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6th January 11, 11:54 AM
#41
Originally Posted by Jock Tamson
To quote Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there."
Kenneth Mansfield
NON OBLIVISCAR
My tartan quilt: Austin, Campbell, Hamilton, MacBean, MacFarlane, MacLean, MacRae, Robertson, Sinclair (and counting)
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6th January 11, 01:21 PM
#42
Originally Posted by MacMillan of Rathdown
Lads, it's a simple shepherd's crook. It's been around for yonks, long before Her Majesty, the Late Queen Empress, ascended the throne. It is a very handy item; in fact it is the national walking stick of Scotland, carried by all sorts of folks-- men, women, farmers, hill walkers, and, yes, lairds and chiefs. It is hardly a "wand of office", and confers no special status upon its owner. No one is going to confuse "Wee Jimmy" in the size 5 bonnet with HRH the Duke of Rothsey simply because he's carrying a stick.
That said, in one regard the cromach is like eagle's feathers in so far as in the far flung corners of the world the Scottish diaspora like to see their chiefs looking, frankly, more Scottish than the Scots. They want to see feathers, and kilts, and plaids, and bonnets, and cromachs. They don't want their chief turning up in wellies, an ancient Barbour jacket, well worn tweeds, deer stalker hat, and toting a cromach, despite the fact that is very likely how a chief really dresses most of the time.
If the cromach is indicative of anything, it is indicative of living in the country, as opposed to living in town, which, when you come to think of it, makes sense. Try getting on the Number 7 bus in Leith waiving around a four-and-a-half-foot-long stick sometime and you'll soon see what I mean. The thing's a damn nuisance.
Precisely, well stated Scott - you know, I tend to agree with what you have to say a lot, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! LOL! I believe that the use of a cromach is particularly best when a Highland man is a spectator at a Highland games, attending a clan gathering, hill-walking, perhaps stalking, certain parades, and any other type of Scottish (Highland) related event that is outdoors. I know only one place (besides regimental officers like Jock pointed out) that carry a cromach indoors, and that is the position of the Chairman of my clan, the Clan Macpherson. Naturally Cluny, our Chief, as well as Glentruim and Pitmain - both Macpherson Chieftains and heads of two prominent Macpherson slioch'd ("race of"), or families within the clan - would all carry a cromach outdoors since they are all "leaders of the flock". Below are various photos of myself with one of my cromachs, my Chief, Sir William Alan Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie with his cromach, several Macpherson Chieftains and clansmen with their cromachs, and a photo showing where I store some of my cromachs at home.
Beannach'd libh,
Last edited by creagdhubh; 6th January 11 at 02:34 PM.
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