Scots of the Highlands were a very warlike people. If you couldn’t see the Highlander’s knife, it should make you suspicious. It means that he’s still got it- but it’s hidden, which begged the question- what is his intent? Having the weapon on display was a symbolic way of stating “I bare you no ill will. You can trust me.” But this refers to the sgian achlais and not the present sgian dubh. The present sgian dubh is most likely a Victorian idea. The modern tradition is a holdover from the sgian achlais."

Also, I wear a kilt around the boys in Scout Troop 527 all the time. It took them all of one Tuesday night meeting to get used to it. They were all very curious, I told them about it, and that was it!

[Lallans]

I merely wanted to see your sources that the kilt's origin was from warfare

I would skip the warfare origins, even if the Scouts are organized in a paramilitary fashion, and just go with the Scottish Scout connection. The link below talks about kilts and Scouts in detail:

http://histclo.com/youth/youth/org/s...o/scoutsco.htm

Did I say that the origin of the kilt was from warfare? My, that was careless of me; I meant to say that the history of mankind is one of warfare and that Scotland has an extra plentiful load of history in that regard. Also, that boys are boys and in their natural state not particularly given to political correctness, further based on my notion as learned from experience that anyone approaching them that way is instantly spotted for a phoney and/or an imposer of goodietwoshoesism.

[Lallans]

Since cubs and scouts camp out a lot, or think about it, I would relate the stories about how the original Great Kilt was used as personal sleeping bag and even an actual shelter. Overall, I suggest an emphasis on the manly war-like origins of the kilt, and the total avoidance of anything touching on undergarments.

[Paul Henry]

snip...
Overall, I suggest an emphasis on the manly war-like origins of the kilt,
.....snip

War like origins?

Perhaps heroic deeds might be a more gentle approach...

[Lallans]

War like origins?

Perhaps heroic deeds might be a more gentle approach...

I don't want to get drawn into a quarrel but take a look at Scottish history in the context you suggest, and also at the interests of little boys.

[Paul Henry]

I don't want to get drawn into a quarrel but take a look at Scottish history in the context you suggest, and also at the interests of little boys.

I merely wanted to see your sources that the kilt's origin was from warfare

[TheNaughtyScot]

I would skip the warfare origins, even if the Scouts are organized in a paramilitary fashion, and just go with the Scottish Scout connection. The link below talks about kilts and Scouts in detail:

http://histclo.com/youth/youth/org/s...o/scoutsco.htm