No more Kilts for me

[Chris Webb]

Chris,

Perhaps I'm not understanding your meaning here: are you saying that those early immigrants who maintained their connections to Scotland through Scottish culture, such as Highland attire, while at the same time became citizens of the Republic, were not "Scottish-Americans"? I certainly see them as that; proud of their past, but also proud of being citizens of the United States. Please correct me if I am interpreting this wrong, as I have been known to do that on many occasions (just ask my dear wife!)

As far as Wikipedia goes, just because it is easily accessible doesn't mean that it is a good source. Part of my job as a librarian is to educate students that there are much better resources out there than it; they may not be as easily accessible, but from an accuracy standpoint, they are much, much more reliable. As someone who attended college, I'm sure you value accurate and reliable resources just as much as I do. That was my point.

Todd

Todd,

Certainly those first folks you specified were the original Scottish-Americans, I didn't mean to deminish them in any way. I think the disconnect between us is that I'm referring mostly to folks more like me, generations removed from the first immigrants in my lineage. The "Great Melting Pot" is a very slow melt at best and its effects are seen more profoundly by later generations, partly because 2nd, 3rd and on generations begin to see themselves simply as American, often unaware of their own heritage. It's that slow melt that I think produced the Texas Outfit I've referred too ... my kids actually think it is all original Texan, oblivious to the fact that all parts of it were derived from somewhere else.

It's this phenominon that I'm trying to articulate, not very well, I'm afraid. I'm at least 5 generations from the first Webb in my own lineage to come over here from Ireland. In between the first and myself are whole generations who lived in different States finally showing up in Texas in 1890. All these different heritages blended together pretty much to make me the Texan I am now ... I've really nothing to show for my Scottish heritage but a SportKilt in the Stuart Royal Tartan. My son has no interest in the least about his own Scottish heritage. In a sense I'm the last in the line of Scots-Irish in my family, my son is simply a Texan.

I don't believe my experience is unique. Maybe my son will eventually be more interested but the fact is that he is only half as Scottish as me and I'm barely Scottish at all ... Begining from the first immigrant from the period you described until me the Scottish heritage in my blood has been so thoroughly blended with the Irish, the American Indian, the American Southerner, the Confederate rebel and finally the Texan that I've become exactly what I've been trying hard to describe, a member of the generation on the brink of forgetting where it all started.

So we come to the kilt. In the center of the world of Scottish Tradition and heritage is the Scottish National Dress, the whole kilt outfit. No doubt a few, maybe many, of the first immigrants showed up with an outfit just like it. But for me, two centuries later, all that is really left of the outfit is the kilt itself and it isn't even made like the original. Some are not even tartan, they're solid, cotton, Americanized, distilled, mere cousins of the Scottish Dress my distant relative once wore. The modern kilt is only a little more Scottish than I am. We both share the same heritage, but just as my own heritage consists of elements from outside of Scotland so do the elements that make up the SportKilt I'm wearing right now. We are both danged close to just being plain ole American. I really don't like that for either of us.

Possibly I can truly be accused of wishful thinking, as Mike said ... it is my wish to honor my own heritage, even honor the Scots for bringing me the kilt, but my personal heritage is a long distance from Scotland both by time and space. My kilt is a tie to that distant past, but even more it is an answer to a health issue, a weapon against the relentless heat of Texas, a clothing option far more comfortable than most any other and a garment that shouts confidence and masculinity. It has evolved beyond a simple reminder of my heritage and become a tool of daily use, a common denominator of my daily dress, it has become part of my modern wardrobe. I don't wish for the kilt to become just another wardrobe choice. I don't wish for it to be simply Scotish ... I'd like it to be as much mine as it is anyone else's. What I call Scottish American, I guess.

Some here strive hard to keep the Scottish in the kilt. Some, like me, whose Scottish heritage is almost too distant to measure have tried to attach the concept of Freedom to the kilt, believing that this love of freedom is inherited from Scotland. I truly think the kilt is diminshed when it is just another piece of clothing, just another option ... whether for Heritage or for Freedom, both camps see the kilt as more than the cloth it is made of.

As for Wikepedia you are absolutely correct. Still, it's a common source for the common man and it is common men who are increasingly wearing kilts. I don't know for certain how they get their articles but I think it would serve us all well if you and others more informed than myself would look at it and send Wikepedia whatever corrections are necessary. I'm really no scholar, I'm an over-educated blue collar working man who moonlights as a poet. I'm more feelings than facts, I suppose.

Todd, sorry I droned on ... I really don't know if all this will help you and Mike and others to make sense of me or not. I'm just trying hard to describe what I'm seeing. I can't compete with you guys on a scholastic level but much of what I write really does make sense if you can only hear it as coming from the slow talking, laugh easy Texan that I am. Thanks again for your posts, I read and enjoy every word.

Kilt On.

Chris Webb

[Mike1]

As for Wikepedia one must at least realize that many people do look to it for current information.

Just as people looked to the 'Reverend' Jim Jones and The People's Temple for spiritual guidance. Not a 'church' I would have recommended, but Jones certainly proved he had a faithful congregation.

Without going into tremendous detail, I was recently involved in exposing a rather public figure that was making some really way-out claims about his identity. The individual claimed to have received a medal from the United Nations. And you could even go to Wiki and find an article on this medal, complete with the dimensions of the medal and the colors of the ribbon. A very concise and <cough, cough> 'informative' article. Because, you see, the United Nations denied ever having honored anyone with any such medal. All it took was one e-mail to the U.N. and the hoax was identified.

If you want a little hint, good researchers don't ever look to secondary sources for information. Always go to the primary source, because when you have hung your Stetson on phony, secondary information, you are going to end up with egg on your own face. Or a fake medal pinned to your chest.

[Raphael]

I still don't understand Chris' point of view in Scottish-American kilt? Are you referring the Utilikilt style as SCottish-American Kilt? I want to know what do you mean by that.

Why does the kilt had to be Americanised before gaining popularity?

[Chris Webb]

Raphael, thanks for a sincere question. Every American except the American Indian came from somewhere else originally. My family heritage includes Scots, Irish and American Indian. If I was from Scotland I'd be Scottish. Instead, being a long time, ie. generations, in America I'm what I'm calling a Scots-Irish American. Think African-American.

A Scotish kilt is made, born if you will, in Scotland. A kilt made in America and that deviates from the original Scotish norm, like material, is what I'm calling a Scotish-American kilt, Scottish in origin but American made. So, a Scotish kilt made in America and mixed with American innovations = Scotish-American kilt. Does this help?

As for the kilt being 'Americanized' in order for it to gain popularity I can only offer this: Before kilts became Scotish-American they were too hot, too expensive and too complex in their accessories for most men in the U.S. to wear except for formal events and festivals. The Scotish-American kilts are way less expensive, cooler, easier to take care of, easier to get and can be worn all by themselves without any extra accessories ... thus kilts in the U.S. have become more popular.

As evidenced by posts on this forum there are even increasing numbers of men of no Scotish, Irish or even English heritage that are taking up kilts. No doubt that Scotland 'owns' their National Dress in its original form ... some men with absolutely no ties to Scotland would be uncomfortable 'stealing' it for their own wear, although Scots likely wouldn't hold it against them. The rise of Scotish-American kilts has allowed those with no 'Scotish' in their 'American' blood to slip easier into kilts without the psycological strain of somehow feeling they don't have the 'right' to wear one.

Simply stated: The Scotish-American kilt has a wider appeal than a Scotish kilt. If this were not true then more and more of us would not be buying and wearing kilts exclusively made in the U.S.

It would be interesting to find out via a pole what percentage of men here own a truly Scotish kilt. I mean no insult to Scotish kilts, Scotish heritage or traditions or those men here who hold them dearly ... but, really, are there not more American kiltmakers reviewed here than Scotish kiltmakers, or Even English kiltmakers?

It is the Scotish-American kilt that has bolstered the numbers of kiltmen in the U.S. and there is nothing wrong or insulting about it, it's just the way it is. It is the trend of the kilt becoming 'more American' that is fueling the increase in the kilt market. Scotish-American kilts simply have a broader appeal and thats ... OK.

Kilt On.

Chris Webb

[davedove]

Oops, at least my sentiments were right. Thanks.

Chris Webb

EDIT: I've got an in-law from England, his name is Peter and he is forever trying to get me to say his name right. For the life of me I can't help but pronouce it Peder. One day he met my daughter, Katy, and he of course pronounced it, Katy. I said, "No, her name is Kady." He looked at me, grinned ear to ear and said, "You got me."

I would have sworn by the silver in my buckle that Dolly's last name was Pardon. I called and asked my Mom to make sure and, like all others from this neck of the woods, she kept on sayin' it's Pardon, Son, I just know it's Pardon. Well, it may be spelled 'Parton' but to those of us who hold her as the Queen of the South her name will always be Pardon.

No problem, I'm originally from a very rural region of southern Illinois, and we have a bit of a dialect ourselves. There is a town near my folks called Vienna. They don't pronounce it like the city in Austria though (or like the sausages for that manner). They pronounce it Vie-Anna. And it took me a long time to get the "r" out of words like "wash", although I do still slip into it occasionally.

I'm just a bit of a country music buff (though by no means an expert) and I happen to think that Miss Dolly is an incredibly talented woman. I read the other day that she has written over 6000 songs.