Frequently Asked Questions
What is a clan?
A clan in Scotland is a principal family that is a legally recognized group of which the head is a legally recognized chief. This group is a corporation much the same as a company or organization is recognized by the law. A group that does not have a chief has no official or legal position in Scotland.
The Arms and the Seal of the chief are the seal of his corporation issued by Lord Lyon’s letter of Patent to be used only by him to seal important clan documents. The clan, as incorporated, is the recognized personal and heritable property of the chief. That person owns it and is responsible for its administration and all other aspects of growth and direction.
The clans are thought to have originated in the Highlands and families in the Lowlands. Today, no such distinction exists. Clan territories were the development of lands, either owned or controlled by the head of a family or the chief of the clan. The people who came to live on those lands were usually those families or groups of families that the chief had adopted as members of his clan; however, there are families that lived on such territory and were not members of the clan.
There are some sept families that belong to more than one clan. Primarily, these families owed allegiance to the chief and showed such allegiance by wearing the chief’s tartan and the crest badge of his arms that has now become the clan badge, but it should be borne in mind that a sept-family is only so by the acceptance of the chief.
What is a sept?
Septs are sub-groups or families bearing different surnames within a clan, there are several ways that such a name change could happen and these are listed in no particular order
A man from outside the clan marries a woman in the clan, and they live on land that has passed to her through inheritance.
Broken or landless men given lands to support themselves.
A man within the clan becomes known by a by-name (nick-name) and his children continue to use the by-name rather than the original surname.
Some members of the clan choose to follow a particular member of the chiefly family and adopt his baptismal name as their surname.
Natural children could be given the father’s name, rather than the clan name.
What is Tartan?
Tartan is a distinctive pattern of colored lines and bands which cross each other at right angles and originated in the highlands. Tartans are primarily associated with clans and are a way of identifying which clan one belongs to. The earliest tartans were colored with whatever natural dyes were available in the area.
What is Tartan Day?
(Scotland and England United into one kingdom by the name of Great Britain in 1706)
After the Jacobite Rising in 1745 and their defeat in battle at Culloden in 1746, led by Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), in an attempt to regain Scotland as an independent nation from England, the English Parliament introduced an Act of Proscription (19 Geo. 2, c. 39). (See full text below)
This act of 1746 stated that “no man or boy shall wear or put on the clothes commonly called Highland clothes the Plaid, Philabeg, or little Kilt, Trowse, Shoulder-belts, or any part whatsoever of what peculiarly belongs to the Highland Garb; and that no tartan or party-coloured plaid or stuff shall be used for the Great Coats or upper Coats”. This did not apply to those employed as Officers and Soldiers in His Majesty’s Forces.
This was part of a series of efforts to assimilate the unruly Scottish Highlands while ending their ability to revolt, and the first of the 'King's laws' which sought to crush the Clan system in the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising of 'Forty-Five.
Bonnie Prince Charlie
When is Tartan Day?
Scotland, Canada and the United States celebrate 6th April, whilst Australia, New Zealand and other countries celebrate 1st July.
Why the 6th April?
Scotland celebrates Tartan Day on the 6th April because in the year 1320, in Arbroath Scotland, Robert the Bruce and a gathering of men wrote the Declaration of Arbroath which declared their loyalty to Scotland. This Declaration dated 6th April 1320, was sent to the Pope seeking him to support their case for independence.
In 1328, Edward 111 of England, acknowledged that Scotland was an Independent Nation and that Bruce was the King of Scotland. The 6th April signing of that Declaration of Arbroath seeking independence is therefore significant to Scotland.
Robert the Bruce
In the United States the 6th April was chosen as National Tartan Day because the Declaration of Arbroath, on 6th April 1320, was the basis used in formulating the United States Declaration of Independence. (In the US, about 20 million people claim Scottish descent)
On March 9, 2005, the United States of America House of Representatives unanimously adopted House Resolution 41, which designates April 6th of each year as "National Tartan Day.” National Tartan Day was created in the United States to recognize the contributions that were made by Scottish-Americans to the development of the United States.
Arbroath Abbey
Why the 1st July in Australia?
Many families emigrated from Scotland to other countries around the world after the depressing years of banning wearing their traditional Scottish dress and on 1st July 1782, this Act was repealed and Scots throughout the world celebrate the lifting of that ban.
When the Scotland Act 1998 was passed on 1st July 1988, it led to the establishment of the first Scottish Parliament since 1707 (three centuries)
Probably a coincidence, but Victoria became independent from New South Wales on 1st July 1851.
Scotland is now a sister state with Victoria.
The Original Act of Parliament
That from and after the First Day of August 1747, no man or boy within that part of Great Britain called Scotland, other than such as shall be employed as Officers and Soldiers of His Majesty's Forces, shall on any pretext whatsoever, wear or put on the clothes, commonly called Highland clothes (that is to say) the Plaid, Philabeg, or little kilt, Trowes, Shoulder-Belts, or any part whatever of what peculiarly belongs to the Highland Garb; and that no tartan or party-coloured plaid or stuff shall be used for Great coats or upper coats, and if any such person shall presume after the first said day of August, to wear or put on the aforesaid garments or any part of them, every person so offending.... shall be liable to be transported to any of His Majesty's plantations beyond the seas, there to remain for the space of seven (7) years.
The Repeal
The Act of Abolition was repealed by the Government obtaining the King's assention on 1st July 1782. It was also on the 1st July 1999 that the Scotland Act re-established a Scottish Parliament; after nearly three centuries.
What is a kilt?
The first kilts were simple and practical. they were really just large blankets that a man wrapped around himself. this kind of dress became known as the feileadh breacon (fillee breckon) or the feileadh mor, the large kilt.
Dressing in a feileadh mor was an active task, first you had to put your belt on the ground and spread your kilt over it then you would lie down on your kilt and do up your belt, after that you would gather up the top of your kilt and hitch it into your belt and then putting on your waistcoat and jacket finishing all this off by draping the upper part of your kilt over your shoulders. Well did you get all of that? Quite a procedure just to get ourselves decent eh?
Sometimes there was too much cloth in those garments so the feileadh beg or little kilt was designed. These days the feileadh beg has become the standard kilt with regular pleats sown into the back of it and worn at knee length.
What is a sporran?
A Sporran is a pouch (the word is simply the Scottish Gaelic for 'purse'), now a decorative part of Highland dress but originally an everyday practical item, made of leather or fur, usually with more or less elaborate silver or other ornamentation, especially on the clasp or hanger.
It is worn on a chain or belt around the waist, allowing the sporran to lie below the waist of the person wearing a kilt. Since the traditional kilt does not have pockets, the sporran serves as a wallet and container for any other necessary personal items (such as a hip-flask).
Historically, the sporran was used to carry a day's rations whilst some believe it served as armour for a vulnerable area of the body.
What is a haggis?
The Legendary Haggis
Part 1 - The Art of Haggis Hunting
A strange and eerie sound drifts slowly down the glen, uisge beatha! uisge beatha! The sun is peeping over the horizon but none can feel the warm rays through the swirling mist. The men are huddled by the traditional "siggah" rock, chanting and taking turns at the cask with the warm golden water of life.
Suddenly, a tracker appears on the heathery slope and calls "haggi! haggi!" In a flash, the men are up and running, spreading out in the ancient hunting pattern which each had learned as a boy. Catching a wild haggis, in these days of scarcity, would make a living legend of the team involved.
The most difficult part of the ancient art of haggis hunting is actually locating the beast and then chasing it in the right direction. The haggis has evolved to be just a bit faster than the fittest man and more sure footed than a mountain goat. It runs along the hillside using it’s two long legs and the one short leg to maximum advantage. Once it slips through the hunting line it can be gone into the gorse in a flash. The hunters must keep behind and on the uphill side so that the haggis is gradually driven down to lower ground. This can take over three hours, but once the critter is down on the glen floor the advantage swings quickly in favor of the hunters – because of its uneven legs the haggis can only run in circles when on flat ground.
As soon as the hunters see a haggis circling in this fashion they surround it, and bring up the cask for celebratory refreshment. Within about twenty minutes the haggis can be found lying flat out through dizziness and exhaustion. Soon after that the men are usually found lying flat out around the haggis, with an empty cask rolling amongst them!
Part 2 - The Art of Haggis Preparation
The snowflakes flutter and crash against the kitchen window as the high pitched sounds of chattering women escape out into the white haze. Inside the stove gives warmth to the grizzly scene – hearts and livers being chopped up with gay abandon. At first glance a stranger might think they’d stumbled on a covey of witches practising an ancient craft. Of course, the knowledgeable Scot would know that this is the initial ritual in the ancient art of haggis preparation. Then comes more chop-chopping and in goes the suet and the onions…and what’s left of the sherry — no, the whisky goes in the haggis and the sherry goes to the cooks.
Then the aroma of roasting oatmeal wafts it’s way into the air and causes a few smiles as it replaces the previous odor. Along with some vegetable stock and seasoning, the strange mixture is packed into some unfortunate ewe’s stomach (or a sausage skin if the sheep were clever enough to avoid those nice ladies). After boiling for three hours the concoction begins to resemble a haggis and, at this point, a fresh bottle of sherry appears and disappears.....the women giggle louder and louder as they convince themselves that their spell has been successful. They actually believe that they spirited the creation of a haggis while the men were still out, bonding around the "siggah" rock.
How did this ritual come to pass? Well, ever since the redcoats came north and shot everything on sight, wild haggis have been almost extinct. Some clever women knew that it troubled the men to go on a haggis hunt and come back empty handed....so, the substitute was created. On those bleak, misty, hunting days the women would wait till the whisky cask was empty and then go and quietly place their "haggis" in amongst the snoring hunters.
Of course, for decades, it was a well-kept secret with only an occassional wink as the men returned triumphant... "haggis" in-hand, and ready for roasting. Tatties (potatoes) and neeps (rutabaga) would be taken from the special store and boiled just right, as the haggis roasted.....and the men would go in search of another cask.....so that the whole village could celebrate. Rabbie Burns knew better.....
Fair fa’ yer HONEST sonsie face!
What are bagpipes?
The bagpipes, often called the pipes for short, are a musical instrument consisting of a set of pipes through which air is blown from a bag held under the players arm. An individual instrument is known as a 'set of bagpipes'. The type most commonly seen in Scotland the 'highland pipes' has one pipe with holes in it, known as a 'chanter', which is used to play the melody and three other pipes set at fixed notes and known as 'drones'. The bag is filled by the player blowing into it.
There also exists a smaller instrument known as the 'lowland pipes' which is sweeter toned and has the bag filled by a bellows which the player squeezes between his or her arm and side.
What is a loch?
A Loch is the Scottish name for bodies of water which are either a lake or a sea lake, which may also be perceived as a firth, fjord, estuary, bay or sea inlet.
Does the loch ness monster really exist?
You betcha!
What is a wee dram?
Wee means small or little and the word dram means a drink of whisky rather than a precise measure of it: you'll have time for a wee dram?
What is a caber toss?
Tossing the caber has come down from the Gaelic heroic age, its origin lost in antiquity. The feat involved so throwing a fir tree trunk that it pitches on its tip with sufficient force to fall with its butt away from the thrower.
According to the rules of the Scottish Games Association, it should be of a length and weight beyond the powers of the best athlete to turn.
The caber is presented vertically to the competitor who makes a platform of his hands to take its weight, his arms stretched down in front of him. In the perfect toss the caber will revolve longituinally landing with its base pointing away from the competitor. It should point in the exact direction he was facing at the moment of throw (known as the 'twelve o'clock toss') and not be angled to the left or right.
In competition the thrower has three trials and is judged on the best of his hands to his satisfaction even if he subsequently drops it. There are no restrictions on the length of his run nor the mark from which he makes the throw.
Once a caber has been tossed it must never be cut. A new caber that has never been tossed may be shortened if none of the competeing athletes are able to toss it successfully.
