Scots and Scottish Clans at Celebration '89

Through the years all have been joined by immigrants from other countries. Many, like the Highlanders during the time of the Clearances, came to escape unbearable conditions at home. Dr. Robert McClure, at the 1986 Robbie Burns banquet of the North British Society, reminded the Scots the only difference between their ancestors and the Vietnamese boat people was 200 years. Nova Scotia has become a haven for the oppressed, and each nationality has contributed to its growth and culture.

Scottish societies and organizations were formed to preserve the Highland Culture and language which the Scots carry forth with pride. In a similar sense, the Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia (MANS) was formed to to preserve the individual cultures of the nationalities it represents.

The annual Multicultural Festival provides each ethnic group an opportunity to present its culture by displays, food, and dancing demonstrations. Under the leadership of President A. Wayne MacKay, Clan MacKay joined forces with MANS, and were the only Scots to do so. Each year during the Festival, the blue MacKay tent was to be found representing the Scottish element of Nova Scotia's culture.

Realizing the Scottish culture cold be more effectively presented as an `inter-clan effort,' Clan MacKay encouraged the other Scottish Clans in Nova Scotia to share the work.

Celebration '89 was the first multicultural festival in which the Scots were able to maintain a display for the duration. On the Friday of the festival, Clan Donnachaidh erected a tent and Clans MacBain, Farquharson, Lamont, Watson, Donnachaidh and Shaw took turns manning it.

At noon Saturday, Clan MacKay (perhaps in honour of their involvement from the first Multicultural Festival) was piped in by Lisa Porter of Clan Farquharson. Bill McKay was joined by Ida MacKay and Janet MacKay, for the busiest shift of the festival.

To encourage the public to visit all ethnic displays, visitors were given a passport on which each nationality placed its signature. A "full" passport qualified the visitor to enter a draw for a trip to the Air Canada destination of their choice.

Clan Donnachaidh signed "Ciad Mile Failte" (100,000 welcomes). The MacKays implanted their own style with MacKay mottos in Gaelic, "Bi Tren" and in Latin, "Manu Forti." The Campbells, on the last shift, kept up the MacKay tradition for awhile, then declared independence by signing their own names. A great commarderie developed, and the "changing of the clans" (reminiscent of "changing of the guards"), left delightful stories to be told.

"It's interesting that we clans tend to be daytime creatures!" remarked Brian Robertson, forced to find a lamp for the tent during the evening hours. At the Highland Festivals, the clan tents are taken down at supper time, with clansfolk spending their evenings in ceilidhs and Scottish concerts. However, the Scots have an advantage at the Multicultural Festival. With each clan bringing its own tartan and other display items, the FSCNS tent becomes an ever-changing scene.

Plans for the clans tent at future Multicultural Festivals are exciting with promise. Beginning next year ("Celebration '90"), it is hoped that samples of Scottish delicacies will be available among the foods of other nationalities. Items of highland interest, jewellery, tartans, books, music -- will be offered for sale. Under the blue canopy of this "tent within a tent," visitors will discover more about the Highland and Lowland cultures of Scotland.

Copyright (C) 1990: Janet MacKay
Published in: "The Clansman," August 1990

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