My friend Loren and I attended the Highland Games every year for years. One year while
we were walking through the parking lot,
she ble w into a sheep’ s horn drinking flask
she brought along, with weak-sounding
results. A bearded bagpiper with a Scottish
accent appeared, out of nowhere, and said
laughing sympathetically, “Blow harder .” That was
the favorite year at the games so far for us
both. It rained in an almost Scottish way all
day and there was a traditional wedding in the center arena, in addition to all the hot guys everywhere in kilts with drums, pipes
and cabers.

For one day each year, guests can step
through the borders of Highlander Park
into a virtual Scotland, surrounded by the
country’s food, drink, dance, music and
tradition. Standing amidst a sea of pipeplaying,
caber tossing hunks in kilts the y can
listen to competing and performing bagpipe
and drum bands and other Celtic Music,
learn about the heritage and traditions of the
dif f erent Scottish F amily Clans possibly to
find that their own last name is associated
with one of them, and learn about the history
of the land where they might have or wish
they had derive d their heritage, all while
enjoying traditional foods and good beer, and
shopping for authentic memorabilia.

Dunedin’ s Highland Game tradition started
41 years ago. Their primary mission w as to support the city’ s three Scottish bands – The City of Dunedin Pipe Band, The Dunedin
Highlanders Scottish Pipe Band, and the
Dunedin Highland Middle School Band.
Last year’s games were held at Our Lady of
Lourdes Catholic Church and School because
of the construction of the new Dunedin
Community Center . This year they are back
in their usual home, Dunedin Highlander
Pa r k. Last year’s g ames were well-attended
in spite of the change in venue by many
including former Dunedin Mayor (he served
for nine years) and Florida State Representative Tom Anderson, ( R-Dunedin) who wore a kilt to the event.

The Highland Society of New York brought
the first Highland Games to the US in
1836 with its “First Sportive Meeting.”
The oldest continuously running Highland
Games were begun by The Caledonian
Club of San Francisco in 1 866 .
The ancient town of Ceres, County Fife,
first held a game to celebrate Robert the Bruce’ s Victory at Banscockbuin around
1314, which may have been the original
tradition grew steadily in popularity
throughout Scotland and Britain until 1746
when the Act of Proscription outlawed all
Scottish customs, dress and gathering, but
were revived after the Act’s repeal in 1782 .
An appearance by George IV in a kilt
in Edinburgh in 1822 is said to have
accelerated their popularity and to have
started a “Scottish Fad” during which many of the traditions now celebrated at Highland Games were established.

The Heavy Athletics are my favorite part
of the games. Today’s modern Olympics
are actually thought to be more closely
modeled on the ancient versions of these
Scottish Highland games than the ancient
Greek Olympics.

The Scottish Heavy Athletics tradition
predates the Greek Olympics (The earliest
written description of the Highland Sports
came in the 12th Century A.D. in the Irish
‘Book of Leiscter” — describing the Tailtean
Games held at Tellto wn, County Meath,
and revived until 1166 . The heavy events
described included stone throwing, poll
vaulting, high jumping, the geal ruith (t riple
jump, the garllbolga (dart throw) and the
model for the games. Scotland’ s Games
Roth-Cleas (throwing a wheel). Celtic
migration from Ireland brought the g ames to Scotland.
The Heav y Athletic competitions at
Dunedin’ s modern Highland Games include
the Caber Toss, Weight Throws for dist ance
and High, the Stone Put, the Scottish
Hammer , The Sheaf Toss and The Dunedin
Stone Challenge, an event unique to
Dunedin’ s Games. (see Guide to the Heavy
Athletics, Page 12).

Highland Dancers compete each year at the
games throughout the day . A free Highland
Dance Workshop was offered this year in the
Dunedin Community Center on the Sunday
following the games.

Highland Dancing began in the Scottish
Highlands around the 11th Century . It is
comprised of three basic dances — The
Sword Dance (Gillie Colum), the Highland
Fling and the Sean Trubhas .The Sword Dance and Highland Fling
originated as a dance done by men before
battle to bring good luck and get them in the
mood for fighting. Both dancers incorporated
weapons. The Gillie Colum or Sword Dance
is danced on crossed swords. It is bad luck
to touch either sword while dancing. The
Highland Fling is danced in place in its
modern version , but was originally danced
on the Highlander “Targ ” a small leather
shield.

The Sean Trubhas or “Old Trousers”
originated as a result of the English ban on
Scottish traditions, including the kilt , from
1745 t o 1786 following the Stuart Rebellion.
It’s kicking motion is symbolic of the Scots
kicking off their trousers to put their kilts
back on. Men, women and children do all three
of these Highland Dances today wearing
modern Highland Dress.

Highland Dance events are judged on timing ,
technique and general deportment. Dancers
can perform variations on the steps in each
dance – performing their choice of steps
within a range given by the Scottish O fficial
Board of Highland Dancing. ( S O B HD )
Individual musicians and pipe and drum
bands also compete and perform throughout
the day at Dunedin’ s yearly Highland
Games, both in individual Piobiareachd contests and band competitions. All joined together in the main arena for the mass band
finale at the end of the day.

Piobaireachd is the Gaelic word for “what
the piper does.” This term for the ancient art
form comes from the root words “Piob” or
Pipe and “Piobaire” or piper.
The entire Piobaireachd repertoire consists
of only 300 tunes, some composed as
early as the 16th Century. The tunes fall
into several categories Ceol Mor (the great
music) includes salutes, gathering tunes,
marches, laments and calls to battle, or
brosnachadh. Ceol Meadhnair includes
slow airs and jigs and Ceol Beog or Ceol
Aotrom includes strathspeys, marches,
horn pipes and reels. Most Piobaireach
repertoire is slow and comtemplative, in part
because bagpipes do not have the capability
of varying the volume of different notes or,
dynamics, and must draw notes out instead
for emphasis. The repertoire also has a highly
emotional quality .

One of the most interesting aspects of
Dunedin’s Highland Games are the Scottish
Clan displays in which each of the Family
Clans attending displays their achievements
and interesting aspects of their history in |
booths around the park. All display lists
of surnames and associated septs that are
a part of their origin. Septs of clans were
aligned families who sought protection from
or association with the main clan. There are
also a number of variations on each original
surname. For example, Clan Anderson , or
MacAndrew, in its Highland Variation , is
derived from the Gaelic Gilleaindreas,
or “servant of St. Andrew,” Scotland’s patron saint.
The Anderson history has a tradition of
scholarly wisdom and learning. Alexander
Anderson published works on geometry and
algebra in Paris from 1612 to 1619 .
David Anderson of Finshaugh, his cousins, used his
skill in math and mechanics to remove a large
rock blocking entry to Aberdeen Harbor.
The spirit of belonging and extended family
of the Scot Clan system has united millions
of people across the world. An ancient
socialist and patriarchal structure, it derives
its name from the Gaelic word Clann
meaning “children or stock.” A Scottish
Clan Group can represent a tribe, race or
family unit. It is a symbol of unity and
ancient Scot history, tradition and strength,
structured on egalitarian principles.

The creation of A Roll of The Clans in 1587
gave some form of order to the system ,
which by that time included many powerful
and historic groups including Clan Donald,
which claimed its origin in Conn, a
2nd Century King of Ulster , The Campbells ,
claiming descent from Diarmaid the Board,
and the MacKinnon and MacGregor Clans ,
who trace their ancestry to King Alpin,
father of Kenneth MacAlpine. It is difficult
for most clans to verity their heritage before
the 11th Century .

The power of the Scottish Clans and the
conflicts that frequently arose between them
were a source of great concern for British
Kings through the 18th Century, resulting,
most notably, in King James stripping the
Lord of the Isles of his title in 1493 and
most regrettably in the Glencoe Massacre ,
a result of K ing W illiam’s eff ort to force
the Highland Famlies to swear allegiance
to the Crown.

Glencoe, combined wi th the Darien
Venture, the 1701 Act of Settlement and
the 1707 Act of Union, amounted to a new low
in the conflict between the Scots and
the British. In the 18th Century, many
family clans found themselves outlawed ,
including Clan MacGregor, whose most
famous son , Rob Roy MacGregor was
hunted across Scotland. The advent of
Charles Edward Stewart , or “Bonnie Prince
Charlie,” supported by the Highland Clans,
eventually led to the Stewart Rebellions and
the Prohibition of all Scottish traditions that
culminated in the Highland Clearances.

A Celtic backlash came with the Succession of Donald Ban, Malcolm’ s
brother, in 1093 (leading to the explosion of
the previously landed Saxons and
Normans.The creation of A Roll of The Clans
in 1587 gave some form of order to
the system, which by that time included man y po werful clans. The Roll included
Clan Donald, which claimed its origina in Conn, a 2nd
Century King of Ulster, The Campbells, claining descent from Diarmaid the Board, and the Mac Kinnon and MacGregor Clans, who trace their
ancestry to King Alpin, f ather of Kenneth
MacAlpine. It is difficult for most clans
to verity their heritage before the 11th
Century.

The power of the Scottish Clans and the
conflicts that frequently arose between
them were a source of great concern for British Kings through the 18th
Century, resulting, most notably , in King James
stripping the Lord is the Isles of his title in 1493 and in the Glencoe
Massacre, a result of King William’s effort to force the Highland Famlies to swear
allegiance to the Crown.

Glencoe, combined with Darien Venture
the 1701 Act of Settlement and the
1707 Act of Union, created a low point
in conlict between the Scots and the
British. In the 18th Century, many family
clans found themselves outlawed, include
Clan MacGregor , whose most famous
son, Rob Roy MacGregor was hunted
across Scotland. The advent of Charles
Edward Stewart, or “Bonnie Prince
Charlie, ” supported by the Highland Clans,
eventually led to the Stewart Rebellions
and the Prohibition of all Scottish traditions, culminating in the Highland
Clearances, in which Highland Families were removed
from their lands.

The Clan System of kinship is said to
be what bonded these expatriated Scots
together and made them feel secure as
they immigrated throughout the world.
What was intended to destroy the Scottish
Clan tradition actually strengthened its
importance and made it an international
custom.

When the 19th Century brought its romantic
Scottish revival to England, family Clan
gatherings and parades were organized
with each group issued its own tartan.
The demand for Kilts and Tartans
reportedly exceeded the supply this era,
and hundreds of new clan tartans appeared
and were reportedly distributed to the
Clans arbitrarily. Socttish Clan societies
and Clan Chiefs populate the world today.
Don’ t miss your next chance to take a trip
to Scotland, as close as Highlander Park
on Pinehurst Road.