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| Richard Rouse (left) is bayonetted by a Red Coat during the
re-enactment of a Scottish fight against British aggressors.
The demonstration was one of many events that took place during
the Highland games at MCC, Feb. 26-27. |
photo by Thom Ottens |
Scottish gather, celebrate heritage
Adam Eickerman
Mesa Legend
Imagine a family
reunion with thousands of people and not having the slightest clue
as to who some of them are.
That is what it was like when more than 40 clans, representing their
family name, descended upon MCC at the Scottish Gathering and Highland
Games, Feb. 26-27.
The event has been held the last week of February for the past nine
years at the college and will continue to leave its impression on
the college and the community as long as the event does not become
too large.
“I can’t even imagine if we outgrew MCC,” said
Michelle Campbell, President of The Caledonian Society of Arizona.
The Caledonian Society of Arizona includes a 200-plus member year-round
society that puts the event together every year. The event is quite
time consuming as well as exciting, added Campbell.
The main idea behind the gathering and the games was to bring the
Scottish culture and atmosphere to the public so that they could
experience it, and more importantly, so that Scots could keep their
gathering tradition alive.
“The best reason (to come to the event), is the immersion
into a different culture. People will tell you what you want to
know,” said Campbell.
Some of the Clans that attended this year were the MacDonalds, Campbells,
McBains, Gordons, and Fergusons, as well as many others.
A genealogist was also on hand at the event to help families trace
their ancestors and to put to rest some of the questions they had
about their background.
One year a Campbell family dated its history back to the late 900s,
stated Campbell.
A person of Scottish decent can almost always find someone who is
part of their clan, said Campbell.
Athletics have always been a crowd gatherer and this year was no
different.
The athletics, which used to be clan sports, are now individual
sports in which each contender tries to out do each other in terms
of brute strength.
The athletics included the Weight Toss for height, Weight Throw
for distance, Hammer Throw, Braemar Stone Put, and the Caber Toss.
Some world records have been broken at the games in the past, said
Campbell.
On Sunday, the event hosted the Women’s World Highland Athletics
Championships.
“Women can be strong and independent and still be women,”
said Campbell.
Shelly Mitters, who competes in the Caber admits that it is a very
strenuous task to toss the 50-pound telephone pole looking piece
of equipment.
“It requires a lot more skill than most of the games - you
got to be able to lift it and stable it. It’s not as easy
as it looks,” Mitters said.
For the little children or as the society likes to call them, “wee
ones,” there were face painters, magicians, bouncies, and
child athletics.
Some of the older teenagers especially liked the climbing wall,
which gave them an opportunity to show off their skills at scaling
the structure.
Other events included bag pipe competitions, Celtic dance competitions,
and music festivities.
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