Scottish society pipes in kilt clan recruits

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This article was published 07/04/2021 (1740 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While inordinately proud of my Scottish heritage, I have always felt something important was missing from my Celtic resumé, something along the lines of a certificate of authenticity.

That changed in dramatic fashion Monday morning when two tartan-clad officials from the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg arrived at my front door bearing a certificate making me a member of the oldest continuously active Scottish organization in Western Canada.

It was a great moment in the sense I felt sort of like the Scarecrow when the Wizard of Oz presented him with a diploma near the end of the classic 1939 movie.

Framed certificates — along with a book on the history of the society and miniature bottles of Scotch — were also presented to my buddy Hal Anderson, the afternoon host on 680 CJOB, and Karen Mitchell, the news director for CTV Winnipeg.

Kilt-clad Dwight MacAulay, chair of the society’s culture and heritage committee, and Pam Simmons, the society’s secretary, said the certificates were a sort of thank you for us media personalities supporting Scottish heritage and culture in Manitoba.

It was also a clever way to promote National Tartan Day, which happened to be on Tuesday, is a celebration of everything Scottish in North America and marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, which was signed in 1320 and is viewed as the Scottish declaration of independence.

“We are giving you a membership in the St. Andrew’s Society in celebration of April 6, Tartan Day throughout North America,” said MacAuley, who spent 19 years as Manitoba’s chief of protocol and is also a presiding officer for the citizenship court.

“That (1320) was where the Scots indicated they wanted to be independent, and the last time I checked they were still talking about it,” he quipped.

Given Manitoba’s strong links to Scotland, the society officials said they’d like to make Tartan Day a bigger deal in this province. “We just want to make people feel proud to be Scottish Canadians,” Simmons said.

Chimed in MacAuley: “And make people more generally aware of Scottish culture, Scottish traditions and Scottish heritage.”

Like me, Anderson, a longtime radio legend in Winnipeg, was beaming with pride after becoming an honorary Scotsman. “It’s the most excitement I’ve had in over a year,” he said. “All day I was thinking: ‘What am I going to wear? I don’t have a kilt.’

“I did have one concern — does it mean I’m going to have to eat haggis? I’ve never tried it, but I hear I don’t want to. It’s nice to get this recognition. I’ve tried really hard with my voice on the radio to promote community.”

Like most things in the world, Winnipeg’s St. Andrew’s society, now celebrating its 150th anniversary, has undergone some dramatic changes in recent years.

Its status as the oldest Old Boys Club in the province ended in 2015 when it formally approved women as members. That change spurred a small group of bitter dissidents to break away and form their own group. The society is now open to everyone, including those without Scottish ancestry.

“There are actually five women on the board now. It used to be an all-men’s organization. It’s a different organization now, very inclusive,” said Simmons, decked out in tartan pants.

The 241-member society will make even more history this fall when it inaugurates Evelyn Mitchell, currently first vice-president, as its first female president in the 150 years it has been in operation.

“That’s historic for the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg, no question,” MacAuley said. “It sends a message that the society is very inclusive. We encourage anyone to become a member… you don’t have to be Scottish, but it doesn’t hurt. We’d love more members in the society.”

It will also take a key step on the road to reconciliation in 2022 when its second vice-president, Luke Settee, takes over as the cultural group’s first Indigenous president.

Dwight said these historic steps send a positive message, but it’s one that evolved naturally. “We didn’t set out to have the first woman president this year, or the first Indigenous president. It just kind of evolved into that… It’s a reflection of how society is changing,” he said.

The society also plans to continue its Pop-up Piper program this summer, with young bagpipers playing 15-minute mini-concerts at random locations. “The idea is to just bring a smile to people’s faces. Everybody loves the pipers,” MacAuley noted.

For the record, I am mildly surprised the society made me a member because over the years I have alienated local Scots by writing questionable columns about haggis and bagpipers.

While on stage with a group of Highland dancers, I once told the following joke: “I heard on the news that hijackers have captured a plane loaded with bagpipers. (Dramatic pause) And if their demands aren’t met, they’re going to release one piper every hour!”

That joke ruffled some feathers and a newspaper in Scotland heard about the fuss and published a teeny-tiny item about how some “idjit” in Winnipeg was making heartless comments about their beloved instrument.

Fortunately, I am pretty sure they will have to forgive me now. After all, I have a certificate.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca