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The Ellen Payne Odom Genealogy Library Family Tree
The Family Tree - June/July 2004
Tartan Day in North Carolina


Tartan Day Activities in North Carolina.

 

Raleigh, NC

Submitted by Judi Lloyd, NC Tartan Day Coordinator

 

 

With assistance from the Scottish Cultural Organization of the Triangle (SCOT), Tartan Day Coordinator for NC, Judi Lloyd, kicked off the Tartan Day awareness activities with a booth donated by the NC Renaissance Faire at the NC State Fairgrounds on the weekends of March 27th and April 3rd.  The event consisted of a booth set up and attended by clan and association members in the area who answered questions about Tartan Day, looked up Faire guests' names for a possible link to Scotland, filled out inquiry cards for clans and associations, handed out brochures on the various celtic events and Highland Games within a 2 to 3 hour driving distance, and made people aware of the contributions that Scots and people of Scottish ancestry have made to the United States.

 


 

Each of the days there was a presentation or entertainment on a nearby stage starting off on the first weekend with piping by Yance Covington of Carrboro, NC, then Highland Dancing by dancers Sandy Kennedy, Katie McDaniel, Ania Oddone, Helen Oddone, Andrea McKinley, Allison McKinley, and emcee, Eugene Oddone.  The second weekend there was a presentation of the Declaration of Arbroath done in a tableau format with Robert the Bruce portrayed by Tim Orr, Gilbert Hay by Larry Haynes, Vice President of Clan Hay American Branch, Jamie Douglas by David Warren of the Scottish District Families Association, narrator Robert Morrison Southeastern Regional Seneschal of Clan Morrison, and Bernard de Lenten, abbot of Arbroath who presented the Declaration to the cast and audience by a Franciscan Papal Knight, the Very Reverend David Brooks.  The final weekend's entertainment was 8 members of the NC State Pipe Band, which, of course, drew a big crowd.

 


 

Clans and Association members participating in the 4 day event other than those mentioned above were Mike, Nancy, and Oleg Dismukes of Clan Scott where Michael is the Clan Commissioner for NC, Michelle Mosco and Lynda Pletcher of the Scottish District Families Association, Chris Hellard, NC convener for Clan MacAlpine who brought a helper from Clan MacThomas.

 

Durham, NC

April 2nd in Durham, NC SCOT sponsored a Tartan Day Ceilidh.   The entertainment was mostly audience generated and included an explanation of Tartan Day, how and why it was started, reading of a letter from President Bush, hammer dulcimer playing, poems, singing (both solo and audience participation), learning country dancing, a comedy pirate skit that should be on tour, highland dancing which included some people who probably had not done the fling in many, many years, and Cape Breton step dancing.  It was definitely an event worth repeating in the coming years.

 

 

Greensboro, NC

Also on April 2nd in Greensboro, NC the Greensboro, NC Country Dancers held a dinner where President Bush's letter was again read, and a history of Tartan Day and the meaning of the date was done.

 

Mecklenberg County, NC

Submitted by Keets Taylor

And on April 6th, Jim Puckett, assisted by piper, Tim Hord, introduced a proclamation declaring April 6th as Tartan Day and April as Scottish Heritage month in Mecklenberg County.

 

Rocky Mount/Wilson, NC

Submitted by Julia Mullikin Batchelor, Founding President, Down East Scottish Society, Inc

 

To kick off Tartan Day this year, the Down East Scottish Society, Inc. initiated a request to the Office of North Carolina  Governor Mike Easley for the Proclamation of April, 2004 as Scots/Irish Heritage Month.  Our request has been honored and the Proclamation was secured.  The articles of Proclamation can be viewed on the State of North Carolina website under the Governor's section titled "Proclamations".

To celebrate Tartan Day, on April 6th, we donned our tartans and  held a Society Member's dinner at Parker's in Wilson, NC.  On April 20th, to continue our celebration, we will be donating a Carolina Tartan Flag to the Braswell Memorial Library in Rocky Mount, NC.  

Le durachdan!

Julia Mullikin Batchelor
 

Scottish Tartans Museum, Franklin, NC

Submitted by Matt Newsome,

At 11:30 our museum's Scottish color guard posted colors across the street from the Scottish Tartans Museum.  After the short ceremony, local representatives of different Scottish clans and families stepped forward to proclaim their clan.  Some carried tartan banners.  A short welcome was given by Clair Suminksi, president of the Friends of the Scottish Tartans Museum, who gave a brief history of Tartan Day.  Hal Chapman, coordinator for the annual Taste of Scotland Festival then spoke about our festival (this June 11-12) and invited everyone to return that weekend.
 

After the ceremony, the group proceeded to the Scottish Tartans Museum where members of the Friends had prepared a light soup, with scones, shortbread, and Scotch eggs as appetizers.  The museum was open free of charge all day, and tour guides were on hand to answer questions on tartan, the kilt, and Scottish history in general.

 

Waxhaw, NC

Submitted by Scotty Gallamore

Luncheon for the Scottish Society of the Waxhaws was held on April 6 at Bridge & Rail Restaurant in Waxhaw, NC.  Speeches included the history of Tartan Day (by Dana Banta, chieftainof the Society), the history of the Declaration of Arbroath (Scotty Gallamore), a review of current Scottish activities coming up in the area (Lisa Stewart, past chieftain). The restaurant was decorated with pictures from past Scottish games and a large blue and white banner across the outside of the restaurant proclaiming "National Tartan Day - April 6".

 

Judi Lloyd

NC Tartan Day Coordinator


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