Tartan Police!

[Archangel]

My goodness, people, don't you get it? It's all mythology! Embrace the mythology, wear the tartan, respect the military connections, enjoy the history.

There are possibly millions of descendants of slaves who are entitled to wear any McGregor tartan after what they did for us in the Carolinas. That's how clans work: stand by me and mine, I'll stand by you and yours.

[Jerry]

Quote: Starbkjrus

"Also, there is a Virginia District Tartan (official or not) that since I live in Virginia I'm "entitled" to wear it."

Where did you find a Virginia tartan. I've looked andI've never been able to locate one. I've been thinking of writing my rep in the house of delegates to see if someone would try and get a bill passed adopting an official Virginia tartan.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

A few things would be good to keep in mind.

First, if we look at this issue through the eyes of history, it is a realtively new thing. People in the Highlands of Scotland have been wearing kilts for more than 400 years. They have been wearing tartan for much longer than that. We don't know how long tartan has been worn in Scotland, but archaeological evidence can be found from about 1700 years ago. Even older tartan specimens (some as far back as 5000 years ago) can be found in other parts of the world. For just about all that time, particular patterns of tartan had no meaning. People simply wore patterns and colors that were available in their area, that they could afford, and that they liked.

The idea that a tartan must have a name, and that it somehow represented the clan/family/district whose name it bore, can be traced back to the late eighteenth century at the earliest and really didn't start to gel into something formalized until the nineteenth century. When you look at this in light of the "great antiquity" that most people ascribe to these clan tartans, it is a shockingly new development.

There is ample evidence that people in the Highlands of Scotland, during much of the nineteenth century, who grew up with the tradition of kilt wearing, paid no heed to the notion of "clan tartans" and continued to wear any tartan they liked. I still know Scots who do the same. So I think no one should feel like they are breaking some sacred code if they follow the same tradition.

On the other hand, the system of named, representative tartans has been around for about 200 years. This is almost as long as the United States of America has been around! So it's more than long enough to firmly establish a tradition. Moreover, even the leaders of the clans themselves have adopted this system, selecting and approving tartans for their clans. It cannot be denied that most people who wear a tartan do so with the intent of wearing it in a representative manner. And most people assume that when others wear the tartan, they are doing the same.

Moreover, many of the tartans that we have available for us today have been designed during the past 200 years. Rather than being a traditional folk design that has been later adopted by some clan, these tartans were designed by someone specifically to represent this particular clan, family, district, group, corporation, etc. This was the reason for which they were designed, it is the name they are sold under, and it is why they are being worn. (There are also many tartans that have been designed during the past 200 years purely for fashion purposes). So all of this needs to be understood and taken into consideration.

In short, realize that there are no rules or laws proscribing what tartan anyone may or may not wear. This is a myth. Tartan is not like heraldry (the Lyon Court in Scotland actually operates as a court of law, and you can get into legal trouble if you display or use heraldic arms that are not rightfully yours). Some assume it is the same with tartan. It is not. So don't even think of it in this way.

But there are customs, conventions, and traditions that have developed over the past two centuries. And as I have shown above, some people (and I am talking about native Scots) take these traditions more seriously than others. So I advise people, when selecting a tartan, to choose any tartan you like, but know what tartan you are wearing, and have some reason for wearing that tartan. For most people it will be a familial connection. But there are other reasons one might have to wear a tartan. Just know that most people who see you, if they recognize the tartan, will assume that you are affiliated with what that tartan represents.

Last point -- keep in mind also that the modern notion that your clan is determined by your surname is completely ahistorical. What clan your anscestors belonged to had nothing to do with their surname -- most people didn't even have surnames for most of the clan histories. The clan you belonged to was largely determined by where you lived. If you lived on this clan's territory, you gave your allegiance to that clan's cheif and were considered a part of that clan.

Even today, in a strict sense, this is what defines clan membership. Strictly speaking, very few people who consider themselves "clan members" today can actually prove that they are descended from that clan. But they give their loyalty and allegiance to that clan's cheif (or if the clan has no cheif, to the clan in general). And this is what makes you a part of the clan, when it comes down to it. I have heard of people who have no Scottish blood whatsoever who have written to different clan cheifs, asking for permission to join their clan -- and they have recieved it! Now who would deny someone the wearing of a tartan if they have a letter from the chief saying they are part of the clan?!

I don't think that it's neccesary to go this far (though it is neat!) if one wants to give one's allegiance to a particular clan, feel free. As others have mentioned here, when you enquire with most clan societies (which are not the same as the clan itself, although many operate with the clan's approval), they will gladly accept anyone who wants to affiliate themselves with the clan.

I've rambled on long enough, but in short -- this is not a cut and dry issue. There are many considerations to take into effect. But there are enough reasons why one may wish to wear a particular tartan, none of which one can judge or determine simply by seeing someone in a kilt. In my not so humble opinion, it would be the height of rudeness to approach someone and challenge their "right" to wear such a tartan. As long as you feel you have a valid reason for wearing it, that should be good enough.

Aye,
Matt

[macwilkin]

Excellent posts, Matt & David -- you've done grand in summing up why for some, the tartan is a "talisman and totem".

Blu: I know several people who wear their "family" tartan not as a kilt, but in the form of a shirt, tie, scarf, etc. and do not see that version as "trivializing" their tartan -- for some, that is the only version of the tartan they can afford at the moment, since a traditional kilt is more of an investment, or they don't (for whatever reason) want to wear one. Granted, you only see the more "common" tartans (BW, Stewart Royal, Buchanan, Lindsay, etc.) in some of the garment types you mention; I would personally love to see someone wearing a Cumming tartan shirt on the street! ;)

I've had some very good conversations with folks wearing garments in particular tartans who knew nothing about the history of tartans, etc.

Cheers,

Todd

[Cawdorian]

Great posts on this thread! Many of the clan cheifs were unaware of the "correct" tartans of their clans and adopted or endorsed tartans presented by the various manufacturers over the last two centurys or so.

When you look back at history of tartans the concept of wearing district tartans to honor your ancestors makes more sense than anything. In my opinion it is much more meaningful to wear a tartan that has some historical family connection to you whether it is a district or clan tartan.

The Black Watch Tartan is the modern version of the Campbell Clan Tartan, it is not endorsed by the Clan Cheif, the ancient verion is endorsed by the Clan Cheif.

I'll continue to wear my Argyle District Tartan Kilt with pride, It honors three of my ancestral families. Now the next kilt I get will honor one of these families, the choices Lamont, Campbell or Brown or an Ulster Red, maybe an Ayr district. Always decisions with this addiction!

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Mac and all, great posts and a very enjoyable thread to read.

[AckZel]

Yeah, and if somebody starts whining about "You are wearing OUR tartan and you're not a member of the clan MacX!" just say him that "No, but I really admire all highlanders, and most of all MacX's!". No clansmen will deny it after that (Or if he belongs to the clan in question you can say: "Yes, I'm wearing it because you ain't!")

[Archangel]

Yeah, and if somebody starts whining about "You are wearing OUR tartan and you're not a member of the clan MacX! (Or if he belongs to the clan in question you can say: "Yes, I'm wearing it because you ain't!")

oooo, that's just plain nasty, I like it.

[prattw]

[snip]
The Black Watch Tartan is the modern version of the Campbell Clan Tartan, it is not endorsed by the Clan Cheif, the ancient verion is endorsed by the Clan Cheif.
[snip]

Actually the Government or Blackwatch sett dates to at least 1739, well before any known clan tartans. Legend says that it was a Campbell tartan, adopted because so many Campbells served in the Regiment. Legend also says that it was a Grant tartan, adopted because so many Grants served in the regiment!

It is far more likely that it was adopted by Campbell and Grant (and at least four additional clans) because so many of their members had served in the 42nd. And probably all of them have the legend.

"Ancient" refers to the color intensity, intended to resemble the old vegetable dyes after they'd faded from a few years wear. It displays the sett much more clearly, which is specifically why the present Chief of Grant specified Ancient colors both for Grant and Grant Hunting (aka Black Watch).

My own clan, Grant, is one of the few where any hint exists of there being any specified tartan for the clan prior to the 19th century. In 1704 the Chief specified that his men were to wear "red and green broad sprigged" when serving him. In 1714 two portraits were painted of his "Champion" (i.e. body guard) and his piper wearing it, and it bears no resemblance at all to the present Grant sett. Reconstructed thread counts from the portraits vary slightly, and the reconstructed setts are known as "Grant Champion" and "Grant Piper".

Will Pratt

[macwilkin]

In 1714 two portraits were painted of his "Champion" (i.e. body guard) and his piper wearing it, and it bears no resemblance at all to the present Grant sett. Reconstructed thread counts from the portraits vary slightly, and the reconstructed setts are known as "Grant Champion" and "Grant Piper".

Will, very interesting -- the Piper to the Grant Chief you mentioned was one William Cumming. The Cummings and the Grants were "neighbours" and at one point adversaries (Lord Strathspey still has a skull of the one of the Cumming Chiefs as a trophy at Castle Grant) before serving as pipers. I'd like to see the "Grant Piper" tartan.

Cheers,

Todd