A Scottish Festival (Photo Diary)

The 60^th Annual Highland Games in Spokane, Washington included a festival with music—both Celtic music groups and the traditional bagpipes—and dancers.

No Scottish Festival is complete without a Highland Coo. It was a hot day and this one didn’t want to leave the shade of the trailer.

Musical Groups

Shown above is Arvid Lundin and Deep Roots, a band from Coeur d’Alene Idaho.

 

Shown above Arvid Lundin and Deep Roots

Shown above are the Prestwold Players, an English country dance band from Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

Shown above is Golden Bough from San Francisco.

Bagpipers

Commonly associated with Scotland is the Great Highland Bagpipe which was often used in war to encourage the troops. Pipe band music, which includes drums, consists of both marches and dances. While individual pipers can play both marches and dances, they also play Piobaireachd (pronounced “P-brock”). Piobaireachd is the classical music of the pipes. It starts with a theme which is then embellished with variations. These variations have increasing complexity. A complete Pioaireachd may taken ten to twenty minutes to play.

Dancers

Originally, the Highland dances were performed only by men, but today women dancers generally outnumber the men. The Highland dances are connected with the ancient Scottish folk customs.

The Highland Fling is danced with raised arms and finger grouping to represent the antlers of a stag. Originally, this was a victory dance performed on a vanquished enemy’s shield.

The Sword Dance is said to have originated in 1054 with King Malcolm Canmore who danced over his sword crossed with that of his enemy.

The Strathspey, according to some stories, originated one winter day when a church congregation danced to stay warm while waiting for the minister to arrive.