Highland Culture brought to America

Highland culture in Mapleton, MN By Rory Colin McGregor Mapleton’s Scottish Ties    Curling Robert Burns Celebration Scottish inhabitants and Clan heritage McGregor’s homestead  My family came to the Mapleton area before the 1850’s and were some of the first pioneers in the area  In the following years this area was inhabited by many other families of Scottish decent  As early as 1866 the Maple River (for which the town is named) was used in January to curl in a celebratory bonspiel in honor of the Scottish poet Robert Burns’ birthday Group activity In your table groups discuss what you already know about curling:  Rules  Teams  Equipment  Playing area  Strategy  Anything else… Curling  The origins of curling are unknown and in dispute, but by the 16th Century written accounts of “curling” first appear in Scotland  By the 18th century, curling had become a common past-time on Scotland’s lochs  During the 19th century curling’s popularity spread throughout the northern parts of the world (Canada, N. Europe, and N. America)  The largest curling club in the USA is the St. Paul, Minnesota, club, with over 700 members Curling Basics   2 Teams of 4 people (skip, vice-skip, second, lead) The stones are 44 lb granite rocks (8/team)  A match is usually made up of 8 to 12 ends  The playing area, or "rink," is 140 feet long and 14 feet wide  At each end is a house, 12 feet in diameter  Between the 2 houses are the hog lines  Beyond the 2 houses are the back lines  To be in play a rock must stop between these two lines at the opposite end of the ice from the shooter How Curling is Played  Shake hands and greet the opposition  Coin is tossed to determine who starts  Lead of first team throws first rock where the skip commands, followed by the lead of the opposition, and alternate back and forth until the skip’s final rock a.k.a. the hammer is thrown  The skip stays at the opposite end of the ice from the shooter and calls the shots and the sweepers (2 teammates that aren’t shooting) on and off How Curling is Played  When delivering a rock a player may not pass the nearest hog line with the rock  The shooter aims at the skip’s broom and puts on the turn desired by the skip at the release (rocks should complete 1 1/2 to 3 revolutions from release to stop)  As soon as the rock is released the sweepers may start sweeping if needed  Once the rock passes the tee line of the far house the skip from the opposing team may try to sweep it out of play How Curling is Played      Sweeping is used to maintain rock speed and line (hard sweeping keeps rock strait and fast) At the close of the end points can only be scored the team that has rocks closest to the button The team who lost the end possesses the hammer in the following end, if no points are scored the team with hammer retains possession of it At the end of the match the players all shake hands and say “Good Game” The winning team then cleans the ice before retiring to the back room How Curling is Played (Strategy) • Draws- shot into the circles or house, expert curlers, can curl in behind a guard already in place to make a very difficult or impossible takeout • Guards- protecting a teammate's stone to make it difficult for an opponent to takeout • Takeouts- knocking an opponent's stone out of scoring territory • Raises- rocks can also be bumped back to draw the house or raised for a takeout Curling in Mapleton “It may not be the largest town you visit, but it has the oldest established curling club in the state. In 1856, Scottish immigrants settled in this territory. The town was named after the Maple River where the game of curling was introduced. Circular wooden blocks with metal bands were their only curling stones. There are even stories of the men using their wives’ flat irons occasionally. However, 1890 saw the introduction of granite stones.” From: Ceud Mile Failte (A hundred thousand welcomes) by Gwen McGregor, one of the club’s first women curlers Curling in Mapleton       In 1904, an enclosed rink was built with two sheets of natural ice. In 1950, our current rink with four sheets was built. In 1954, artificial ice was installed to the delight of the ladies who had formed their group called the Heatherettes in 1949. “We don’t have a movie theater nor a ski slope, but we do have a curling club and the Scots and everyone else knows curling provides a real “Hoot Mon!” by Gwen McGregor After curling opposing teams retire to the “back room” to enjoy cards, spirits, food, and conversation with eachother Heather Curling Club is the oldest established club in Minnesota with three generations on a curling team How often can members curl? Seven days a week in winter With about 150 people our club boasts 10% of the town’s population as members Pictures from “Lay It Up! Curling is chess on ice, with broomsticks”. February, 1999 issue of Smithsonian Magazine. Left: View of HCC from sheet 4, yellow is counting 1 pt Right: HCC members forming a stone outside the club Robert Burns (1759-1796)  Bobby Burns was a Scottish poet who is most well known for the song/poem “Auld Lang Syne”  As a young man he learned to read and write in several different languages  He published poems and many nearly forgotten folk songs in Scots-English which was unusual, but he achieved immense popularity  Burns was a man of an extremely passionate nature; his misfortunes combined with his natural tendencies to frequent excesses of selfindulgence (scotch and women) lead him to die a poor yet adored man at the age of 38 Mapleton’s Burns Night  Every January since 1856 Scots living near Mapleton have gathered to celebrate Robert Burns on his birthday  1866, the Burns Club and the Curling Club were joined and every year since then a Burns Bonspiel has been played  Burns night festivities include highland dances and songs accompanied by live bagpipe music, poetry, stories, Burns bonspiel trophies, the crowning of Miss Bonny Lass, the night is led by a guest MC, and followed by the Haggis supper and socializing Why our Scottish culture remained so important to us?   Clan loyalty and bonds and history Clans are social groups comprised of families derived from a common ancestor  Clans are usually accompanied by dependent and associated families who have sought the protection or help of the Clan at some point in history  Early settlers needed each other just to survive in this new and unknown land  The Clan foundation was important and familiar to settlers that came halfway around the world Clans In Gaelic, "Mac" = "Son of”  Clan MacGregor, are the Sons of Gregor, or the followers of Gregor  The name McGregor is an anglicized version of MacGregor  Condensed MacGregor History  The MacGregors were known to be a noble and powerful clan, holding many lands in Perthshire and Argyllshire. The Campbell Clan illegally obtained deeds to the MacGregor lands therefore causing them to resort to violence, making them known to be raiders and killers.  In 1603 there was a victory of Clan MacGregor over Clan Colquhouns which a Royal Commission was bribed to deem as an act of rebellion. The Clan MacGregor was consequently outlawed and a proscription was placed upon them. The Proscription, which remained in effect for 170 years (1603-1774) stated, among other things:  To even claim the name MacGregor openly was to invite an immediate execution, and, “Babies not yet born will not take MacGregor name under penalty of Death”  “No more than four shall meet at a time, under penalty of Death”  “They shall bear no weapon, save an unpointed knife for cutting their meat”  Pardons for thievery and murder could be attained by selling MacGregor heads to the government Clan MacGregor Attributes          Clan Motto: 'S Rioghail Mo Dhream (So Royal My Race) Unofficial Clan Motto: Where the MacGregor sits IS the head of the table War Cry: Ard Choille (The Wooded Height) Clan Badge: Pinus sylvestris (The Scotch Pine) MacGregor Clan Coat of Arms and Tartan