Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',

If you grew up in Canada,with ex-pat Scottish parents as I did, doubtless you were brought up in an environment so Scottish you felt more Scottish than Canadian. From a very young age my sister and I were sent for Scottish dance lessons. My Mother belonged to the RSCDS, belonged to the SNP (they have tons of supporters in Canada) and was also a member, and for a short time, the conductor of the Toronto Gaelic Choir. I was so involved in Scottish dancing, Scottish events and Scottish shows, Scottish dance competitions that I began to think it weird to see a man in any other form of clothing but the kilt. My father would constantly educate us on the history and culture of Scotland. The struggles, the wars, the clearances, the beauty of the country and how we should be proud to have such a heritage and history to look back on and to never forget our ancestors and the past.

The Scottish culture is so much a part of the heritage and foundation of Canada it is hard to escape it. In Nova Scotia (New Scotland) the road signs in some towns are in English and Gaelic. Here in Ontario, you have access to tons of Scottish Festivals that promote the culture, food and of course drink of Scotland. There is a Burn's Society, RSCDS chapters across Canada, a St. Andrew's Society, the lists of Scottish related societies are endless. The St. Andrew's Society, here in Toronto, was founded in 1836. Scots who had already established themselves in this new city set out to assist immigrant Scots just arriving here. Over the years the St. Andrew's Society has maintained a keen interest in its people and its mandate. These days they have expanded their charitable endeavours through the legacy of the St. Andrew's Charitable Foundation.

My parents came to Toronto in the mid 1950's along with many of their friends and acquaintances, from Glasgow. But they never, ever lost their love for Scotland. They never forgot where they came from. The pull from their Motherland was strong. They never let us forget our heritage and it was the same for most of the families that came here. It is a testament to the power of the land and the culture and probably the reason the English were never able to stamp it out, no matter how hard they tried. If anything it only made it even more prevalent all over the world. Sure, you can clear the Scots off their land and try and ban their pipes and kilts and tartans but it wont work, you only make the culture stronger. As proof, there are chapters of the RSCDS in Tokyo and La Paz, Bolivia! There are pipe bands from all over the four corners of the earth.


My Scottish culture rant today is all due to the fact that this upcoming weekend is one of the best and largest Scottish festivals of the summer here in Canada. People come from all over and congregate in the little town of Fergus, Ontario for the 3 day Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games. I was hoping to make it up to Fergus this weekend as I was in the mood to see some pipe bands, sheep dog trials and some highland dance competitions and of course the heavy competition. Nothing like watching a huge guy in a kilt toss a telephone pole over on its end. Alas we have other plans this weekend which I agreed to without realizing they fell upon the same weekend as the games.

Next years Fergus weekend is already blocked off in my calendar. JB will be even more indoctrinated into the Scottish culture. He has mentioned a desire to see the sheep dog trials as he is amazed at the talent of the Scottish collies. I must say, JB does get extra Kudos for donning a tux and taking me to the St. Andrew's Ball when we were first dating, years ago. That was just a full on assault of "Scottishness" (i know it's not a word)! He even ate the haggis, tatties and nips second course and didn't complain at all, must have had something to do with the fact he loves malt whisky and it was flowing at the Ball. I have noticed in subsequent years that he has taken a wee bit less haggis each year, when the serving platter comes his way. The Ball is held every November and the 48th Highlanders provide the music and the entertainment for the evening. Won't get JB in a kilt yet, he prefers the tux.


A Celtic Chancers update:. The tracking page shows them reaching the Kyrgyzstan border.


Quotes of the Day:

For that is the mark of the Scots of all classes:
that he stands in an attitude towards the past
unthinkable to Englishmen, and remembers and
cherishes the memory of his forebears, good or
bad; and there burns alive in him a sense of identity
with the dead even to the twentieth generation.

Robert Louis Stevenson

We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.

Voltaire