September BNFT 2007 section 1 - Electric ScotlandCiting a work load that has gradually eaten away her 22-hour-a-day-nap, Narra The Wonder Cat has hired two qualified feline assistants

Beth�s Newfangled Family Tree Section 1 September 2007 Page 1

Volume No. 1 Issue 4 Beth�s Newfangled Family Tree , Section 1 September 2007

Don’t forget BNFT 2006-2007Newsletter Contest!

See complete details page 1, August BNFT

Clan Sinclair gathering on PEI Clan Sinclair recently gathered on Prince Ed-

ward Island, Canada for a four-day event which drewparticipants from Australia, Oklahoma, South Caro-lina, Texas, California, Georgia, New Hampshire,British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and throughoutthe Canadian Maritimes.

The group was joined by Malcolm Sinclair, the20th Earl of Caithness, who is the hereditary chief ofthe Clan Sinclair and patron of the Clan Sinclair Asso-ciation of Canada. He is currently a sitting member ofthe House of Lords in London, representing Caithness.

Close to 125 Sinclair members, including about60 islanders with Sinclair connections attended.

Shown in the photograph at the left are RogerSinclair, left, president of the Clan Sinclair Societyof Nova Scotia, Mel Sinclair, president of the ClanSinclair Association, USA, Malcolm Sinclair, Earlof Caithness and Rory Sinclair, president of the ClanSinclair Association of Canada.

attracts many to Canadian isle

Be sure and send us news, events, happenings about your own Clan

Page 2 Beth�s Newfangled Family Tree Section 1 September 2007

Editor, photographer, etc.Beth Gay, LOK, FSA Scot<[email protected]>

347 Rocky Knoll Rd.Walhalla, SC 29691

WebmasterAlastair McIntyre, KTJ, FSA Scot<http://www.electricscotland.com>

Masthead DesignTom Freeman, KR, FSA Scot

<[email protected]>

ProofreaderNarra The Wonder Cat

<bethscribble@ aol.com>Miss Narra’s Assistants

Peggie Hairy and Bicket

Miss Narra hirestwo new BNFTproofreading helpers Citing a work load that has gradually eaten away her22-hour-a-day-nap, Narra The Wonder Cat has hired twoqualified feline assistants. Shown below, on the left is Mr. Peggie Hairy and on theright, Mr. Bicket - the new BNFT employees. Peggie Hairy has experience with sleeping on books,napping in the bookcase and snoozing amongst the paper-back books in the living room basket. Bicket is the new “guy on the block” only having joinedthe family about a year ago as a wild kitten. He has workeddiligently to follow Narra’s example of quality reading bysitting on library books, rolling on newspapers and rip-ping magazines to shreds. You can’t see it, but in the photo below, there is a dictio-nary in the chair under the two new workers. The two promise to follow Miss Narra’s tradition ofquality work, long naps and many treats.

Miss Narra The Wonder Cat poseshoping the little circles under her eyesdo not show. She hopes to improve hernaptime by hiring two helpers.

Peggie Hairy and Bicket showing howexhausted they become working on BNFT.


A letter from your editor:A letter from your editor:A letter from your editor:A letter from your editor:A letter from your editor:A few things tothink about....

Over the past couple of games seasons, I’veheard discussions about smaller crowds, lessvolunteer participation, less clan participa-

tion, clans who are losing membership, etc. I know ofmore than a few games that simply are no more.

I’ve had some time to think about all of this...andalthough you might not be particularly happy to see whatI’ve thought...I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read andthen think about what you’ve read.

I’ve had occasion to try and contact some HighlandGames, some clans, even businesses...some entertainers...andit turned out to be a very hard chore to actually find anyone.

These groups and individuals seem to rely on theirwebsite and/or email to be their public presence and theirprinciple means of communicating. Many brochures, evenwebsites, have no phone number, no way to contact a per-son with whom you can speak and exchange information..

I’ve tried leaving a message on websites - only to be“pinged” that the mailbox is full. I’ve tried using the email, butmany times the mailbox is full or you never receive a reply.Even if you do find a phone number, the call is seldom returned.

My goodness, this publication is on the Internet andelectronic media has its place. However, I promise, youmay phone me, email me or write me a letter or note and Iwill be back to you as soon as is humanly possible.

I understand that having someone to answer the phoneand talk to people is much more trouble than just leavingeverything to electronics. However, could it be that thislack of human communication might prevent people fromattending your event or joining your group? Could it bethat potential attendees or participants just need to speakto a person? It surely doesn’t hurt to try.

I’m sure this isn’t the only reason for the decline in atten-dance at Highland Games...but it might be one of the reasons.

Years ago, I had a little list of things called “What ittakes to be a champion...” The list was primarily for 4-H’ers...but I read it and remember a few of the things thatI’ve tried ever since then to make a part of myself.

One of the things on the list was, “Always return phone

calls promptly.”Another thing I remember, although my

Grandmother had already taught me this, was, “Besure and say ‘please” and ‘thank you.’”

So, please think about these little things.Thank you.Love,beth

Beth Gay, editor, BNFTin Scotland 2005


Majestic America Line announcesfarewell celebration throughout 2008for the legendary “Delta Queen”

Built in 1926, the Delta Queen features a steel hull and a superstructure constructed of wood – a directreflection of the designs of her time. Subsequent Coast Guard regulations prohibited wooden superstructures, butCongress decided more than 40 years ago to provide a special exemption from these rules for the historic DeltaQueen. This exemption, which Congress had extended no fewer than six occasions, is set to expire in November2008.

For years, the Delta Queen has been a beloved fixture on the heartland rivers of the United States and providedguests with a view of America from the waters that shaped the country’s expansion. The Delta Queen provides awholly unique way to experience the great American communities, cultures and experiences along the Upper andLower Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas, Black Warrior and Cumberland rivers, as well as the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

In 1970, recognized as the last operational steam paddlewheeler with overnight accommodations plying therivers, the Delta Queen was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1989, she was designated as aNational Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior. She was inducted into the National Maritime Hall ofFame in 2004.

A veteran of World War II and the only steamboat to transit the Panama Canal, the 80 year-old Delta Queen washost to three U.S. presidents and a princess. Stars of stage, screen and the entertainment world have also graced herdecks, as well as some of the most prominent business leaders and statesmen of our time.

The ship itself is rich with art and antiquities such as original Tiffany-style stained glass windows, rich hard-wood paneling, gleaming brass fittings, the only Siamese ironwood floor aboard a steamboat, the dramatic and often-photographed Grand Staircase, an 1897 steam calliope, and the very same ship’s bell that sounded out landings forthe steamboat that Mark Twain rode downriver in 1883.

Majestic America Line will dedicate the 2008 season to celebrating the Delta Queen’s 80 years of service andher fabled time on the river.

Majestic America Line is planning special commemorative events, exclusive departures for previous DeltaQueen guests and commemorative gifts that will mark the farewell season. With just 24 departures on the DeltaQueen during 2008, guests are encouraged to reserve their place in history soon. To find out more about traveling onthe Delta Queen, please contact judy@judysctt .com. or call 404-378-1080

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Last month we talked about traveling as atourist so lets look at how a traveler mightapproach a trip to Scotland. Unlike Ant-

arctica, Borneo or other exotic destinations whereyou can encounter lots of challenges Scotland is awonderfully easy way to test you mettle as a trav-eler. No language problems, well maybe in Glasgow,no culture shock and friendly natives make for a won-derful adventure. Don’t worry about running intotourons (tourist + moron) as this is too much for them.

First things first, pack light; it’s almost a clichébut if you have ever schlepped your own bags alonguneven pavement or in the rain you will come to loveyour backpack and some now even sport wheels.Unless you are in the wilderness you can find a coinlaundry in most small towns. Sturdy, waterproof bootsand rain gear are musts. Since you will be handlingyour own luggage on public transportation you shouldbring only what you can manage yourself. If you are

renting a car or caravan, aka camper, you can adjustaccordingly. If you want to walk, ramble or checkout the Munros, go to www.walking.visitscotland.comfor almost everything you will need to know to havea well organized and enjoyable trip.

Getting around Scotland is fairly easy. If you’rerenting a car the best value is going to be an economywith standard shift. It does not take long to accli-mate to driving on the left and shifting with the lefthand or navigating single track roads. If you areflying into Glasgow or Edinburgh use public trans-portation while staying there. A car in the city is aparking problem waiting to happen and daily park-ing rates are high; few hotels in the city provide freeparking. If you stay at a B&B on the outskirts justbe sure it’s on a bus line or you can check out parkand ride services provided in Edinburgh, Aberdeenand Perth. Autoeurope, www.autoeurope.com allowsyou to compare rates for several companies. It’s agood idea to get collision and theft protection if yourown auto insurance policy will not cover a foreignrental. There is usually no charge to pick the car upon one city and drop it in another.

There are numerous options for bus travel. Ifyou are originating in England or Wales you can usethe National Express www.nationalexpress.com toget to the larger cities in Scotland. Once in Scot-land you can use Scottish Citylink with service toover 200 cities and towns. Check outwww.citylink.co.uk for schedules, fares, ticket dis-counts and money saving passes. All rates are quotedin Pounds and dates should be put in with the dayfirst, then the month. For a real look at rural lifeconsider traveling on the Postbuswww.royalmail.com/postbus. For a fee you cantravel on the bus delivering mail to areas where thereis no other form of public transportation and get aglimpse of Scotland that tourists never see.

Rail travel is limited to cities on the main lineswww.britrail.com but it can be coordinated with bus

Tourist? Traveler? Touron?

Marti Van Horne,Scots Travel Specialist

Continued on page 6


and ferry services to make a journey to more outly-ing areas; see www.traveline.org.uk. The Freedomof Scotland Travelpass gives unlimited travel on rail,bus and even Caledonian McBrayne scheduled ferryservices. Passes can be purchased for any 4 daysout of 8 consecutive days or 8 out of 15 days. Scenicrides such as The West Highland Line through Ft.William to Mallaig and the route from Sitrling toKyle of Lochalsh offer outstanding scenery that

would be missed if you are concentrating on driv-ing. If the end of the line ends at a ferry crossing,check ferry schedules first.

Now you can figure out where you want to go.Next month we’ll take look at ferry information asI’m sure you’ll want to explore at least some of the130 islands off the Scottish coast.

We will also consider how to find accommo-dations for your stay.

Email [email protected] with your ideas and experi-ences, just put BNFT in the header so I’ll know it’s not junk.

Great photos are easy in Scot-land. Just point the camera andpush the little button. It is gor-geous everywhere!

Marti Van Horne, Continued from page 5



SCOTTISH TARTANS AUTHORITY USA (formerly TECA)

The most comprehensive database of tartans

Peter Wilson, Registrar5732 Rebel Dr Charlotte NC 28210 Tel 704 535 8955 Fax 704 973 9735

E-mail: [email protected]

Web : www.tartansauthority.com

Clan Graham SocietyIf you are a Graham or Sept of Graham,

you are cordially invited to share in aproud and noble heritage.

For application, write:

CLAN GRAHAM SOCIETYNorris Graham

PO Box 70Yucca, AZ 06438-0070

www.clan-graham-society.org

Clan Skene Association, Inc.Invites membership from Skene and septs

Carison, Carney/Carnie, Currehill, Dyas, Dyce,Dyer, Hall, Halyard/Hallyard, MacGalliard,Rennie and Skains.

Robert J. Skeens,2 VP & Membership Chairman

1705 Woodruff StreetBethany, MO 64224

EmaiL: [email protected]

Scottish Clans &Organizations! If you would like for your group tobe represented here, just contact BNFTat [email protected] These ads are NOT expensive andare a great way to reach potential newmembers. $5.00 per issue or $60.00per year. (Pay for a year and get 12issues for only $55.00) Please send name and billingaddress and your ad copy. If you wishto send a business card and a check,just mail to: Beth Gay, 347 RockyKnoll Rd., Walhalla, SC 29691. Makeschecks to Beth Gay, please.

Clan MacClan MacClan MacClan MacClan Macnnnnneil Association of Americaeil Association of Americaeil Association of Americaeil Association of Americaeil Association of AmericaIf you are a MacNeil or of any of the following

“Sept” names, then you have found the site that you arelooking for:

Macneil, MacNeil, Macniel, MacNiel, Macneill,MacNeill, MacNeillie, Macneal, MacNeal, Macneale,MacNeale, MacNeilage, Macneilage, MacNelly, Macnelly,MacNeally, Macneally, Mcneil, McNeil, Mcniel, McNiel,Mcneill, McNeill, Mcneal, McNeal, Mcneale, McNeale,McNeilage, Mcneilage, McNelly, Mcnelly, McNeally,Mcneally, Neil, Neal, Neall, Neale, Neill, Niel, Niell, O’Neal,O’Neil, O’Niel, O’Neill, Oneil, Oneill, Nelson, Neilson,Nielson, MacGougan, Macgougan, MacGrail, Macgrail,MacGugan, Macgugan, MacGuigan, Macguigan,McGougan, Mcgougan, McGrail, McGraill, Mcgrail, Mcgraill,McGugan, Macgugan, McGuigan, Mcguigan

President C. McNeill Baker, Jr.6959 Almours Dr.

Jacksonville, FL 32117-2628

clan macneil.net

Looking for yourfamily? Here theyare! Contact them now!Contact them now!Contact them now!Contact them now!Contact them now!


Looking for a littleLooking for a littleLooking for a littleLooking for a littleLooking for a littletouch of Scotland in the USA?touch of Scotland in the USA?touch of Scotland in the USA?touch of Scotland in the USA?touch of Scotland in the USA?

We raise beautiful Soay sheep which originated on the isle of Hirta in theOuter Hebrides north of Scotland. We offer breeding stock, pets and lawnmowers, fleece and sometimes pelts.

We are located in South Carolina, but have experience shipping animalsand other products nationwide. These beautiful sheep are chocolatebrown and naturally shed their fleece in the spring. They have been tracedback to the bronze age.

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Deb

The PipersGathering,2007,Killington, VT

Pete Stewart,English Pipes

DebQuigley,IrishUilleannPipes

If you love “alternative bagpipe music,” you’ll love The Pipers’ Gathering held each August in Killington,

Vermont.When you hear the word, “bagpipe,” most

people think of the Great Highland Bagpipe.The Pipers’ Gathering features all of theOTHER bagpipe types found in the BritishIsles and Europe. That includes theNorthumbrian Smallpipes, ScottishSmallpipes, Irish uilleann pipes, Border pipesand many different varieties of the English bag-

Continued on page 10


Annie Grace,Scottish Smallpipes

Fin Moore,son of Hamish Moore,Border Pipes

pipes. Participants are exposed to thebroad spectrum of fascinating instru-ments and the equally interestingpeople who play them and makethem.

You’ll find some of the finestpipemakers in the world. The Pip-ers’ Gathering is the place to go ifyou’ve ever thought about playingsomething other than the GreatPipes...or, if you’d just like to enjoythe sounds made by the masters ofthese lesser known instruments.

You can also find supplies, mu-sic books, CDs, cassette tapes andmore.

This year, the event was held August 10-13and began with an informal ceilidh. There arehands-on piping classes on Saturday and Satur-day and Sunday afternoons feature mini-concerts,demonstrations, special workshops and discus-sions. There are ongoing traditional Irish ses-sions and spontaneous jamming. Evening con-certs feature some of the best pipers in the world!

This was the 22nd year of The Pipers’ Gath-ering. At first it was held in Hero, Vermont - anidea of Alan Jones.

By 1998, the event had grown into a majorpiping program and moved to the grounds of theShore Acres Motel. In 2005, the committee an-nounced that the gathering would be held for thefirst time in Killington, VT.

If you’d like more information visit http://[email protected]

With many thanks to my old friend, PeggyBrewster.

The Pipers’ Gathering,Continued from page 9


* Suppliers of tartan fabrics and apparel* Custom weaving of wool and non-wool fabrics* Catering to the needs of Clan Associations & Individuals

Contact: The Scottish Weaver, Charlotte, NCTel: 704-535-8955 Fax: 704-973-9735

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The Jacksonville Genealogical Soci-ety, will hold their monthly meetingSeptember 15, 2007 at 1:30 p.m. atthe Webb-Wesconnett Branch Li-brary, 6887 103rd St., Jacksonville,Fl. We are pleased to have as ourspeaker, Mr. James “Craig” Morris, anative of Jacksonville, whose topic is“Genealogy and the War for South-ern Independence.” He will discussthe war at it relates to Jacksonvilleand Northeast Florida. For additionalinformation please contact MaryChauncey at (904) 781-9300.

JacksonvilleGenealogical Societysets meeting date forSeptember 15, 2007

Be sure andBe sure andBe sure andBe sure andBe sure andsee oursee oursee oursee oursee our

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Commander Sandy,Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

Saturday’s weather could not have been better!There was a big crowd, and some additionalMcDuffie family contacts were made!

Brother/Sister team of Marianne Clayton andGordon James won the prize of traveling the great-est distance to join the family, theirs beginning inBritish Columbia! I think they have had a grandvacation!

Your welcoming letter was read aloud as thestart of our Annual Meeting. Thank you for yoursupport!

Commissioner Bruce shared memories of pastPresident William Coleman. Commissioner Bruceand with his lovely wife, Winnie, were presentedwith a gift in recognition of their many years ofsupport and service to the Clan. Vice President JerryMcDuffie is being sent on a mission to presentCousins Fritz and Bettye with a gift as an expres-sion of thanks for all their years of leadership!

Cousin David Nathan McDuffie gave a excel-lent presentation of the McDuffie DNA Project, leadby Rod McDuff, and the results to date of the 90+samples analyzed so far. Everyone voice their sup-port to encourage more participation in the study.Vice President Bill Morris shared that your DNAsample, as well as our friend, Dr. Jim McAfee’s,show you to be a descendant of one of the originalMcDuffies! Glad to have the documentation! This

is fun!Financially, we are in good shape, having in-

come greater than our expenses! True to our Scot-tish ancestry! I’ll scan a copy of the David’s reportto share with you this week.

With the election of officers, we used the oldQuaker tradition of building consensus, and the re-sult was Cousin David Nathan McDuffie, Treasurer;Cousin Marty Rosser, Secretary; Cousins WilliamMorris and Jerry McDuffie, Vice Presidents, and Iam to be the President. Here’s hoping this leader-ship team meets with your approval!

Time on Saturday was spent with Dr. ArchieMcAfee in the Macfie tent. Cousin Dr. Archie in-vited the MacDuffee’s to join in the Parade of theTartans this morning, and we shall, carrying ourMacDuffee banner as a show of force on behalf ofthe family! At our Annual Meeting we discussed howwe could collaborate more in the future as a Clan,not just a Clan Society. Commissioner Bruce seemedpleased.

Well, the sun is up, so it is time to prepared foranother day on top of Grandfather Mountain! Here’shoping that you and Helen are well!

Your obedient servant,John RosserPresidentMacDuffee Clan Society of America Inc.

A letter to theClan Commanderfrom JohnRoser, PresidentClan MacDuffeeon the happeningsat the 2007GrandfatherMountainHighland Games



Be sure to send us your clan news & [email protected]


Piqua Heritage Festival September 1 - September 3 Piqua, OHIO Performance Times - Saturday 4:30p....Sunday12:30p and 2:30p....Monday 1p....would love to see you there.

Fort Loudoun September 8 - September 9 Venor, TENNESSEE Great site and great people. Jeff and his entirestaff do a great job putting this on. We love to swim in the lake after a hot day.

Tiffin Heritage Festival September 15 - September 16 Tiffin, OHIO Another great heritage festival this time innorthern Ohio. These people are wonderful. Germans rule.

Mississinewa 1812 October 5 - October 7 Marion , INDIANA Marion Indiana is host to one of the largest War of1812 events in the country. Great event.

Feast of the Hunters Moon October 12 - October 13 West Lafayette, INDIANA The fest was my first event as akid. This is always a hoot. I don’t recover as well as I used to from this one.

Locust Grove October 27 - October 28 Louisville , KENTUCKY GREAT SITE. These people are real pros theentire staff of Locust Grove are the BEST. Take some time to tour this place and look at the surroundingneighborhood. AWESOME!!!

Beavers Bend Folk Festival November 10 - November 11 Broken Bow , OKLAHOMA WE MISSED THESEGUYS. Michelle and Doug do a great job with the details. Probably one of the most beautiful places on earth!

FAN APPRECIATION CONCERT November 24 - November 24 Tipp City, OHIO GET YOUR TICKETREQUESTS IN NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE GOING FAST. told that we were sold out. GET YOURTICKETS EARLY THEY ARE GOING

Be sure and see Father, Son & FriendsBe sure and see Father, Son & FriendsBe sure and see Father, Son & FriendsBe sure and see Father, Son & FriendsBe sure and see Father, Son & Friendsin person! Their upcoming schedule:in person! Their upcoming schedule:in person! Their upcoming schedule:in person! Their upcoming schedule:in person! Their upcoming schedule:

A few Game Faces!


The Kiltmaker�s ApprenticeKilt Rentals

Custom Made KiltsSCOTTISH ATTIRE &CELTIC ACCESSORIES

Thistle de LunaCreative Photography, Beadwork, Crafts

Peggy Brewster

95 Pine Ridge Rd.Middleton, NH 03887

603-973-1555 603-473-8795

[email protected]://www.thistledeluna.com

16th Annual International Gathering ofthe Clan Macfie hosts more than 150

The 16th annual International Gathering of theClan Macfie in early July drew crowd of more than150 . The event was hosted by the host Clan Soci-ety, The Thorbburn-Macfie Family Society of Swe-den and ran in conjunction with that Society’s regu-lar Triennial Family Reunion.

Visitors were from Scotland, Ireland, NewZealand, the USA and Holland.

There were four days of activities for the group.Formed in 1937, the Thorburn-Macfie Family

Society commemorates the arrival in Sweden in 1823of William Thorburn and his wife, Jessie Macfie,from Scotland. Their descendants prospered andvery much remained in Sweden to form this stronggroup of “locals” acknowledging their Scottish roots.

Although Thorburn is the dominant surnameline within the Family Society, several other Macfiescame to Sweden in the early days and their descen-

dants remain today, all being proud of their Scottishheritage.

If you would like information on the ClanMacfie, please contact Clan Commander A.C.“Sandy” MacPhie, 76 Lindeman Avenue, Heatley,Townsville, Q. 4814 Australia. You may also visittheir homepage on the Internet: http://www.clanmacfiehomepage.org

sssss54 Vineyard Ave.Highland, New York, 12528

Phone: 845-691-3888Toll Free: 1-800-859-KILTFax: 845-691-3611Email: [email protected]

B o b a n d D o r e e n B r o w n i n g

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SSSSSo, what do you mean byo, what do you mean byo, what do you mean byo, what do you mean byo, what do you mean by�Highland Dancing�??�Highland Dancing�??�Highland Dancing�??�Highland Dancing�??�Highland Dancing�??

Kay McKinnon LaRue

“No, it’s NOT Riverdance!” If you’ve everbeen involved in Highland Dancing, chances are youhave said that to those not familiar with our Scot-tish art form of dancing.

For those of you who are curious as to whatyou may have seen at our Highland Games, I hopethis gives you a wee bit of useful information to makeit more enjoyable to watch!

Riverdance, of course, is Irish but the Scotshave their own form of dancing very different fromwhat you see on PBS.

For one, the Scots actu-ally use their arms when theydance and, at least in compe-tition, there are very specificsteps that must be preciselyperformed. Second, the cos-tumes worn are as much apart of the dance as are thesteps themselves.

Let’s start there.When you watch danc-

ers, they generally are wear-ing a kilt, hose, jacket or vestand the ever present softleather “ghillies” (danceshoes).

Ghillie, by the way, is aGaelic term for a servant.

In the days of yore,when the lairds or noblemen discarded their shoes,they ripped out the tongue (making them less valu-able) and gave them to their servants to use. This iswhy the shoes worn today for dancing and pipe bands

have no tongues!The tartans used for the dancer’s kilts are en-

tirely of their own choosing. While they can wear atartan from any Clan, Family or District they like,they will usually choose a sett that is large and hasmore white in the pattern. This is “flashier” and thekilt swing shows better in front of the judges.

There are at least a hundred different “dancetartans” available to choose from. This can be oneof the most exciting and difficult choices a dancer

makes! A kilt is normally cus-tom made for the dancer and isvery expensive. The good thingabout a kilt is that it can be madeto “grow” with the dancer (atleast to a point) so you don’t needto get a new one very often. It isimportant that the dancer choosestheir tartan carefully as they couldbe wearing it for several years!

A black or matching coloredvelvet vest or jacket is worn bygirls and boys can wear a blackor colored doublet such as aPrince Charles or Montrose.

The hose must be of thesame tartan as the kilt, although,in the lower levels of dancing,(Primary, Beginner and Novice)a white sock may be worn, in-

stead.Boys will also wear a Glengarry or Balmoral




Cap and a sporran. They may not wear a Sgian Dubh(small sock knife) while dancing but they must wearunderwear! No “going regimental” allowed!!

Another costume you may see on a female danceris a white dress or Aboyne costume. These are wornfor “National Dances” (more on those later). Again,it is the dancer’s choice to wear either the white dresswith a tartan plaid over her shoulder or the Aboynecostume consisting of a white blouse and velvet“petal” vest and a tartan skirt with a matching tartanplaid over the shoulder.

Boys can still wear the kilt or they can choose towear tartan “trews”, instead.

There are a few other costumes worn for spe-cific dances such as the Sailor’sHornpipe and the Irish Jig.

The hornpipe costume isa sailor’s pants and top com-plete with the big square collarin back with stripes and an au-thentic Regulation BritishNavy cap.

The Jig costume is a redand/or green dress with a whiteapron and instead of the famil-iar ghillies, hard soled Jig shoeswith “jingles” in the heels areworn.

Dancers are required tohave their hair pulled awayfrom the face, and if longenough, it is pulled into a bunon top of their head with no rib-bons or adornments allowed.

We just like them to show off their beautiful Scot-tish faces and smiles rather than their hair!!

Highland dances, except for reels, were tradi-tionally done by men. In fact, it is still a very big partof present day Highland regiments.

In the US Army, you see lots of pushups andjumping jacks for conditioning.

In the Highland service, everyone is expected tolearn dancing as a part of their conditioning and any

Highland dancer today will tell you it is quite aworkout!

Some of these dances actually came out of thedays of warfare, such as the familiar Highland Fling,the Sword Dance and Barracks Johnnie.

Women did not begin dancing the men’s High-land dances until about a hundred years ago. Todaythe ratio is about 95% girls to 5% boys.

The National dances were originally women’sdances and were balletic and graceful rather thanthe more athletic Highland dances. This was dueto the influence of the French court on their Scot-tish friends. Most of the National dances originatedin the Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland.

There are many differentsteps to each of the dances.Generally, each dance has somerequired steps and some stepsof the dancers (or teachers)choice.

You may be watching acompetition and see differentsteps being done at the sametime by the 3 dancers that arebeing judged! This is simply apreference and is perfectly ac-ceptable to do. I certainly com-mend those judges for beingable to watch all those differentsteps at the same time and keeptrack of what is done correctlyand what is not!

The only time there are100% required steps is during

the annual USIR National Competition (which, bythe way, was in Irvine, California this year- July25-29th). As I had stated earlier, unlike the Irishdances, we Scots use our arms. Many times youwill see one or both arms held over the head withthe thumb and middle fingers pressed together andthe other three fingers held straight up. This repre-sents the head and antlers of the Highland stag. This


Highland Dancing, Continued from page 21



is only done during Highland dances, not during aNational dance.

Watch for the bow before and after every High-land dance.

All subjects of the King were required to bowbefore their monarch so each dancer bows to showrespect as expected. However, you may note thatwhile bowing, they keep their head and eyes up.Every good Scot knows who the monarch is but thatdoesn’t mean that they necessarily trust him! They’recertainly going to keep their eyes on him!!

The judges are going tolook for several things. Properposition of the leg, foot, armsand head, pointed toes,strength and height in theleaps, good or proper posture,and every dancer’s nemesis –the dreaded “turnout”. Theymust also be on the ball of theirfoot almost the entire time –don’t put those heels down!(can you say shin splints??).

The dancers do not getextra points for doing moredifficult steps. A judge wouldmuch rather see a somethingdanced simple and beautifulthan difficult and poorly.

How their costume fitsand shows is just as important.

The kilt should be aligned and swing properly,not be too long or too short, no droopy hose, wellfitted jackets or vests and no flopping shoelaces!Now it’s time to explain a little about each dance…..

The Highland FlingProbably the most recognizable of all Scottish

dances is the “Fling”.This is a solo dance from as early as 1824,

though many of the steps are from a much earliertime. The Fling is the only dance that is danced “onthe spot”, with no forward, backward or sidewaystravel. A good dancer stays in one spot throughout

the dance – very difficult to do! Some say this was avictory dance, by a Highland warrior, done on his round“targe” or shield. The fingers of the dancers held overthe head and the quick movements of the feet mimic theRed Stag running and leaping through the Highlands.

The Sword Dance(Ghille Callum)

This is one of the most exciting dances to watchand probably the oldest dance, originating in the 12th

century.Legend has it that Malcom

Canmore (King of the Scots) de-feated one of MacBeth’s gener-als in battle and in celebration,laid his sword over that of hisopponent and triumphantlydanced over the crossed swords.Later this dance was oftendanced before a battle and if thewarrior could complete the dancewithout touching the sword, itwas seen as a good omen.

In today’s competitions, ifthe dancer displaces or eventouches the sword while dancing,he or she is disqualified. Youmight notice that the dancersthemselves are turning clock-wise but they are moving counter

clock-wise around the swords. This is thought to bea subtle way of wishing ill-luck on the other com-petitors as folklore says that to do something “wrongways around” was a sort of curse!

Initially, the dancers dance in one completecircle around the outside of the swords. This is called“addressing the swords”. Once around, the dancersthen move “into the swords” and new steps are per-formed with the last set of steps done in double time.It can be pretty intimidating for them to be dancingso close to the swords, especially those large hilts!






Seann TruibhasGaelic for “old trousers”, this dance commemo-

rates the Scots love of their kilt. After the Battle ofCulloden in 1746, the British banned many parts of high-land life including the wearing of the kilt but the lawwas lifted some 30 years later. The beginning part ofthis dance shows the dancer trying to shake off the de-spised trousers (trews). Midway through the dance, thedancer claps, the music goes to double time and the joyand freedom of wearing the kilt once again is celebrated.

Strathspey andReel of TullochStrathspey andHighland Reel

The various reels areamong the oldest and mostpopular of the Highlanddances. They are the only oneswere the dancers actually dancewith each other, although theyare still judged individually. Italways requires 4 people to dothese dances.

The Reel of Tulloch is be-lieved to have its origins in theAberdeenshire village ofTulloch. On a wintry Sunday,as the congregation waited for the minister to arrive,the villagers were trying to keep warm and began danc-ing and clapping in the aisles, swinging each other withlinked arms. You will notice that the dancers keep in astraight line – as if in the narrow aisles of a church.

The Highland Reel is closely related to the reelsbrought to this country by Scottish immigrants inthe Appalachians and later developed into the fa-miliar Virginia Reel, square dancing and clogging.

Barracks JohnnieThe full name of this dance is “Wilt Thou Go

to the Barracks, Johnnie?” and is said to be a re-cruiting dance from the 17th and 18th centuries.

A recruiting detail from a Highland regimentwould set up in town on market day and try to getmen to enlist.

Remember, Highland dancing was very muchadmired as masculine pursuit. Today there are manyperformances of Highland Dancing done by the Scot-tish regiments traveling around the world. If one

comes to your town, you owe itto yourself to buy a ticket andenjoy the show!

Highland LaddieThis is a Hebridean step

dance dating from the 1700s. Itis danced to a tune also calledthe Highland Laddie and is asong of the Jacobite rebellion.The laddie is referring to eitherCharles Stewart or his grandson,Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The above dances are col-lectively called Highland dancesand are always danced in the kilt.The following dances, while ob-viously danced in the Highlandsas well as other parts of Scot-land, are known as National

dances and a different costume is worn.

The Scottish LiltThe Lilt is a step dance, usually one of the first

National dances a beginner learns. It is thought tohave been composed in Perthshire about 1746 andhanded down from teacher to teacher through theyears. It is also thought to have been developed forwomen so they could have a dance of their own, asthey weren’t allowed to do men’s dances.

Flora MacDonald’s FancyAlso one of the first dances to be taught to be-


ginners, this was created to honor Flora MacDonaldwho helped Bonnie Price Charles escape to Skyedressed as her maid. The Prince fled to France andFlora was imprisoned in the Tower of London forthis but eventually released.

Blue BonnetsAnother Hebridean step dance and seems to be

especially suited to women. The namecomes from Sir Walter Scot’s poem, “Allthe Blue Bonnets Have Gone Over theBorder”. The bonnets referred to hereare the woolen tams commonly worn bymany Scottish men, usually dyed blue.It is a bit of a flirting dance! The dancemoves forward and back as if teasing themen and the body and arms are turnedso that it appears the ladies are peekingthrough her arms!

Village MaidAnother solo step dance from

Aberdeenshire dating from about 1816.While all of the other dances require the dancer tobe on the ball of their foot throughout, this is theonly one does not. A nice break, indeed! It is a verysimple, graceful dance emphasizing leg position and,like Blue Bonnets, asks the dancer to be a bit of aflirt!

These next two dances are usually referred to as“character dances”. They have their own costumes asdescribed earlier and are some of the most favorite to watchand for the dancer to do.

Irish JigSaid to be a Scottish tongue-in-cheek version

of the Irish jig.There are two versions of the story, the first

being that of an angry housewife whose clean laun-dry has been knocked down into the dirt by childrenplaying under the clothesline. The other is of a wifewaiting for her husband to come home from workwith his pay packet, but he has stopped off at thelocal pub for a few pints.

In either case, the dance portrays a lot of emo-tion with plenty of fist pumping and foot stomping!

The heels of the hard soled shoes worn in the dancehave jingles in them to help emphasize her opinion.

Boys will do this dance dressed similar to aLeprechaun and carrying a Shillelagh. They are not,of course, portraying an angry housewife so theirsteps are very different.

Sailor’s HornpipeThis dance has its origins in the

centuries old dances done in theBritish Navy to the playing of ahornpipe, similar to a pennywhistle.

They were simple instruments,popular with sailors because they weresmall and easy to carry in a pocket.

There are many, many steps forthe dancer to choose from so youmay see a wide variety in any givencompetition.

They generally depict life onboard a ship such as hauling up ananchor, hoisting cargo, looking out

to sea, or walking on a rolling deck. Some evenshow a drunken sailor or one hanging from the yard-arms!

You may note that the dancers keep their handsflat and palms held away from the body – this ismeant to show them trying to keep their uniformclean. There is one point, however, that the dancerslaps the thigh to show them wiping tar and pitchoff of their hands.

There are more dances that are occasionallydone but these are the most common you might seein a competition. There are also times when a cho-reography competition is included. This gives thedancers a chance to be creative and do somethingentirely different – different music, different steps,different costumes – as long as the music and stepsare decidedly Celtic in look and feel. They can alsodo duets or group numbers.

Hopefully, you have found this to be helpfuland will make watching a dance competition or per-formance more enjoyable. Every dancer loves tohear applause and they enjoy answering questionsso if you get the chance – ask away!!!


.


Carl PetersonAuthor of Now’s the Day Now’s the Hourwas born in Greenock Scotland on the banks of the River Clyde. He emigrated to Canadabefore coming south to the USA. An entertainer and singer, hehas performed in every province of Canada and every state of theUSA, except Alaska. He has appeared on national TV and oncehosted his own radio program. As a folksinger one naturallybecomes an historian, Carl combines history and music in hisperformances and in his writing.

3260 Keith Bridge Road #313Cumming, GA 30041Phone: 404-486-7703FAX: [email protected]

Now’s the DayNow’s theHourCarl Peterson

A unique collection of history and music that connectsthe spirit and the background of the Alamo defenders toScotland. From the beginning of Scotland’s freedom wars,with Wallace and Bruce, we see the trend carried forwardto Texas and the Alamo. With piper John MacGregor andthe fiddler of the Alamo, the men’s spirits were maintainedwith the music of Scotland that contained a history of afighting spirit.

These songs were then used as the tunes for balladsand stories written about the Alamo and at the Texas Revo-lution.

This Texas freedom fight has its roots in Scotland’sfreedom wars.



The Flower of Scotland won 41% of Scottish vote for National Anthem!The Flower of Scotland won 41% of Scottish vote for National Anthem!The Flower of Scotland won 41% of Scottish vote for National Anthem!The Flower of Scotland won 41% of Scottish vote for National Anthem!The Flower of Scotland won 41% of Scottish vote for National Anthem!



The Gathering, continued from page 29

In 2009, The �Year of Homecoming�In 2009, The �Year of Homecoming�In 2009, The �Year of Homecoming�In 2009, The �Year of Homecoming�In 2009, The �Year of Homecoming� in Scotland will also feature in Scotland will also feature in Scotland will also feature in Scotland will also feature in Scotland will also feature

The 250th anniversary celebrations of theThe 250th anniversary celebrations of theThe 250th anniversary celebrations of theThe 250th anniversary celebrations of theThe 250th anniversary celebrations of thebirth of Robert Burns.birth of Robert Burns.birth of Robert Burns.birth of Robert Burns.birth of Robert Burns.

We�ll have more information all year, now til then.We�ll have more information all year, now til then.We�ll have more information all year, now til then.We�ll have more information all year, now til then.We�ll have more information all year, now til then.

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September BNFT 2007 section 1 - Electric ScotlandCiting a work load that has gradually eaten away her 22-hour-a-day-nap, Narra The Wonder Cat has hired two qualified feline assistants