Each year, tens of thousands of people flock to Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina, and to more than two hundred other locations across the country to attend Scottish Highland Games and Gatherings. There, kilt-wearing participants compete in athletics, Highland dancing, and bagpiping, while others join clan societies in celebration of a Scottish heritage. As Celeste Ray notes, however, the Scottish affiliation that Americans claim today is a Highland Gaelic identity that did not come to characterize that nation until long after the ancestors of many Scottish Americans had left Scotland. Ray explores how Highland Scottish themes and lore merge with southern regional myths and identities to produce a unique style of commemoration and a complex sense of identity for Scottish Americans in the South. Blending the objectivity of the anthropologist with respect for the people she studies, she asks how and why we use memories of our ancestral pasts to provide a sense of identity and community in the present. In so doing, she offers an original and insightful examination of what it means to be Scottish in America.

Are you looking for more information about the Highland Games? Learn more about this Scottish heritage today!The Highland Games, when and how did they get their start and how did they develop into the modern day Games? How many events are there? How can I find a Scottish clan that is associated with the various tartans? Gareth Ainsworth answers these questions and many more in The Highland Games, a beginner's guide to history, kilts & throwing. Gareth is a multi-faceted man that loves to share his experiences in the Highland Games, the history, kilts and more, on his podcast The Kilted Patriot and now this book.Inside, you'll discover: The history of the Highland Games.An overview of the games, the basics, governing bodies for the Games, and the different classes.How to get started.Where should you buy a kilt, how you should buy one, and what you wear under a kilt.And more?This book will also include a 12-month game planning calendar as well as a 12-week training log to practice and prepare for the big day.Get your copy of The Highland Games, a beginner's guide to history, kilts & throwing now to learn more about this part of Scottish history.

"This is a work of great value to all who seek knowledge of Scottish-American events, and who wish to understand what surely must be one of the most interesting, colorful, and evident ethnic occurrences in the U.S." -W. R. McLeod vice-chairman, Dunvegan Foundation Clan McLeod "The author's enthusiasm for the Scottish Highland Games, and indeed her expertise, are reflected in this long-awaited work. All who are interested in the story of this enduring and popular festival will be grateful to Ann Donaldson for her conscientious research. It is a fine tribute to those Americans of Scottish descent who have contributed to keep this unique aspect of their culture vibrantly alive in the New World." -Gerald Redmond author of The Sporting Scots of Nineteenth Century Canada Discover the Scottish Highland Games, celebrated in over thirty U.S. states every year. Participants compete in the caber toss, Highland dancing, piping and drumming, fiddling, and many more competitive and non-competitive events. The Scottish Highland Games in America recognizes the players and events that keep the modern Games alive and exciting. Readers will discover the history of the Games, rooted in Scotland and celebrated in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries where Scots have settled. A complete state-by-state listing of the Games and their events is also provided. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Emily Ann Donaldson is a devoted Games fan, a participant in Scottish country dancing, and a member of several Scottish associations.

Combining newspaper and manuscript evidence from the pipers themselves with a range of historical sources, the author harnesses the insights of the practical player to those of the historian and provides a fresh account of the players and their musical traditions, which have previously been the subject of much myth-making.

Covers eighty-one hills in the Scottish Highlands Detailed maps in the classic Trailblazer style including tricky trail junctions walking times and points of interest Plus places to stay places to eat and a full-color flora identification section

Master's Highland Games divisions have grown exponentially in the last few years. The sport is driven by participation and this group is the most active of any. Mr Kerry Overfelt has developed a training manual specifically directed at this population of Highland Game thrower's. Explore all aspects of training and throwing in this book, with funny stories and personal anecdotes interjected to keep the reader entertained.