The tum-tum-tee-dum-dumt of the different Highlander fife and drum corps precede us who are either in a sorority, fraternity, dance group or political party on display. We were surprised there were about 35 of us in our group, a few members in very political, patriotic red, white and blue striped hats and clothes, to point out that the Democrats are in town promoting the national election coming up. Then, as we went down Main Street with our signs, we turn onto Tyler and then onto the R. U. Muffet quad field, home of the annual October "Highlander Games" in Radford, Virginia.
The "Highlander" with his red, green and black Tartan kilt is the official mascot for the college and anyone of Scottish descent (or who aspires to be, like being Irish is the thing on St. Patrick's Day) who wants to come. So you can be Scottish in spirit.
The Scots have an interesting history. William Wallace of "Braveheart" movie fame fought for Scottish independence from England in the late 1200s. He died and has remained Scotland's big national hero. And it's funny that the Wallace family Tartan pattern is the one used for the national brand, "Scotch tape". Scotland is still not totally independent of England but does have its own governing body now.
A member of the MacPherson family, at one of the many clan booths there surrounding the Muffet Scottish games field, informed me of this and said you "never" call a Scottish man English as it is considered an insult of the highest order. He also suggested it would be easy to visit Scotland -- though you would have to first have to figure out how to navigate on the left hand side of the road. Once there he said you could visit the most photographed castle in Scotland, the Eileen Donan Castle, which is located on the lower west coastline. Above that to the north are still people who speak the (difficult to learn) native Gaelic. Isn't that language associated with the Irish? The Scottish and Irish can both speak this language.
"The games" they have at the Highlander festival are quite unique. I've not seen them anywhere else in southwest Virginia. They toss a long pole a caber and also toss hay bales and what they call a "hammer toss". Elsewhere on the college grounds you can see children tossing these long rolls of cardboard, like huge paper towel holders, as nearby some adults encourage the some little ones to bang on drums.
Back at Moffet field, 341 pound Justin Smith, a senior at Radford University, is taking his turn at doing the hammer toss, tossing it over 40 feet. But his competitor Ryan Stoltz tosses it over 60 feet! Stoltz admits he is not of Scottish descent but just likes participating in the games, and no doubt the crowd is please he came.
While this is going on the "Warpipes" are standing in a circle off to the side by the clan and arts and crafts booths, their bagpipes humming to the soulful tunes "Alabama" and "Amazing Grace". One female member tells me she has been playing the bagpipes for 35 years, when few were admitted to this predominantly male association. But now there are over 1,000 female members who play in such groups. And just beyond them, a female black and white shepherd dog is actively corralling three sheep in a cordoned off area, watching her owner's hand gestures to proceed. They are considered a very smart breed of dog (unlike the stubborn shi tzu I have back home).
There are all kinds of food vendors and unique items for sale, from clan books for the familes Sullivan, Keith, MacDonald, MacMillan to crushed false leather purses with a Celtic symbol on them to stationery. One booth even solicits donations for a Sheltie rescue operation in the area and has water available to those walking their dogs on the ground.
Going to (or being in a parade as a walker), wandering the booths, listening to the fife and drum corps with their bagpipes as you bite in an "unScottish" Polish sausage, makes for a fun and interesting day of exercise outdoors in early fall.
No comments:
Post a Comment