JenR

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Emmy
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JenR

Post by Emmy »

JenR How about if we do a swop of information about our countries. Is there anything you would like to know about Scotland? (and dont you dare make it too difficult for me :lol: )
You tell me what you like best about Canada.
Please remember Jen, even on this forum, do not give any personal details about yourself.
Lots of love
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Re: JenR

Post by nuccia »

Hi emmy,

Jens been sick all week and will post a reply when she gets out of bed which I hope is soon. Don't worry, its nothing serious thankfully but it knocked her flat out for most of the week.

She sends her love, as do I!

Hugs
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Re: JenR

Post by JenR »

Well I was wondering have you ever ate Haggus? I don't know If I spelt it right but I was watching a show and they had a scottish person who had ate haggus. My mom wants to know why mean/boys where skirts?

JenR
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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

Hi Jen First I hope that you are feeing better.
Yes I have eaten haggis, we normally have it with mashed potatoes and mashed turnip. Its a traditional meal that served when we celebrated Burn's day here in Scotland on the 25th January.
Robert Burns was our National 'Bard' (Poet) and his poems are written in old Scots dialect and are world famous, many of his poems were put to music. One of his famous poems is 'To A Haggis' and on Burn's night (25th Jan.)lots of people get together and have a night of celebration. This is when, after the haggis has been cooked its put onto a large plate and is carried into the hall, with great ceremony, where the people are sitting ready to eat. A woman carries the plate with the haggis and she is dressed in the old fashioned Scottish clothes,(the name she is given for that night is Poosy Nancy) just behind her is a piper, wearing his kilt etc and playing the bagpipes.The dish is then placed in front of the main guest and that person then stands up and recites the poem'To a Haggis and when he comes to the part in the poem when the haggis is bust open he then picks up the special knife (dirk) and slits open the haggis, when he has finished reciting the poem then 'dinner is served' After that some people will sings some of Burn's songs and then they have Scottish dancing and many have a 'wee dram' (a small glass of whiskey)
There are lots of jokes about haggis, many joke that they are little creatures that run about the hills and they get hunted. I'll leave that to you imagination Jen.
Image This is what a real haggis looks like.

ImageThis is a list of the ingredients in a haggis.
I'm going to try and link the poem To A Haggis but I think you will have real difficulty understanding it - I know I do!!

To a Haggis
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o' the Puddin
-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready slight
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an' strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scronful' view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.
Ye Pow's wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae shinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if you wish her gratefu' pray'r,
Gie her a Haggis! *
* This stanza was originally written out as follows:-
"Ye Pow'rs wha gie us a' that's gude
Still bless auld Caledonia's brood,
Wi' great John Barleycorn's heart's bluid
In stoups or luggies;
And on our boards, that king o' food,
A gud Scotch Haggis!"
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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

Jen this is a poem I made up about the other kind of haggis.
TO A HAGGIS

The haggis rins aboot the braes in an oot the peat

The wellies that he wears a’ day are never aff his feet

He wears a tartan plaidi tied roond his wee bald heid

An, in his kilt o haggis tartan he really looks quite neat.

It is this special time o’ year oor wee pal dreads the maist

When a’ the haggis hunters come stompin through the mist

When caught, he’s cleaned, put on a plate

Wi pipes brocht tae the table

Tae let ye ken what happens next! – I really am no able

What made the wee thing sweat wi’ fear?

Wha maks its life sae hard?

Wha has a lot tae answer for?

Rabbie, oor Scottish Bard!

(this is how it would read in English)
The haggis runs about the hills in and out of the peat bogs
His wellington boots that he wears all day are never taken off his feet
He wears a tartan shawl wrapped round his small bald head
And in his kilt which is made from 'Haggis' tartan he really looks quite smart
It is at this special time of year (25th Jan) that our little friend hates the most
For this is when the 'Haggis hunters' come marching through the mist
When the haggis is caught, he is cleaned, he's put onto a plate
And with the bagpipes playing he is carried to the table
To let you know what happens next
I really am too upset to tell you
What makes the haggis sweat with fear?
Who makes his life so difficult?
Who is to blame for all this trouble the haggis has
Robert Burns our Scottish poet.
by Emmy
I'll post this first then write about the kilt in another post
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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

Jen sorry to disappoint you (and Nuccia)but most men in Scotland dont wear 'skirts' (the proper name for the 'skirt' is the KILT.)
Kilts are made up in material in a variety of colours and patterns known as 'Tartans'. To make a kilt you need a lot of material. Each Scottish Clan has their own individual Tartan. e.g.If your surname was McDonald then you would belong to the McDonald clan and wear the McDonald tartan. Long ago people would know which clan you belonged through the tartan you wore. My mother was Scottish so my tartan would be the Johnstone tartan, because that was my mother's maiden name.
Image This is the Johnstone Tartan
Today it is very popular when couples are getting married for the man to wear a complete highland outfit for the wedding and many of the male guest wear kilts too. Normally they hire them for the day because its very expsensive to buy a complete outfit. People normally just choose a tartan they like because of the colours or the pattern. There is the odd one or two men who do wear the kilt all the time but its not common.


http://www.scottishdance.net/highland/MakingKilt.html Nuccia here is how to make a kilt so get out the sewing machine! :wink: :lol: :lol:
Once you are in this site if you click onto the Ceilidh Dances on the left hand side then when the screen comes up click onto Animated Gay Gordons or Military Two Step from BBC Celtic roots you can listen to the Scottish Music and watch the dancing too - Some of the men are wearing kilts!!

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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

Here's a picture of two men in highland Dress
Image
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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

Some more pictures for you Jen

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

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Re: JenR

Post by JenR »

Sorry I haven't replied but to me thats weird! I know girls who wear skirts but guys..... I have to talk to you later I have to eat dinner!

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JenR :D :D
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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

Hi Jen
It's not really so weird. Ask Mum if its ok to look up 'images' on google and have a look at the traditional costumes (for men)of other countries you may be surprised at just how many didnt wear trousers but did wear something like a skirt.

Let me know how many you find that wore a type of 'skirt' instead of trousers.

e.g. Have a look at a Roman soldier or Greece.

Happy Hunting
Love Emmy
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Re: JenR

Post by JenR »

I did there are some very cool ones! :D:D :D :D
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Re: JenR

Post by JenR »

So the Kilts are they always the same fabric?
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Re: JenR

Post by Emmy »

More or less Jen. The proper tartan material for a kilt is a woollen fabric. But you can get other material with a tartan pattern on it but you wouldnt use it to make a kilt. Just wouldnt look right :wink:

What about Canada are there any 'traditions' re clothing etc. that you can tell me about?
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Re: JenR

Post by JenR »

Nope I think we just were t-Shirts And Jeans Lol.
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