6. September 2010 by admin.

 

When my first Scottish historical novel was recently released, I knew researching historical facts had been worth the effort. Even though DRAGON’S CURSE is a paranormal romance, I still filled it with fact-based occurrences and real live settings. In choosing a time period, I discovered a band of Macleod’s had massacred an entire village of MacDonalds in 1577 by smoking them to death in a cave on the Scottish island of Eigg. I made my hero, Draco MacDonald, accused of causing their deaths. He has lived alone for fifteen years in a huge cave on the real Scottish island of Staffa when he meets Brianna Macleod.

I wanted to use my love of modern Scottish Highland Games to weave another tale full of witches, time travel, and ancient Highlanders. Since my family volunteers annually at the New Hampshire Highland Games, I filled notebook after notebook with my interpretation of the sights, smells, sounds, and history of the games. Research added to my list of possible story ideas. I have since completed a tale I call SPELLBOUND HIGHLANDER, which I hope will catch the eye of an agent and be published. What do modern games have to do with a story of ancient Highlanders? Well, my heroine volunteers at the games and her witchcraft accidently sends her back in time. When she sees our hero, dressed in an ancient plaid with a long sword across his back and a dirk at his side, she thinks she is still at the games!

Besides the costumes and weaponry people wear to these festivals, there are sports, food, craft displays, music, and venders beneath tents selling everything under the sun. The aroma of meat pies mingles with the tang of fresh-squeezed lemonade. Sheep, herded by a border collie, run near tent-covered platforms where pretty girls dance a Highland fling. Bagpipers march while craftspeople spin wool or tell tales to kids. A recent trip to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville, North Carolina gave me dozens of ideas, which I carefully noted. The modern games are so much more than an athletic competition yet watching burly, kilt-wearing men tossing a tree called a ‘caber’ end-over-end is a favorite sight.

Historically, the games were a way to hone skills. Coming together once or twice a year gave a community a sense of camaraderie during a time of upheaval in Scotland. Skill, stamina, and determination easily kept young Highlanders ready for war or any threat to their livestock…and women. Foot races kept messengers ready should they need to spread the word of a battle. Using simple tools such as stones, hammers and the occasional sack of hay kept their back and leg muscles ready for hand-to-hand combat. Same with wrestling and the tug-o-war. All events sharpened a warrior’s body and kept him ready and able to answer the call to war. All these events were the object of periodic royal bans because they might encourage the practice of military skills, which scared whoever sat on the throne. Things changed when both Edward II and, later, Henry VIII considered the events as essential training.

Nowadays, people of Scottish descent gather all across America and in many Canadian provinces for a few days of fun and pride while wearing festive kilts and Highland dresses. Clan tents share a wealth of information, listing the many ‘septs’ included in each clan as well as books on tartans. Each clan may own several patterns. Rumor has it that the Irish gave Scotland the bagpipes…something more to research!

The New Hampshire Highland Games in NH http://www.nhscot.org/. Sept. 17-19Williamsburg Scottish Festival (Virginia) www.wsfonline.org/ Oct. 1-3 Richmond Highland Games & Celtic Festival http://www.meadowceltic.com/ Oct. 23-24Central Florida Scottish Highland Games http://www.flascot.com/ Jan. 15-16 2011

DRAGON’S CURSE

BOOK BLURB

Sometimes a special gift and an unwanted curse cannot keep destined lovers apart.

Brianna Macleod has accompanied a shipload of her guardian’s friends to a remote island off the coast of Scotland. She eludes these Highland hunters to keep her innocence…and her gift of sight. Her attitude against falling for womanly desires changes when she nearly drowns. Saved by the talons of a terrifying winged beast, she awakens—naked—in a cave, beside an unusual man.

Cursed by a vengeful witch to transform into a dragon at inopportune times, Draco MacDonald hides on this deserted island to live alone: until he plucks a servant girl from certain death. Fueled by jealousy, and tempered by fear for her safety, he succumbs to an unfamiliar desire to mate. Her kisses propel him to dare to make her his own.

Set in 1592 Scotland on the Scottish island of Staffa, the cursed hero battles a ghostly witch, a hunter set on rape, and his own growing desire for a young woman with premonitions of his death. Her kisses propel him to dare to make her his own.

AUTHOR BIONancy Lee Badger writes fulltime and lives with her husband in Raleigh, NC. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Celtic Heart Romance Writers, and Sisters in Crime. She also writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense as Nancy Lennea: http://www.nancylennea.com/.Nancy’s website: http://www.nancyleebadger.com/ Nancy’s bog http://www.RescuingRomance.nancyleebadger.com/DRAGON’S CURSE is available from Whispers Publishing at http://www.whispershome.com/ and the buy link is: http://bit.ly/93hRiM It is also available at http://www.Amazon.com/ for Kindle

Written by Nancy Lee Badger and Posted by Lydia Dare on July 16, 2010 on Lady Scribes blog at www.LadyScribes.blogspot.com

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20. August 2010 by admin.

Today I am talking about Dragons. These legendary creatures are typically pictured as having serpent-like or reptilian traits. Dragons are featured in the myths of cultures spanning the globe. Today, I will concentrate on the mythological dragons of Scotland. Scotland is where I base my newest novella, DRAGON’S CURSE.

From Cirein Croin, a sea serpent believed to be the largest creature ever, to the long, thick tailed wingless Beithar who haunted the quarries and mountains around Glen Coe, to the infamous Loch Ness Monster, dragons have been a part of Scottish folklore. Some say dragons are a mix of the serpent, the feline, and the predatory bird, the great predators of prehistoric times. Once man started to walk upright, he combined them into one terrifying beast, and the dragon was born.

One tale of bravery and love mentions the Rowan Tree. In the tale of Froach & the Rowan Tree, Froach swims to an island to gather berries from a magic Rowan Tree to save the life of his lover’s mother. He slips past the dragon guarding the tree then swims home only to discover he needs the entire branch. Back he goes, but the dragon awakes. Froach is wounded and swims toward home. His lover throws him a sword so he can kill the dragon and get to shore. Some say Froach dies, but the romantic in me believes the few who say he and his lover lived happily ever after. I have included the Rowan Tree in my story line in Dragon’s Curse. A Mountain Ash, in the family Rosaceae, it is native throughout the cool, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It finds a welcome home in the Scottish Highlands. With red foliage and large clumps of red berries each autumn, the Rowan is one of the most familiar wild trees of the British Isles.

Another story revolves around the most famous dragon of Scotland: the Loch Ness Monster or ‘Nessie’. Yes, Nessie is classified as a dragon even though many assume it is a leftover dinosaur or lake fish that has grown to gigantic proportions. Tales of Nessie date from the sixth century and one story goes like this: When Saint Columba traveled through the country of the Picts, he had to cross the River Ness. He came across Picts burying a man said to have been bitten by the water-monster. Not a stupid man, Columba ordered one of his men to swim across and return with a boat. The chosen man, Lugneus Mocumin swam off, but the monster saw him and charged. All on shore stood in horror except Columba, who raised his holy hand and inscribed the Cross in the air. He called upon the name of God and commanded the beast, saying, “Go no further! Do not touch the man! Go back at once!” The monster drew back, retreating to the depths of the Loch. Unharmed, Lugneus brought the boat back. Everyone was astonished. The heathen savages who witnessed the miracle were overcome and came to know the magnificence of the God of the Christians.

Nessie and Loch Ness are the most famous tourist attraction in Scotland and the locals will tell you about the mythical sea creature that some have actually seen in modern times and is probably a stranded dragon. The dragon can be seen as a symbol of the Celts, Picts and other early heathens of the area.

Where does this leave us today? Dragons have found their way into many modern books and movies. Shape shifters are a modern day paranormal storyline and several authors have used dragon lore to create stories to entertain us all. My story is slightly different. My hero has been cursed by a dead witch for a crime he did not commit. Cursed to transform into a dragon at inopportune times, Draco Macdonald decides to live out his years on the uninhabited island of Staffa. These plans go awry when Brianna Macleod arrives with a hunting party.

For more information concerning dragons and dragon lore, check your local library, book store, or these websites:

http://theserenedragon.net

http://www.monstropedia.org

DRAGON’S CURSE is available from Whispers Publishing at: http://www.whispershome.com/book_pages/dragons_curse.html

Also available at All Romance E Books at: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-dragonscurse-442152-144.html

Upload it to your Kindle at Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Curse-ebook/dp/B003TV4EAO/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282275913&sr=1-2

I wrote this article and it was originally posted June 25th 2010 at http://HistoryUndressed.blogspot.com

Visit my website! www.nancyleebadger.com

Excerpt:Pleasure mingled with a sudden sense of cautious clarity. “Please, sir. Do no’ dishonor me in such a way.”His quiet murmurs soothed her as she gazed deep into his eyes. Brianna inhaled a sharp breath at the flames dancing in their centers. Fear threatened to undo her, yet curiosity enticed her to press her fingers against his lips, forcing them apart. He growled.“Ah, I see. Ye are a beast.” The calm strength behind her words must have taken him aback, for he loosened his grip on her.“I am more, I am less. I am cursed, yet I feel blessed at this moment. Lay with me and soothe my pain, and I shall do my best to pleasure ye.”

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3. July 2010 by admin.

HIGHLAND GAMES

Bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, castles, whisky, the Highland moors…these things instantly bring to mind small—yet steeped in history—Scotland. Many American and Canadian citizens can trace their roots back to Scotland and some of these people celebrate these relationships by organizing, volunteering at, and attending Highland games. When I first met the man I was destined to marry, his grandfather and father had already done immense research into their Scottish ancestry. Both a grandfather and grandmother hailed from clans, in this case Gunn and MacBean. We have attended the New Hampshire Highland Games from the time they started back in 1975. In the early 1980s, my husband began his long stint as volunteer. I stayed home with the boys until the youngest showed an interest in his Scottish lineage, then also volunteered. Marching bands, odd looking food, and colorfully dressed kilts amid the spectacular fall foliage of the New Hampshire’s White Mountains makes for a memorable day.The NH games has turned into an annual three day event, now visited by over 40,000 people! We volunteer as a family and, even though my husband and I moved to the south, we still travel to the NH games annually where we offer our service in the information tent. Our sons join us there to help us sell official programs, hand out maps and schedules of events, and sell raffle tickets, the proceeds of which fund scholarships.This annual celebration has turned into a major undertaking and the Board of Directors and office staff work tirelessly to coordinate the many entertainment venues, clan representatives, venders of food and goods, and hundreds of volunteers, in order to bring the sights, sounds, and flavors of Scotland to New England.Volunteering every hour of the three days is too much to ask of anyone, since there is so much to do and see, so my husband and I gather several hardy individuals to share the load. This affords everyone with time to either go watch the sheep dog trials, taste the shortbread, scones, bridies,  meat pies, shop the venders, or listen to rock bands. No one wants to miss the athletes as they toss the caber, a tree length wooden pole.

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19. May 2010 by admin.

I think of proverbs as simple, popular sayings. The Oxford English Dictionary explains a proverb as: “a pithy saying in general use”, and the Longman Dictionary says it is: “a short well known phrase or sentence, which contains advice about life.” Often repeated, proverbs express a truth based on common sense. Proverbs are wise words of wisdom, said in a hidden way. In many cases, we heard them given as advice or as warnings.

Proverbs are handed down generation-to-generation, country to country, and through more than one language. The ‘Bible’s’ ‘Book of Proverbs’, and medieval Latin, have played a large role in distributing proverbs across Europe, although almost every culture has examples of its own.

Everyone has heard proverbs, in one form or another, retold over and again by the people who influenced their lives. Sage expressions such as hast makes wast, willful waste makes woeful want, and penny wise, pound fool were meant to guide us in our younger years. Spouted by our parents, schoolteachers, and clergy, we children were taught to use them wisely upon reaching adulthood. Recalling their words make us pause when faced with an important decision.

I write Scottish historical novels and my research has uncovered several interesting tidbits. I am amazed at the vast number of proverbs linked to Scottish origins. Many of these I found in literary texts written before 1600! Several of these old adages sounded familiar!

My favorites among the proverbs I recorded for this article are the ones that mention our furry or feathered friends. Please bear with me. I believe they will also ring true, even though their translations from Scottish dialects to English sound funny!

Waken not sleeping dogs. I agree. Good advice! I like owning ten fingers. Ye cannot make a silk purse of a sows lug. I felt this way when in my younger years, until the braces came off. Love me, love my dog. My sister, the veterinarian, lives this. A given horse should not be lookt in the teeth. I never let on which wedding gifts were God-awful-ugly! A few eventually found their way into one of our yard sales. Better a fowl in hand nor twa flying. I have always had a problem with taking ready cash and investing it in order to make more. With the all-too-recent economic downturn, this became a wise choice. Ane may lead a horse to the water, but four and twenty cannot gar him drink. I married a man just as stubborn! I find it best NOT to give him a choice about anything. And, this last one made me break out laughing, especially when I remember awkward family dinners! Fidlers, dogs and flies, come to the feast uncalled. (Just kidding, Mom and Dad)

Born a Scorpio, I have also used several adages from my childhood to tame my temper and found it TRUE that the higher up, the greater the fall. No one loves a bitch. What about all is not gold that glitters? Many instances in my life have shown me the truth in these words, especially when I recall our first home. It looked like a castle to our young first-time homebuyers eyes. What a money-pit.

As a volunteer EMT, I often responded to an emergency scene and arrived first. I learned many hands makes light work and always breathed a little easier when my squad showed up to back me up. Of course, my mom used that same proverb around my sisters and I quite frequently! And, a new bissom sweeps clean is recognizable in any language. Maybe we ignored her words at the time, as it goes in at one ear, and out the other, but I remember her wisdom years later.

You can find oodles of Scottish Proverbs in a vast selection of printed books, on-line resources, and even T-shirts! How have proverbs passed through time and space to guide our thoughts and actions? Family stories, one generation to the next, is the most common method. When you find yourself pausing before acting on some impulse which may change your life forever, think back on those little Scottish proverbs. And remember: no door ever closed but another opened. When you do, you may be delighted to find that all is well that ends well.

For more information on Scottish Proverbs try:
http://www.compassrose.org/
www.worldofquotes.com/proverbs
http://www.cafepress.com/
http://www.rampantscotland.com/

This article was written by Nancy Lee Badger and first published on November 13, 2009 on http://HistoryUndressed.blogspot.com

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2. May 2010 by admin.

Research is a big time-consumer when I write a historical romance novel. I set my adventures in ancient Scotland and the marvelous bits of information, found in books and the internet, get me excited. Researching beer and ale for my work-in-progress, ‘Spellbound Highlander’, set in 1598 Scottish Highlands, I thought about the area skirting the eastern shore of the North Sea. Did the harsh climate let them grow the necessary ingredients?

In order to answer my questions, I scoured the internet and came across an interesting website. I have asked John DeMasi of www.ProhibitionHomebrew.com to help me understand more about this naturally made beverage.

Nancy: Thanks for joining me John

John: Hi Nancy, I’m glad to be here.

Nancy: Tell us a little bit about your business.

John: Prohibition Homebrew is an online retail store for home brewers and home vintners, as well as those interested in adopting the hobby. We have the ingredients and equipment necessary to brew your own beer and wine, as well as information on how to brew it.

Nancy: My research shows Scotland has produced beer and ale for thousands of years. Is there a difference between beer and ale?

John: Well, yes and no. An ale is a type of beer. In the most rudimentary sense, “beer” is broken down into two broad categories: ales and lagers. An ale is a type of beer which is created using top-fermenting yeasts, while a lager is produced using bottom-fermenting yeast. There are numerous subsets of each, and even hybrids between the two. There are Belgian ales, Brown ales, Pale ales and of course– Scottish ales! Similarly, Lagers include various Pilsners, American Lagers, and Bocks to name a few.

Nancy: I was amazed to hear Scotland’s method of using bittering herbs is older than Europe’s. I read where organic remains found inside pots gave modern brewers the ability to recreate today’s ale with the same taste. Are any of your products able to recreate something akin to ancient Scottish brews?

John: Yes. Unfortunately, we do not have a specific “ancient Scottish” brew kit (containing all the ingredients for a specific recipe). However, we carry many of the ingredients which were used in ancient Scottish brews. Before the advent of hops in beer a variety of different herbs and spices were used. The heather plant is common to the Scottish countryside. Its tips were, and still can be, used to add a floral and aromatic character to beer. Similarly, sweet gale is a deciduous shrub found abundantly in the Northern Hemisphere, especially on the Scottish moors and bogs. It was historically used for beer flavoring before hops. We also carry herbs used in European brewing before the use of hops.

Nancy: I found one website selling something called Froach Heather Ale. They state leann fraoich means heather ale, made from boiling malted barley, sweet gale, and then adding flowering heather. Anything like this in your catalog?

John: Unfortunately, not at this time. We carry the ingredients necessary however and a simple Google search for “Heather ale” will bring up tons of different recipes which other home brewers have posted on homebrew forums.

Nancy: ‘Drop Your Kilt’ Scottish Ale caught my eye as it is promptly touted on your webpage. You share the recipe with readers. Do you sell all the ingredients? Can anyone make this at home?

John: We sure do. One of the recipe kits we sell is our ‘Drop Your Kilt’ Scottish Ale. Like all our recipe kits, it contains all the ingredients (hops, grains, yeast, etc.) that you need to make a batch of beer as well as detailed instructions on how to brew it. Truly anyone with the ambition can make it at home! However, there is some basic equipment you will need. You can check out the ‘Equipment Kits’ section of our website to get a better idea of some basic kits and general pieces of equipment you will need.

Nancy: Second only to single malt Scotch Whisky, my husband loves a product from a local brewery with a Scottish name. It is not a true Scots product, and he was thinking of trying to brew his own. Do you carry everything he needs?

John: We should. If there is any particular item your husband cannot find already on our website he, or anyone else, can email us at: Customers@prohibitionhomebrew.com and we will do our best to special order it. I am also happy to answer any questions, and can be reached directly at: John@prohibitionhomebrew.com.

Nancy: How long until his homebrew would be ready to taste?

John: Going back to your original question, it will depend on what style of beer your husband is trying to make. The temperature of fermentation and the quality of yeast will determine when a beer will taste its best. However, it takes around four weeks for many types of ale.

Nancy: Any other interesting things you can tell us about your business? 

We are working on a recipe-sharing forum, known as the Speakeasy, so that home brewers can trade their own recipes, as well as a custom label making section so that individuals can make customized labels right within our site. Our staff loves home brewing and is very knowledgeable. We are willing to answer any questions people may have and no question is too great or too small. I hope your article sparks some interest in potential future brewers because this is an incredibly enjoyable hobby. The Scottish ale has a deep copper color. The hardy, rich character of this ale is much a reflection of its own people and it is not surprising that after thousands of years these characteristics have endured.

Nancy: Wow! You sure have raised my interest in the possibility of home brewing. I am still in awe that flowers and bits of shrubbery work together with yeast and come up with such a worldwide favorite like ale. My research shows it was a staple of life in the less-than-hospitable Highlands of Scotland, where I base some of my stories, such as ‘Dragon’s Curse’ coming out June 25th from Whispers Publishing. Thanks for helping me understand the language and I hope my readers will visit your website, http://www.ProhibitionHomebrew.com. Make-your-own beer kits sound like a great gift idea!

(all photos shown today were taken by and copywrited by Nancy Lee Badger)

Nancy’s article first ran December 4, 2009 on http://HistoryUndressed.blogspot.com

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11. April 2010 by admin.

Scottish mythology is actually quite entwined with the Irish. One such example expounds on how settlers from Greek Asia Minor sailed across the sea to a place they called “the mountain of Ireland”. These settlers warred with Picts, invaded an area known as Britain, conquered the people, and renamed the land ‘Scotia’. When the Gaelic world assimilated the Picts into their fold, some history was lost and subsequently filled-in with myths and folklore. The people of present day Scotland grew from a diversity of cultures and their individual influences.

Myths are often considered an aspect of folklore, but not all. Mythology might include the belief in the supernatural, where as folklore and folk tales derived when people had the need to explain mysterious events. Pre-Christianity might have had a hand in old world myths and folklore. A people’s yearning to believe in the hereafter, or in some type of entity, lived on through stories passed generation to generation. Once Christianity became widespread, mythological creatures, such as the “Fairies”, faded away.

Scotland has a rich Celtic History going back over 2,000 years, at a time when superstition was rife and where unusual events were ‘explained’ by legends and whimsical stories. It is therefore not surprising that Scotland has an extensive heritage of myths and folklore. Many objects, including castles, have accumulated their share of myths and legends, such as circles of stones or cairns. These standing stones, and megalithic remains, highlight these reminders of the ancient inhabitants of Scotland.

Some believe that religion was an adaption from stories and memoires or evolutionary biology. In other words, religion evolved as byproduct of psychological mechanisms that evolved for other reasons. These mechanisms might have told early people how to watch for things that could cause them harm (omens). This morphed into an ability to come up with causal narratives for natural events (folk tales) while other people had minds of their own with their own beliefs, desires and intentions (mythology and the precursors of organized religion).

Unexplained observations (thunder, lightning, movement of planets, and other complicated events of nature) were the basis of stories. These word-of-mouth explanations changed with the frequency of their telling which is why one myth could have many different descriptions or endings.

The distinctive features of Scottish Folklore are filled with the characteristics of Scotland’s varied scenery. The serene lap of the deep mountain loch, the trickling of a tiny creek, the harsh splendor of the mountains, the solitude of the moor, reflect in their folk tales and myths. The fairies, the brownies, and the bogles of Scotland are similar to those the Irish believe live in their own hills. Their Irish nooks and crags, streams and meadows might be different, but many legends are told with similar aspects except, maybe, for how they dress.

An example of the similarity between the land of the Highlands and the land of the four-leaf clover is the legend of the Selkie. In Scotland, this mythical Selkies are shy marine creatures in the shape of a seal, usually found near the islands of Orkney and Shetland. A female can shed her skin and come ashore as a beautiful woman. If found, a man could force her to be his wife. Of course, as the legend goes, if she recovered the skin, off she’d go. Male Selkies are said to be responsible for storms. What better explanation for the sinking of a ship?
Selkies of Irish lore are said to come from Co. Donegal in Ireland, which happens to be where many people made their living from the sea. Living by the sea might cause people to craft stories as a way to explain its mysteries. The Irish considered the Selkies to have the same characteristics as those of Scotland, even though they considered other sea creatures more malevolent. Most scholars believe the seals and sea lions from which these myths evolved had sweet, non-threatening dispositions. This might have allowed them to easily be transformed by myth into non-threatening Selkies. At least, the females!

Religion changed much of the thinking of the people who listened or read the more popular beliefs which were often rammed down their throats by the hierarchy of a given land. Myths and folklore slipped to the back burner, but never disappeared. Many tales are quite popular today and have thousands of followers. Think of the legend surrounding the Blarney Stone in Ireland or the Loch Ness Monster. Even Girl Scout troops around the world call their youngest recruits ‘Brownies’ after helpful creatures that do good deeds.

Myths and folk tales live on because people need to believe in them. There are hundreds of wonderful stories out there about kelpies, fairies, banshees, and the like. I recommend the following websites if you would like a taste. You might even recognize one or two stories!

www.compassrose.org/folklore/scottish/Scottish-Folktales.html
http://www.sacred-texts.com/ 

Written by Nancy Lee Badger and previously published September 2, 2009 on History Undressed:  http://HistoryUndressed.blogspot.com

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31. March 2010 by admin.

Modern Day highland games have a short history here in the United States and I have been fortunate enough to attend several over the last twenty or so years. I am also proud to be a long-time volunteer at the annual New Hampshire Highland Games, even though my husband and I moved from New Hampshire to North Carolina. We still go back each fall to help. It takes hundreds of volunteers to pull off a multi-day event attended by over 40,000 people!

The modern games incorporate so much more than athletic competition. People assume this is what is meant by the term ‘games’. They are so much more. Historically, the games came into being as a way to hone skills and build a sense of community when upheaval scarred the country. Scotland came under duress when it became illegal to bear weapons or wear ‘the plaid’ of one’s clan. Many of the athletic events require skill, stamina, or down-right determination to carry out. The use of simple tools such as stones, hammers, and even the occasion sack of hay, morphed into tremendous feats of prowess.

Take the sheaf toss, one of my favorites. Using a pitchfork, participants try to throw a sixteen pound sack of straw over a bar for height. Considering the bar gets raised again and again to well over their heads, this isn’t as easy as it looks.

The heavy hammer event introduces us to kilt-clad muscle men swinging a twenty-two pound sledge hammer around their heads while their feet stay put before giving it a gut-wrenching toss for distance. Ouch!

The most popular event is the caber toss where men, and a few women, attempt to throw a telephone pole end over end to have it fall as close to twelve o’clock on the ground as possible. They must balance it on their shoulder then run forward. Easy you say? Cabers are typically eighteen to twenty feet in length and weight over one-hundred-thirty pounds!

The kilted mile, generally open to all ages, is a popular event and some believe it came into being when clan members ran to prove the fastest, who was then chosen as the clan’s messenger during tribal wars. The only requirement during the modern day equivalent? The participant MUST wear a kilt. To see a six year old boy running his heart out in a kilt well below his knees tugs at your heart…until the men arrive. Honestly, there is something about a man in a kilt, especially when he tosses away his shirt and lets his long hair loose to fly free behind him and…oops, getting off-track.

What do the other athletic events have to do with the past? Well,

I’ve been told the hammer has the richest early history, being once called ‘casting the bar’ or ‘putting the stone’. All of the heavy events were the object of periodic royal bans as they might encourage the practice of military skills. It has been said Edward II (reigned 1307-1327) and Henry VIII (1509-1547) considered the events to be promoted as being essential training, so thinking changed now and then.

The Braemar games are said to have been derived from the contests introduced by King Malcolm Canmore in 1040 A.D. These events included a hill race, but it is uncertain whether heavy events were included. In twelfth century London, which may have influenced the nearby Scots, open spaces were provided so that the populace could practice “leaping, wrestling, casting of the stone, and playing with the ball”. Unfortunately, ‘The Scots Laws and Acts’ of 1572 banned many sports, which were said to interfere with church attendance and archery practice.

Also, the Act of Proscription in 1746 outlawed Scottish customs, including gatherings and dress. Yes, the colorful tartans seen predominately displayed at modern games were outlawed. Happily, the act was appealed in 1782, and so began the revival of the highland games.

In 1822, things improved immensely for the games when King George IV strutted about in Edinburgh dressed in Scottish garb. This event started a fad for all things Scottish, and many of the things regarded as ‘traditional’ at modern day Scottish games date from this period, including the vast majority of tartan patterns.

The wearing of kilts, kilt hose, sporrans, billowing ‘ghillie’ shirts, tams, and more (or less, if most men have their way) have become tradition. With a wool kilt made to order and costing upwards of six-hundred dollars, they are worn with pride and ceremony. My husband, Richard, looks sexy in his ‘Gunn’ tartan and will soon strut around in a new kilt, currently being hand-made in Scotland in the ‘MacBean’ colors, thanks to his wife (me!) buying a raffle ticket at a fund-raiser.

Many states, and Canadian provinces, host highland games and all are family-friendly with programs for children. Scottish dress is never required, nor do you have to be of Scottish descent. Any author contemplating writing a Scottish Historical ought to look into attending one to get the flavor and romantic vibes emanating from every clan tent, dance performance, and rock concert. Young men sporting leather vests and sassy kilts playing bagpipes and guitars? Heavenly!

Not to be missed, but that’s my opinion.

Written by Nancy Lee Badger and previously published April 27, 2009 on History Undressed:  http://HistoryUndressed.blogspot.com

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