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Hanging at the Highland Games

  • Writer: Jenny Wynter
    Jenny Wynter
  • Sep 3, 2007
  • 1 min read

What does a Scotsman wear under his kilt?

A nappy, apparently.

Well, okay, admittedly that was only one (very, very young and thus massively appropriate) punter, but I was surprised to see it nonetheless. Kilts, bagpipes and haggis have been the order of the day, as the fam and I have had the great pleasure of strolling around the annual Highland Games – a day of Scottish festivities – right here in the middle of the mountains at Canmore.

It’s like walking through the soundtrack of Braveheart, or soundtrackS, to be accurate; there’s about a billion players doing their thing for rather stoney-faced adjudicators, in what seems to be a non-televised version of So You Think You Can Bagpipe?

Then there’s the teachers, coaching their piping/drumming/highland dancing proteges with final tips of encouragement (or in some cases, yelling “NOT LEFT, I SAID RIGHT! RIGHT!”) before their moment of truth, there’s the endless stalls selling kilts, hats and “Bagpipers Parking Space Only: All Others Will Be Prosecuted” signs, and of course, the fenced off section for the Highl

and Games themselves. The round of hammer-throwing we watched – different from hammer throwing in the Olympics – demonstrated the need for the fence, as the entire hammer broke apart on impact, with a long metal stick being hurled into the crowd. It was all I could do to stop from yelling “That’s NOOO how yer throw a hammer!”


Then there’s my favourite part – just kicking back on the lush green grass in the main tent, watching the band play their wicked Scottish jigs and letting the kids dance their Highlanding butts off.

Aye.

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I acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi, Wakka Wakka and Butchulla peoples, the First Nation Traditional Owners of Country, and custodians of the land and waters on which I live and work, and all the peoples who have welcomed me on Country. I pay respects to all Elders past and present and acknowledge the young leaders who are working beside Elders in our cultural industries in the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices. I recognise all First Nation peoples as the original storytellers of these lands and acknowledge the important role they continue to play in our community.

Jenny Wynter

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