Forum Activity for @karen-hopkins-crow

welsh kilts

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I am attempting to load a photo of a female doll dressed in the Welsh National Costume. What, if any, is the male national costume for Wales?(source of the photo: www.walesdirectory.co.uk )

welsh kilts

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

In reply to Jennifer (Garan Gwynn), when I say that I am Scottish, yes, I mean that I am of Scottish descent, and most Americans understand what I mean when I say this. However, to my Scottish (born and raised in Scotland family), I am American (so Tartan Soldier is correct in what he is saying). Lately I've taken to saying that I'm Celtic-American, because that is the best way that I can say that most of my ancestry, and a lot of of my upbringing, comes from the UK. It is not a very accurate description, but it is the best shorthand that I can come up with. I'm also Danish, French, and German!I was born and raised in American. I have only visited Scotland for a week, and that in my adulthood... but culturally, I am split between the two countries. I was raised by very Old World standards, and my sense of humour is very British. (While I understand American humour, I don't think it funny. The Americans never understand my jokes because they are so UK in nature... and they often accuse me of lacking a sense of humour as a result. It wasn't until I started watching British sitcoms that I began to understand that my sense of humour is merely different from that of most Americans.) My work ethic is extremely Scots. (Until I joined a Welsh group, I thought that the work-ethic think was UK, and was quite surprised to learn that the Welsh have more of a "man~ana" attitude toward life!) I grew up eating Scottish foods and listening to Scottish music (and not just the pipes). I have sung Scottish folksongs and ballads with my grandmother since infancy. When I visit with my native-born Scottish family for more than a few days, I begin to pick up the accent--to the point that people who don't know me well ask me which part of the UK I come from. I was raised so British that I don't fit in well with most Americans, but when I went to Britain, the fact that I was born and raised in America overrode the Britishisms that I was raised with. The fact is that I am a child of two cultures and as such do not... quite...fit into either.My comment about Welsh national dress is that we Welsh-Americans should learn what the Welsh national dress is and be proud to wear that. I'm not saying that the Welsh should not wear kilts, lederhosen, or kimonos... but that we would better serve our own national identity by wearing Welsh stuff. Let's let the world know that we exist!

welsh kilts

General Discussions ( Anything Goes )

The Scots originally wore tartan. It was part of their custom and national identity. We moderns do not know what the original tartans were nor to what extent (if any) the tartans showed family, region, or political affiliation. I have heard that there most likely was no tartan specifically relegated to any one family, but based upon my knowledge of regional costumes around the world, and especially in European countries, I would not be surprised if the tartans were originally regionally based.England banned the wearing of the tartan and the playing of the bagpipes after Culloden. It was treasonous to wear tartan or to play the pipes. Consequently, the custom was all but wiped out. In Victorian times, it was re-introduced by the English, who romanticized the notion of wearing the kilt. Subsequently, Scottish tartans are most likely all commercial... but it was a way for Scots to attempt to reclaim their national customs and identity. Almost 200 years have passed, and there are recognized rules for the proper wearing of tartan. My mother and her family are Scots, and I personally am a member of Clan Donnachaid (sorry, my Gaelic spelling is atrocious!), of the Duncan sept. Technically, I can wear the Robertson tartan, because Robertson is a sept of Clan Donnachaid, but because I'm not Robertson, I really should only wear the Duncan tartan, even though I think Robertson is prettier!My father's ancestry is Danish and Welsh. Because my family has lost all its Welsh customs and traditions, I was happy to purchase ties and scarves made from the Hopkins tartan... even though I knew that the tartan was a commercial invention. It gave me and my family a way of expressing our Welshness, but I was careful to tell my family members that the items I gave them were not based in Welsh tradition, but were commercial in nature. However, if I had a way of wearing a traditional Welsh costume, I would prefer to do so, and I would wear it with pride. I would love to learn what regional costume my Welsh forebears wore and wear that. I'm already proud of my Scottish heritage. Why must (or should) I wear a "Welsh kilt" when I should (could) be wearing my Welsh ancestral costume instead?Wales already has its own national costume, although it varies somewhat from region to region. Unlike the Scottish tartan, it never was wiped out or discouraged by the English. There is no fanciful re-creation of what once was in the attempt to reclaim our identity. Why don't we Welsh Americans learn what it is and dress in it for those special occasions? We Welsh need to learn our own traditions. We should be proud of them. We should use them, promogulate them, and educate others about them. There is no need to borrow someone else's traditions and/or national identity. We DO NOT need to borrow the customs of others. We DO need to be proud of what we already have.Karen Hopkins Crow