Do we have to be?

[GMan]

Greetings all,

This morning over coffee the discussion led to why some people do not wear kilts, because they are not entitled to them. They are neither of Scot descent nor are they Celtic in any way. I tried my best to explain that one does not have to be Celtic to don a kilt, but they were still unconvinced.

Now many of the guys who mentioned that they do not feel entitled to wear a kilt, actually want to wear a kilt. I simply do not understand why they feel that way, I just stress the comfort factor among many other things and that it can turn one into a sexy beast, but still no kilts.

Has it become such a cultural thing that only Celts wear kilts? I know that it is NOT the reason to wear a kilt, but it seems to be a prevailing attitude.

Just wondering if any of you have had such experiences?

[Raphael]

I know first hand that you don't need to be Celtic to wear a kilt. Although many of my colleagues have no idea why I do it. I just think most men don't have the conviction to do anything that can potentially alienate themselves from their peers.

It does not matter what we try to say or do, most of us still live within the boundary that our skin colour/ethnic group would allow us to venture. If we choose to venture outside, we still would be called traitors. It is just case that we apply the stereo types on us before other people have a chance to do so.

As far as I concern, kilts are garments. They are worn to cover our naughty bits and to shield us from the enviornment. They function just like their 2-legged counter part. It certainly won't disturb the nature/force, if they are worn by non-Celtic people. In fact, it is more natural for men to wear kilts than pants. Pants may be good for riding(bikes, horses, snowboards), but we don't ride 24/7.

If miners and cowboys are capable in making jeans world famous, why can't Celts do the same with Kilts? Just remember, jeans are not always popular with joe public.

The way of the kilt is a path of enlightment. You can't describe it to people, they have to experience it themselves to understand it. Once they set their boys loose, they are loose.

[Sciuropterus]

I am living proof that you don't need a celtic connection to wear a kilt. While I certainly understand, acknowledge and respect the origins of the tartan kilts I like to wear, I wear kilts because I like them- cultural identity is not really a factor for me (I'm mainly Italian).

What I'm about to say probably verges on blasphemy with some of you , but I'm not particularly interested in Celtic music, and I have never drank a Guinness or a single malt Scotch (I'm more of a martini guy- I hate beer. I'm hopeless, I know...)

Good topic!

[phil h]

most people feel the need to justify the wearing of a kilt,maybe they feel wierd wearing a kilt if not celtic,"oh I see, he's scottish, that's ok then"
or " why is he wearing a kilt if he's not scottish"?
maybe they think someone will think they are gay and just want to dress like a woman.being scottish must seem like a good defence to them.

[Jewddha]

we've all got our own justification for what we do, which ironically(to me at least), is excatly one reason FOR kilts, you shouldn't have to justify it to everyone, least of all yourself...

[bubba]

I don't feel the need to justify wearing a kilt to anyone. If asked why I wear them I just say I'm comfortable.

[arrogcow]

While I don't think it is wrong for anyone to wear a kilt, I do at least understand reluctance based on culture. I personally have very little Scottish heratige (closest Scot was in 1600's according to my mother's research), but I could still be Scottish to the casual observer.

On the other hand, I don't wear dashikis (probably spelled that wrong), and the biggest reason is I don't want to be perceived as a "white guy" trying to steal an African heritige. I am afraid of offending others culturally (as opposed to just their sense of what any guy should or should not wear).

Adam

[macwilkin]

In my own experience, the majority of Scots and Scottish expats I have met through St. Andrew's Societies, Highland Games, the Masonic Lodge, etc. think it's great that "non-Scots" are wearing and taking pride in the kilt and other forms of Highland attire.

Remember, the Scottish diaspora scattered the Highlanders (and some Lowlanders) to the four winds of heaven; my friend Alistair from Aberdeen is always saying that to find Highland culture, you have to go to Dunedin, New Zealand, Cape Breton Island or St. Louis!

Take a look at this photo on the Cape Town Highlanders site:

http://www.cthighlanders.co.za/cth/I.../target14.html

These lads look sharp! This is at the opening of the South African Parliament in 2004.

I think part of the reason why the Scots have become open to "non-Scots" wearing the kilt is that they're used to it, ever since the Scottish regiments started recruting others into their ranks -- Englishmen, Canadians, Australians, Fijians...there's even a contingent of Ghurkhas serving with the Royal Scots! Whenever Scottish Regiments have went overseas, they take their customs and traditions with them, and more likely than not, a pipe band starts up among the locals, or a Scottish Society, etc. As many of us believe here, kilts are highly addictive, along with piping -- look at the Brazilian Marines, who have a pipe band that wears a variant of a glengarry -- or the Indian Army's Sikh Regiments or the Ghurkhas -- all have pipe bands and wear tartans (although not always kilts).

Now, I must confess that I do like a "reason" to wear a kilt -- but the "reason" need not necessarily based on the blood line -- the least little connection to a tartan will work -- belonging to a military unit, a pipe band, a Scottish society -- whatever. One of our most active members in our Scottish society is of pure German heritage from Nebraska -- Del wears his kilt all of the time, and no one has ever said anything about it.

The biggest "reasons" for me, though, is pride, respect and knowledge. Those are essential to a kilt-wearer, no matter what his nationality.

Just my twa bob's worth...

Cheers,

T.

[Raphael]

I think it will further harmonise the relations among different cultures. It is not to say that one must act like a scot when he is wearing a kilt. But I think we can appreciate one another more. It will stop and make people think about themselves and others.

It is fun, at least for me, to cross the line and have fun with it. I just think most of us are taking things too seriously and over analyse everything. It makes us worry about things that are yet to happen. But doing something different than the norm is only going to evolve the human as a whole. If we don't dare to be different or to have independent thoughs, we will still believe that the Earth is flat.

If you don't have to Chinese to eat won ton or Cajun to eat jambalaya, why do you have to be a celt to wear a kilt?

[Jewddha]

To add to what cajunscot said, it's also a pretty well-regarded fact that the scots have been some of the greatest explorers of all time, diversifying throughout the world, I read somewhere that the ratio of scots OUT of Scotland, to those IN, was 7 to 1.