Quote Originally Posted by Jock Scot View Post
Oh dear, I doubt if I am going to be too popular here!

...

You also have a problem! You are, I think, not a Scot, so the option of wearing the kilt as your national attire is not open to you . Sorry, but that choice is not available to you and you are laying yourself open to criticism if you do wear the kilt, in my view.
Jock, I always appreciate your input and I'm not surprised by your opinion at all. The issue you raise probably deserves its own thread...

I am Canadian and, briefly, we are encouraged to wear the ethnic clothing of our ancestors as national attire. This is what I was taught in school and there are even some references to it on the Canadian Heritage website, operated by the government of Canada. There is a clan tartan associated with my family name, so I wear a kilt in that tartan. I could also wear a kilt in a Canadian district tartan, but I don't currently have one.

And I think a conversation with a Scot at this event might go differently

VISITING SCOTS PROFESSOR: "Ah a fellow Scot eh? What part of Scotland are you from?

ME: "My ancestors were from Ulva."

V S P: "But you don't sound Scottish?"

ME: "I'm from Canada, where we try to preserve and promote our cultural background."

V S P: "Oh-----and what are you studying/what is your field?"

ME: "I'm doing a PhD in ethnomusicology focusing on the percussion music performed by Chinese kung fu clubs, so I came to Hong Kong to improve my Cantonese."

V S P: "Well, how international." And with scarcely concealed regret as he starts to walk off: " I should have worn my kilt!"