BBC News | Scotland | Ban bagpipes and kilts, says Englishman
I wonder whatever happened to this guy?
Back in 1999:
BBC News | Scotland | Ban bagpipes and kilts, says Englishman
I actually feel sorry for him. English guy, probably just out of school, moves to Scotland, where he thinks it might be a good idea to start a campaign to ban kilts and bagpipes. I hope he wasn't planning on a career in Scottish politics.
Back in 1999:
BBC News | Scotland | Ban bagpipes and kilts, says Englishman
I actually feel sorry for him. English guy, probably just out of school, moves to Scotland, where he thinks it might be a good idea to start a campaign to ban kilts and bagpipes. I hope he wasn't planning on a career in Scottish politics.
posted by VMM at 3:08 PM
2 Comments:
C has made some good comments about how much of piping/kilt wearing is steaped more in modern romantic notions of what we imagine Scotland to be rathar than historical fact. Never having been to Scotland, I can only imagine how frustrating the Royal Mile might be to the locals. The Laird and I both grew up in Anchorage, Alaska where we often had to dodge the tourists who never set more than 5 feet from the tour bus or gift shop and thought all Alaskans wore wolf fur hats and carried gold pans strapped to our hips. Most civilizations have their quaint cliches. Heck most people probably think our president could actually ride a horse.
I am inclined to believe that the great rise in bagpiping in the last few years comes more from mechanical advances in the pipes themselves rather than a rise in enthusiasm for all things Scotish. modern flapper valves, waxed hemp and boring techniques have made the pipes easier to play and more reliable to tune. Synthetic reeds allow the pipes to stay in tune much longer and do not easily change with fluctuations in humidity. It really sounds as if 10 years ago, being a piper required an engineering degree just to keep the things going. Newer pipes are simply easier to play, cheaper to manufacuture and more reliable, therefor, they have become more popular.
Thanks for the contribution C. Come comment anytime!
Though I do not neccessarily agree with him, I do see some of the reasoning behind his argument. As a Chinese, I have to deal with those whose only concept about the Chinese culture come from Hollywood. For example, there is nothing Chinese about Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon.
To some of the Chinese girls I know, Scotland brings to mind effeminate laddies who play bagpipes sounding like a flute. Most have never even heard of the instrument. Their knowledge comes from this: http://www.geocities.com/shinji_cc/yumiko/anthony_scott.jpg
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