The Scottish Nebraskan Newsletter of the Prairie Scots Chief’s Message Summer 2021 Issue I am delighted that summer is upon us finally! For a while there I thought winter was making a comeback. I hope this finds you all well and excited to get back to a more normal lifestyle. We are excited as we will finally get to meet in person for our Annual Meeting and Gathering of the Clans in August and hope you all make an effort to come. We haven't seen you all in over a year and a half and we are looking forward to your smiling faces and a chance to talk with all of you. Covid-19 has been rough on all of us; it has been a horrible year plus. But the officers of the Society have been meeting on a regular basis trying hard to keep the Society going. Now it is your turn to come and get involved once again. After all, a Society is not a society if we don't gather! Make sure to mark your calendar for August 7th, put on your best Tartan and we will see you then. As Aye, Helen Jacobsen Gathering of the Clans :an occasion when a large group of family or friends meet, especially to enjoy themselves e.g., Highland Games. See page 5 for info about our Annual Meeting & Gathering of the Clans See page 15 for a listing of some nearby Gatherings Click here for Billy Raymond’s song “The Gathering of the Clans” To remove your name from our mailing list, The Scottish Society of Nebraska please reply with “UNSUBSCRIBE” in the subject line. P O Box 541141 Questions or comments? Omaha, NE 68154 Email Morgan Wise at [email protected] A Taste of the United Kingdom Table of Contents is Now in Omaha! Member Spotlight 3 Announcements 4-5 Photographs: 6 –9 Scottish Society of Nebraska Gathering of our Member Clans Clan Histories: History of the Clan 10-13 Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm Book Review: 14 Sun: 11am - 5pm Scotland Bound, Charlie Brown Nebraska's only British Market & Article: Bakery offering food & beverages both Scottish Gatherings this Summer 15 hot & cold following traditional British recipes with imported ingredients Article: from England is now open. Top 10 Facts About Gowff in Whether it be pies, pasties, butties, Scotland 16-18 jam tarts, the "99" (England's oldest ice cream) or even Harry Potter's Poetry Butterbeer from Hogsmeade... there's Two Summer Poems by something for everyone! Robert Louis Stevenson 19 The market includes over 350 British imported foods & gifts for all Recipe Corner 20 occasions including all your favorites Eton Mess—A Scottish Fruit Dessert from Cadburys to Walkers. Visit their webpage to see all the offered goodies! www.chippysomaha.com 2718 S 123rd Ct. Omaha, NE 68144 2 Member Spotlight We are Craig and Sheryl Walker. We have been members of the NE Scottish Society for about 3 years. We have lived in Omaha since 1991. Craig is from Omaha and has lived here most of his life. Sheryl is from Minnesota, but her father being in the military led to frequent family moves. We met at Creighton University, Craig was studying Pre-Med and Sheryl was studying Nursing. We have been married 38 years. We have three children and four grandchildren. Craig is a radiologist at Nebraska Medicine. Sheryl has taken the past year off to homeschool three of our grandchildren because of the COVID disruptions. We both enjoy traveling, fly-fishing, playing board or card games, and spending time with family and friends. A few years ago, we began studying our families’ genealogies. Both of our families have ties to Scotland. Craig’s family were Ulster Scots who had lived in Fivemiletown, Tyrone, Ireland having come from Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Sheryl’s ancestors were Norman Norse who moved to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. We have been to Scotland three times and look forward to returning. Our joining the Scottish Society has enabled us to enjoy a wee bit of Scotland while here in Omaha. We look forward to the Scottish Society being able to meet in- person again. NEWSLETTER SUBMISSIONS Do you have something to share in The Scottish Nebraskan? Articles/Scottish Poetry/Art/Recipes/Book Reviews/Recent—Upcoming Events Send them to [email protected] by 8/31/21 3 Announcements Happy Father’s Day 2022 Membership Drive begins in August Our Membership Drive kicks off on August 7th for the 2022 membership year. All members (new and renewing should complete the membership form so we have your most recent information. Membership Dues: $40—Family Membership $30—Individual Membership Scotland Magazine: Scotland magazine (formerly The Highlander) subscription is $16 per year (note price increase). Brand new members of the Society receive a complimentary 1-year subscription. The membership form can be found online at: www.TheScottishSocietyOfNebraska.org Pay online or print the form and mail to: Post Office Box 541141, Omaha, NE, 68154 4 Announcements Members, Friends and Families of The Scottish Society of Nebraska 2021 Gathering of the Clans & Annual Membership Meeting DATE: Saturday, 7 August 2021 TIME: BBQ Potluck Picnic* begins at 12 Noon PLACE: Presbyterian Church of the Master 10710 Corby Circle, Omaha *Grilled meat, condiments, buns, dinner ware and drinks will be provided by the Society; families attending are asked to bring a side dish, salad, or dessert to share. Masks Recommended and its always a good idea to bring lawn chairs Dear Amercians, Happy Good Job! Independence And have a good “We Beat the English” Day Day! Love, Scotland 5 Scottish Society of Nebraska Gathering of our Member Clans Clan Anderson Clan Carmichael Clan Cumming Clan Douglas Clan Bell Clan Cameron Clan Dalziel Clan Drummond Clan Blair Clan Campbell Clan Davidson Clan Elliot Clan Broun (Brown) Clan Chattan Clan Donnachaidh Clan Farquharson (Clan Robertson) Continued on Page 7 6 Society Clans, Continued from Page 6 Clan Fraser Clan Gunn Clan Keith Clan MacAlister Clan Glen Clan Henderson Clan Kennedy Clan MacBean Clan Gordon Clan Hunter Clan Kerr Clan MacDonald Clan Grant Clan Johnstone Clan Lamont Clan MacFarlane "For that is the mark of the Scot of all classes . there burns alive in him a sense of identity with the dead, even to the twentieth generation." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson Continued on Page 8 7 Society Clans, Continued from Page 7 Clan MacGregor Clan MacLeod Clan MacRae Clan Murray Clan MacInnes Clan MacMillan Clan MacThomas Clan Nesbitt Clan MacKay Clan MacPherson Clan Maitland Clan Peter Clan MacLennan Clan MacQueen Clan Montgomery Clan Ross Nowhere beats the heart so kindly as beneath the tartan plaid! ~ William Edmonstoune Aytoun Continued on Page 9 8 Society Clans, Continued from Page 8 Clan Scott Clan Stirling Clan Wallace Clan Sinclair Clan Stuart of Bute Clan Spens Clan Sutherland Clan Stewart Clan Taylor Scotland For Ever Alba gu bràth 9 Clan Histories History of the Clan It is the fundamental urge of all living creatures to reproduce, to seek protection in the safety of numbers and to seek order through some form of social harmony. As human beings differ little from this, all over the world from the beginning of recorded time societies have existed, which have bound its population together in such a way. Whereas many Empires have been formed, flourished, and died out at the hand or in the name of imperialism and dictatorship one system has remained. It is as strong today as it ever was, binding together millions across the globe, not with religious dogma but with the spirit and belonging of an extended family. One that is both socialist in principle and patriarchal in structure – the Scottish clan system. What is a Clan? The word ‘clan’ derives from the Gaelic word ‘clann’ or ‘clanna’ for children, and describes a close-knit group of relatives. However, you didn’t need to be related to the clan chief to be considered a part of the clan. Anyone who pledged their allegiance to the chief could use the clan name as their own, and this included those who worked for the clan or needed protection. When surnames came into use in the 16th and 17th centuries, many took their clan leader’s name as their own. Clans were generally associated with a geographical area of Scotland, for example, the Armstrong Clan originated in the Borders, the MacGregors in Argyll, and Clan Campbell ruled the roost across much of the Scottish Highlands. Clans often had ancestral castles too, such as Clan Murray’s Duffus Castle in Blair Atholl. Today, Scottish clans are celebrated across the world, with many descendants making the pilgrimage to Scotland to discover their roots and ancestral home. Clans names, tartans and crests are recorded by Lord Lyon for official recognition. Continued on Page 11 10 Clan Histories, Continued from Page 10 How Did Clans Originate? It is quite possible however that the origins of the clan system outdate even the name itself. When the Romans eventually left Britain to its own devices Scotland was populated by five distinct races: North of the Forth and Clyde and occupying what is considered the Highlands were the Picts. A mysterious people of which very little is known today. Settled in Strathclyde were the Britons who had spread from England along with the Saxons who occupied the southeast. The Attacotti were in Galloway and Argyll, during the 6th century the Kingdom of Dalriada was established, from here came the Scots or Scoti, the eventual inheritors of the nation. The arrival of St. Columba in 563 brought more than simple Christianity (St.