Who Owns the Kilt - My Personal Refelction

[Jock Scot]

Singlemalt.

I did not start the "possessive" train of thought, although I have pursued it in the general need for understanding and I find the replies quite interesting and confirms that there is a genuine willingness to try to form "an understanding" of the Scots point of view from those who have answered my question and is helpful in my quest for my own understanding of those from outwith Scotland. Others too, may have been enlightened, from both sides of the Atlantic.

[Big Mikey]

Perhaps this nth version of a continuing disagreement could be best ended as follows:

"Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery."

[kilted scholar]

Earlier today I composed a reply to this thread, and clicked the appropriate button, whereupon the reply disappeared into cyberspace, possibly due to the teething problems connected with the recent changes.

In retrospect, I doubt whether readers of the thread could count themselves deprived of anything significant!

[Macman]

This forum is the first place that I ever heard of Irish Kilts, Contemporary Kilts and, even more surprising to me, people wearing kilts with only the most tenuous connections to Scotland, or even none at all. My first reaction was, these people are nuts! Then I found myself a bit miffed that they would appropriate something which was so important to me, my family, heritage and tradition. I felt that they were inappropriately appropriating my culture and had no right.

However, I was not long on Xmarts before I also encountered the other point of view. I learned that there were those in Scotland who think I am nuts! That as a native born North American, by wearing, the kilt I am inappropriately appropriating their culture. I was at the same time shocked, angry and saddened. I had never thought of the kilt as national dress, it was an important element and symbol of my family and my heritage. It was disturbing to find that at least a few Scots no longer feel I am part of the family.

This has all left me rather confused. My gut and instinct is still uncomfortable with people who say they wear a kilt to honour their Great, Great, Grandfather Willie, on there mother's side, who they just found out was from Glasgow. On the other hand, I understand how it hurts to be judged so catch myself and don't comment. I have thought a lot about this issue and am no closer to an answer. I know what feels right to me but I also know I have no right to judge others.

Singlemalt, your post rang a bell with me. I don't have the same background as you, but I was brought up, here in Victoria, B.C., with what I can now see was a possessive attitude about the kilt and my heritage. I went through something like what I think you're feeling when I joined XMTS years ago. I have to say that being on this forum has certainly softened my attitudes and made me a more tolerant and accepting kilt-wearer. Like EB, I'm a much rounder bloke now.

[Father Bill]

Jock, reading some of the well-thought and considered American responses here and considering the relative sizes of our nations and even the highland/ lowland discussions that have been had, I'm starting to wonder if it would it be more useful for us all to speak of "regional" and "heritage" dress rather than "national." What do you think?

To all - after some of the heartbreakingly emotional explanations of the inexplicable that have been rejected on the many (not just both) sides of this argument - well done! This has been a much more measured and intelligent discussion than has sometimes happened!

Bill+

[Jock Scot]

Father Bill.

Who knows how things will turn out in another 500 years in the USA and the other young, or old, countries of the world, but if history is anything to go by, a stable national identity seems to emerge, whilst some regional differences still remain.

The UK for example, a small country I grant you, but given the lack of communications(roads etc) for much of the last 3/2/1000 years it must have hindered our national development hugely, not that anyone realised it was happening anyway.Getting from Inverness to Fort William, some 70 miles, must have been a huge undertaking to get from one settlement to the other and maybe they did not even have names then either. To this day we have regional accents only less pronounced due to, radio and TV apparently. But a Glaswegian accent is very different to the Inverness accent as is the Birmingham accent to a London accent. To those with the "the ear" accents can be still narrowed down to small areas within a county.Area/regonal terminology still exists too, a pitch fork (like Alan uses to toss sheaves at a highland games) has several local names, a shuppick, a pike, a pykle for example or for another a ditch, can be a dyke, rene, rine and there are dozens of other wonderful examples.

So let us narrow the UK down to Scotland(where we are now seriously talking about independence! In many ways a mis-noma. Another twist in the evolutionary trail?). We must have had people in the distant past who were incomers from say, Normandy and it must have taken them days, weeks, years, decades, centuries, to evolve into just Scots with perhaps a smidgen of on idea of their past, but its happened and its happened time and time again all over Europe, all that is required is a lot of time. In comparison the USA has only just started!

So moving on to The North Americas, I venture to suggest as a young and vast country(s) with its imported international and regional traits and imported heritages, BUT with the huge advantage of good communications, Good roads, air travel, postal services, radio and TV, telephone,the Internet, the country size is almost irrelevant. And it has the even more huge advantage of lessons of other nations history to learn from, should they choose to look, for example, the dreadful disasters that the old world inflicted upon themselves. The lessons learned on how not to do things are as equally vauable as lessons on how to do something.

So , I think the national definitions will apply more strongly as time moves on in "new" countries. Regional traits will still be there, regional dress will be still be there to an extent,( the kilt is, after all, not regarded as national attire for the whole of the UK). Heritage? Well, if Scotland is anything to go by, it seems to be inclusive to a great extent and has crystallised into a single national identity almost exclusively and past connections have pretty much gone, even the Clan thing is more like a club in the loosest sense these days------and thank goodness----- but regional aspects still exist. So no FB I think you are not right to use the labels that you suggest.

[Johnny Selkie]

Not to derail the thread, but here in Norway its common practice to choose a bunad (the Norwegian national dress) from a district (as we have no clan bunads) where you live or where your ancestors came from ( traditionally on your fathers side that is). We have no national "free for all" Bunad like the royal stewart/black watch tartan, but instead the bunad has gone from a regional dress to a national dress as people are more mobile than before. Personally I think that the history of the bunad and kilt have lots in common,where both are to some extend reconstructed national romantic ideals of what norwegian peasants/scottish highlanders wore in the past.

Just as you had Walter Scott giving advice on scottishness, we had Hulda Garborg who almost singlehandly decided what could be regarded as proper bunadwear. I've celebrated the 17th of May (Norwegian national day) twice in the US and I've have no problem with Americans in bunads as long as they know what to wear and how to wear it and have a affiliation or familly ties back to Norway. Almost no one wore Bunads in the big cities hundred years ago, but now there are almost as many (perhaps even more) bunads on display in the cities than in the villages. Personally I think that if its acceptable to wear highlandwear in the lowlands of Scotland (and even by those who cannot claim any highland roots), I see no problem with it being worn in the US, Canada or Norway (by those who have a familly/historical connection) as its already been taken out of its original setting which is the highland.

[opositive]

Perhaps this nth version of a continuing disagreement could be best ended as follows:

"Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery."

i am adopted-so i can be whomever i want. i am american-so i can do whatever i want. i choose to emulate certain aspects of highlands culture, such as kilting, because i like them. whenever someone imitates as a "want to" rather than a "have to," it demonstrates appreciation and respect.

[McElmurry]

I am american-so i can do whatever i want. i choose to emulate certain aspects of highlands culture, such as kilting, because i like them. whenever someone imitates as a "want to" rather than a "have to," it demonstrates appreciation and respect.

Humans seem to be better at adopting the symbols of others than inventing their own. Triangular Celtic symbols which perhaps originally represented earth, sea, and sky were adopted by Christians to represent the trinity. Other famous symbols which have been borrowed in the last century include the swastika and the rainbow.

The usurping of symbols understandably creates angst amongst those from whom the symbol has been taken. They are often powerless to stop what they may consider an unauthorized use of their symbol which can certainly lead to hard feelings. Particulary when the usurpers are inconsiderate, defensive, or just oblivious. The kilt is worn today to represent Scotland, the Scottish diaspora, the Celtic nations (irrespective of geopolitical boundaries), bravery and freedom in general, or some other meaning that only the wearer may fathom. But most acknowledge the Scottish Highlands as the center of the kilt wearing universe and I hope the opinions of those that live there and wear the kilt are always given the consideration they deserve.

[Freelancer]

Ah, who owns the kilt? The Sticky wicket question!

I appreciate the feelings expressed by Singlemalt and also how vexing in general this topic can be. My advice on the whole to any one would be to not hinge the validation of your life’s beliefs and passions on the opinion of others, but to listen to what your own heart has to say about the subject. Based on your original post, I think you already know what is right for you.

One thing I find terribly ironic about this question is that the Scots themselves can’t always agree on the answer. It’s been stated many times on this site by various native Scots, that there are some native Highlanders who harbor the opinion that anyone outside of the Highlands proper is not entitled to wear the kilt, denying the entitlement to their fellow countrymen to wear the “National Attire of Scotland” because they are Lowlanders! I’ve even heard arguments between native Scots over what actually constitutes the Highlands geographically. If native Scots can’t totally agree on the question, it all boils down to a moot point. But, what are the facts? The kilt is part of the “National Attire of Scotland”. That is a fact. It is also a fact that the kilt is worn by a great multitude of people the world over. In my part of the world (New York Metropolitan area, USA), there are scores of pipe bands and a fair number of Irish and Scottish organizations whose members also wear the kilt. There may be some people who are offended by these facts. But, all the gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands, shaking of heads and wagging of fingers will not alter these facts.

As has been stated here before, we here in the US celebrate our multiculturalism. To illustrate this point, this is a brief list of celebrations that take place throughout the year in New York city:

Tartan Day Parade
Chinese New Year Parade
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Greek Independence Day Parade
Sikh Cultural Society Parade and Festival
Turkish-American Parade
Norwegians-American 17th of May
Haitian-American Day Parade
Puerto Rican Day Parade
Dominican Day Parade
Pakistan Independence Day Parade
West Indian American Day Carnival Parade
Steuban Day Parade
Pulaski Day Parade
Columbus Day Parade

As you can see, many cultures take pride in the celebration of their heritage. The Celtic diaspora here in the US, borrow from their cultural roots in Ireland and Scotland to create their own unique cultural celebrations. Of course, from the point of view of a native Scot, this may all be very foreign, strange and non-traditional, but that does not invalidate it for the people here who are living it and celebrating it. This is the US not Scotland, and the fact is, we are literally and figuratively an ocean apart. I respect that the Scots have their own view of things and they may approve or disapprove of the way others carry on outside of Scotland. But reality is what it is. I don’t believe there is any right or wrong here. The fact is, we will all, native Scots or Scottish Diaspora, carry on in whatever way we may seem is fit for us to carry on.