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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Growing up Scottish...och aye ....

Now it's no surprise to regular readers of Inner Ramblings that I'm a Brit... but only
a few of you know that, although technically English, I was raised in Scotland. 
I feel a true connection to the heritage and history of this beautiful country
and sometimes yearn for men in kilts (I know) and the whine of bagpipes, the mere 
faint sound of a drum line takes me back to my childhood.
Don't get me started on Robert Burns... I can quote some of his more 
famous poems even today!!! 

It may seem a little funny to folks outside of this proud nation but when you're
growing up Scottish, you're growing up with strong traditions, most of 
which include dancing, singing and more than a wee dram or two. 

As a child in the Wee Kindom of Fife I learned some very complicated
dances at an early age. Dances that would get you through some very sticky 
situations, which is why I think they invented such intricate steps, intended 
for times when you need to flee from a Scotsman with less than honorable intentions
and whiskey on his breath. 

Check this out.... 


Now imagine yours truly, reeling and whirling and skipping around as a 
teenager at every school dance from the age of hmmm? five onwards.
Admittedly the five year olds I knew didn't have whiskey on their breath 
but they still might want to show you what they had under their kilt!!! 

Then there's hogmanay (which spell check is obviously unfamiliar with, check 
the alternative spellings....frogman,mahogany,houseman) which is the 
New Year Holiday in Scotland... and no, people... it doesn't last just an 
hour after midnight... this Hogmanay thing goes on for a WEEK!!!! 
My kinda party. 

And finally the good old Pipe Band Picnic, held once a year in the park, 
where the local Pipe Bands in all their regalia perform all day 
long and the kids are treated to ice creams, simple games and races 
and a little lunch bag which was "the picnic". 
fond memories... oh yeah.. fond memories indeed. 
Our local Pipe band was Dysart and Dundonald Pipe Band,
world champions I'll have you know. Google them! 


11 comments:

Char said...

oh yes...i would love to see it all. and such fun.

i do want to see some dancin' lady. *grin*

Brian Miller said...

i shoulda been born in scotland...i love bagpipes and can even stomach haggis...nice dancing, and i'd not be afraid of a kilt...

Unknown said...

GUINESS - For Strength!

Mrs. M said...

Love all those men in their kilts, dancing it out! :)

tori said...

looks a little like the square dancing they forced us to do in middle school...so fun because you got to touch the boys! ha!

Steve Parkes said...

Since I first met Ali when she was 8 and living with her family in Cardenden I can vouch for all that she says. Kids in Scotland were forced to perform dances with names like Strip the Willow and the Gay Gordons. They sold fried haggis in the local chip shop, while kilts were reserved for weddings, funerals and orange marches.

McGillicutty said...

OMG.. forgot about the Orange Marches... !!!!

The Bumbles said...

One of my dear friends in college (and beyond) was from Edinburgh and her family moved to Tampa FL when she was about 13. She still has her brogue but it is nothing like her father's. Whenever he would call our apartment to chat with her I never understood a word he said other than Hullo and his daughter's name - Catriona. The rest was all gibberish to me - but it sounded so lovely it always made me smile! I used to watch Billy Connolly stand-up routines to try to practice understanding her dad's accent but it never worked. Now whenever I stay up too late and watch Craig Ferguson I always think of Catriona's dad ;0)

Anonymous said...

Arghhh Hogmany, kilts and highland dancing. Now that's my kinda post!!! And Fife? FIFE?? My family are all just outside of Stirling!!

Small world :0)

rxBambi said...

I'm only a wee bit scots, but I think it's the side I mostly associate with. I love scotland everything from it... including YOU!!
xoxo

The Bumbles said...

I just had to come back and tell you - I read this post today from a blogging friend Sheila who is volunteering long term in India but is homesick for where she grew up near the Firth of Forth:

http://ashramblings.blogspot.com/2010/06/lost-art-of-letter-writing.html