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Tartan Day - April 6th
Proclamation
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THE WHITE HOUSE - Washington
- March 22, 2006
I send greetings to
all those celebrating Tartan Day. On this day, we honor the proud heritage
and many accomplishments of Scottish Americans.
Scotland and the
United States are intimately linked through deep historical and cultural
ties. For generations, the sons and daughters of Scotland have come to
America with a spirit of determination and optimism that has helped shape
our Nation's character and enriched our history. Many noteworthy Americans
of Scottish descent have made significant contributions to our country,
including inventor Alexander Graham Bell, pioneer Daniel Boone,
revolutionary Patrick Henry, and Presidents Andrew Jackson, Theodore
Roosevelt, and Ulysses S. Grant. Through hard work, firm values, and strong
faith, Scottish Americans have made our country a better place. We are
grateful for the role they have played in defending and renewing the ideals
we cherish.
Laura and I
send our best wishes for a memorable Tartan Day.
(Signed:
George W. Bush) |
 In
recognition of the contributions made by the Scots and the Scotch-Irish to
the development of
Mecklenburg County,
North Carolina in March, the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners
issued a resolution proclaiming April 6 as Tartan Day and April as Scottish
Heritage Month in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
The idea of a special day
to honor early Scots and the Scotch-Irish settlers was first conceived in
1988 by the Federation of Scottish Clans in Nova Scotia, Canada. As in the
United States, many Scots had come to Canada against their will and had gone
on to become exemplary citizens. Many of the other provinces also felt that
such a day of recognition was needed and passed Private Member’s Bills or
Premier's Proclamations in support of the resolution. Scots and their
descendants were encouraged to wear tartan to their places of work, play or
worship in honor of their forbears and in recognition of the hardships they
endured.
The date chosen, April 6th,
has special significance. It is the anniversary of the Declaration of
Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence. In 1320, the Scottish
Barons, locked in a struggle with Edward I, of England vowed that they would
follow Robert the Bruce but, "it is not for riches, or honors, or glory that
we fight, but for liberty alone, which no man loses save with his life." and
further more should the Bruce waiver they would cast him out and make
another king.
It is appropriate that
Mecklenburg
County should also choose this date to recognize its Scottish and
Scotch-Irish citizens. There are many signs of those early Scottish settlers
still found in the metropolitan Charlotte area. The flag of the City of
Charlotte is the St. Andrew's Cross, the flag of
Scotland,
with the City of Charlotte's seal in the center. Even a brief study of area
town and street names becomes a list of Scottish surnames and place names.
However, the most notable historic parallel is the
Mecklenburg Declaration
of Independence. Although not signed until May 20, 1775, the
influence and independent spirit of those Scottish Barons set an example
that reverberated across the centuries. A fiercely independent spirit is
still a hallmark of members of the Scottish community worldwide.
In 1981, Micheil MacDonald,
F.S.T.S designed a Carolinas Tartan for the Scottish Tartan Society. This
Carolinas Tartan had been adopted as the official tartan of the Catawba
Valley Scottish Society. The tartan is available in cotton through the
Society gift shop.
We
encourage the Scottish kith and kin to get the tartan "out of the closet"
and show your colors on April 6th each year.
Re:
Plaid vs. Tartan?
 Typically,
A PLAIDE is a garment. Historically, it was a length of fabric wrapped
around one's body in lieu of having to carry it.
The term PLAID is used to
denote fabric of many colors, woven perpendicularly; that is, colors woven
in the warp and the weft. It can be random or planned, even or uneven.
A TARTAN is woven to a
pattern, also called a thread count, and it is designated a NAME. It has
been officially designated by Lord Lyon. When ordering tartan for a kilt, it
can be ordered by name and one knows what he is receiving. There are books
on weavers of tartans which includes a listing of descriptions of thread
counts and colors. One must have an imagination, or know the tartan already.
Please remember that
TARTANS can be uneven patterns, which are not mirror-imaged. The most
well-known one is Stewart Hunting. There are also Malcolm, Buchanan T
Campbell of Argyll, Kilgour, Dress MacDonald, MacAlpine, and Maple Leaf.
There may be others.
There are plaids that are
even mirror images or tartan look-alikes, but have not been officially
honored by Lord Lyon. In the trade these are known as "fashion plaids". |
