The Crow nation

**Nighthawk** · 29th June 10, 09:34 AM

As anyone who has looked at the photo gallery knows, I recently participated in the Yellowstone Highland Games and Scottish festival with my living history group. (The festival organizers, I would add, were kind enough to pay for our gas there and back and put us up in a motel for the weekend.) The festival takes place on the same weekend as the reenacment of Custer's last stand at the Little Big Horn battle field. So on Friday night after we were done with setup and opening ceremonies and the ceilidh and all that fun stuff, we all headed back to our motel. I ended up getting dinner at Denny's. (Bear in mind here that I was still in full garb!) I got done with my dinner and headed back to the motel, and I got there just in time to see our weaver Leslie coming around the corner. She walked up to me, grabbed my elbow and said "We're going up there!" and pointed to the hotel bar. We got up there, and I was treated like a minor celebrity! I payed for nothing the whole evening.

Now, the start to the bar trip- there was a young Crow lad in the bar who was in town for the Custer reenactment. He bought me my first drink. He said to me that the Crow love it when kilted men come to visit them because only a man with the heart of a warrior and great respect for his ancestors would wear a kilt. The Crow still consider themselves a warrior people, and related well with me. We were kindred spirits in many ways, it seemed. (For those of you who don't know, the Crow are a Native American tribe. Their nation is in the middle of Montana, and Billings is only about 40 miles or so from the Crow nation's border.)

I would also mention here that Billings is a very kilt friendly town in my 3 day's experience. I drank free the entire trip! (With the exception of one shot, which I wouldn't have had to buy had I waited 5 more minutes! But honestly, I did that on purpose because I got tired of people buying me things and just wanted to get my own damned drink! And then I realized I was a stubborn idiot and let the bachlorrette party in the bar buy the rest of my shots.

)

**Lallans** · 29th June 10, 09:57 AM

Clearly the Crow are a wise and noble people. I frequently notice that Native groups in general seem to relate well to Scots- I believe this has been true all through history. Certainly the Hudsons Bay Company always tried to recruit its outpost staff in Scotland, and in modern times I've know them to hit up the same groups here in Canada. And who knew Montana itself would be so kilt friendly? I have to get out more....

**macwilkin** · 29th June 10, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Canuck of NI

Clearly the Crow are a wise and noble people. I frequently notice that Native groups in general seem to relate well to Scots- I believe this has been true all through history. Certainly the Hudsons Bay Company always tried to recruit its outpost staff in Scotland, and in modern times I've know them to hit up the same groups here in Canada. And who knew Montana itself would be so kilt friendly? I have to get out more....

Information:

http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/genera...=9780195340129

The HBC and NWC were filled with Scots, the former recruiting from the Orkney Islands. The noted Arctic explorer and HBC doctor John Rae, for example, was an Orcadian.

Montana is setting of two noted Scottish-American authors, the late Norman Maclean and Ivan Doig. There is a great scene in the film adaption of A River Runs Through It were a kilted piper plays at the Presbyterian Church Picnic where the Rev. John Maclean served as dominie.

The festival takes place on the same weekend as the reenacment of Custer's last stand at the Little Big Horn battle field.

I would bet that reenactment was not on the battlefield, as NPS doesn't allow mock combat scenarios on original battlefields (and rightly so) -- it may have been living history.

T.

**Marshal Moroni** · 29th June 10, 10:37 AM

Well done Lad! I too have found MT to be kilt friendly. I have family about 1 1/2 hours west of Billings and during my annual visits have found that even the confused are still friendly when I am kilted.

I have been to the reinactment that you mentioned, it is (or was) just west of the National Park, I thought it was a nice event where they balanced modern patriotism for the US with respect for the historical events which may not have been our finest hour.

Cheers,

Marshal Moroni

**BoldHighlander** · 29th June 10, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

I would bet that reenactment was not on the battlefield, as NPS doesn't allow mock combat scenarios on original battlefields (and rightly so) -- it may have been living history.

Originally Posted by Marshal Moroni

I have been to the reinactment that you mentioned, it is (or was) just west of the National Park, I thought it was a nice event where they balanced modern patriotism for the US with respect for the historical events which may not have been our finest hour.

Actually, if the reenactment of the battle is still held in the same location, it on property that belongs to a Crow family & is an actual part of the extended battle area/site.

Off the top of my head I forget the family's name, but I had a number of pard's in the cavalry reenactment community who've participated there.

**macwilkin** · 29th June 10, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

Actually, if the reenactment of the battle is still held in the same location, it on property that belongs to a Crow family & is an actual part of the extended battle area/site.

Off the top of my head I forget the family's name, but I had a number of pard's in the cavalry reenactment community who've participated there.

Aha -- thanks for the clarification, Terry. You are quite correct that reenactments may be held on original battlefields -- just not the ones under NPS jurisdiction.

T.

**Bugbear** · 29th June 10, 11:25 AM

Cool, Nighthawk.

Planning on getting the book cajunscot suggests; have been reading other books by same author, Colin G. Calloway, very good.

This history is part of your heritage, too, Nighthawk, good on you.