1900-1962 Highland Games: An ancient spectacle of strength, grace, and bagpipes.

[demmiblue]

Source: Mashable

Scotland's Highland Games first became regular events in the Victorian period. The main event of the games is, to this day, the daunting feat of strength known as the caber toss. A tosser hefts a long wooden log called a caber, which can be up to 20 feet long and weigh 175 pounds. Cupping one tapered end in his hands and balancing the caber upright against his shoulder, the tosser must run forward and heave it with all his strength to make it flip over and land upright on its opposite end.

The games also include Scottish variants on familiar Olympic events like shot put and hammer throw. In fact, it is claimed that the Highland Games, as displayed at the Paris Exhibition of 1889, were one of Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s inspirations for the modern revival of the Olympic Games.

In addition to displays of strength and athleticism, the games also feature celebrations of Scottish and Celtic culture, including massive bagpipes performances and “sword dances,” where a dancer leaps and twirls over a pair of crossed swords.

With the global diaspora of Scots and Celts, Highland Games have spread widely, and are today held around the world, from Europe and North America to New Zealand and Brazil.



1929
A tosser flips the caber at the Highland Games in Scotland.
Image: Schlochauer/ullstein bild/Getty Images




Sept. 1, 1912
Traditional Scottish sword dancing at the Highland Games in Oban, Scotland.
Image: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images




Sept. 23, 1932
Spectators at the Highland Gathering and Games at Inverness.
Image: W. G. Phillips/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images




Sept. 8, 1950
The Massed Pipe band marches through the arena at Princess Royal Park in Braemar, Scotland, during the opening of the Braemar Games.
Image: Cowper/Central Press/Getty Images




June 19, 1965
A young boy practices the bagpipes before the final competition in Harpenden, Scotland.
Image: Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

More: http://mashable.com/2016/02/08/highland-games/#9j_J6.ihGkqQ

[Cleita]

1. The Scottish immigrant community in Santa Monica California used to

hold Highland games in the football field of our local community college during the sixties. My friends and I used to attend as something to do on the weekend. It was a lot of fun. Then they moved the venue to a park in the Valley so I stopped attending after that. Tossing the caper was quite a spectacle as well as somewhat treacherous if you were standing in the wrong place when the caper landed. I think more than one spectator in those times got beaned.

[demmiblue]

4. From what I have read, the first Highland Games took place in California.

Interesting, that!

[Cleita]

7. If I remember correctly, the Santa Monica games were the second in

California.

[demmiblue]

15. I live in Michigan. We have the honor of hosting the longest running contiguous Highland Games...

in North America. St. Andrews Society of Detroit, to be specific.

I'm in here somewhere:

Chills everytime!

[roguevalley]

2. My cousin Hector Heath taught dancing and bagpiping, winning championships

all over the place. He was a Canadian champion at least once that I know of. Highland games were our thing. Dance contests, going to Portland to watch when the Black Watch would come through to dance and play. My uncles took piping lessons. LOVE Scotland.

RV, granddaughter of Newpitslago Scotts.

[Cleita]

5. A Scottish girlfriend of mine back in the day took me to

a dance at the Santa Monica Thistle Club that the Black Watch attended after performing in the Los Angeles Coliseum. I got to dance with a few of them. The lads were very sweet although a bit young for me. I was twenty seven at the time.

[roguevalley]

9. lucky you. :D

[jwirr]

17. My little red haired 10 year old great granddaughter told

me this weekend that she wants to learn how to play the bagpipes. We are in the Duluth MN area and I am afraid we are never going to be able to find a teacher.

That red hair does come from Scottish genes.

[eppur_se_muova]

19. Google is your friend ...

http://www.duluthscots.com/pipes%20and%20drums.htm

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=where+to+find+bagpipe+tutor+in+minnesota

[jwirr]

20. Thank you.

[bluedigger]

3. I have a friend who is introducing the Highland Games to the Netherlands.

He and his family will also be on International Househunters this week, coincidentally. There's gonna be kilts.

[OriginalGeek]

6. I go for the food and booze

All that tossing stuff is too much work. I just want an excuse to wear my kilt and drink scotch and beer.

But while I drink I do enjoy watching the demonstrations and competitions and I love bagpipe music.

[demmiblue]

10. Our games get some really good alternative celtic bands (and a scotch tasting, to boot).

Kilts, well...

[OriginalGeek]

12. Yep, I like Enter The Haggis

and Rathkeltaire and many others I've seen at ours.

[Divernan]

8. Ever been "piped in to dinner"?

I spent a wonderful week in the Scottish highlands at a nature study center based in a lovely country estate - like a mini-Downton Abbey (The House of Aigas). One evening all the guests gathered on a flagstone terrace for a concert by a kilted piper (and a fine figure of a man he was, too!). At the end we formed a double line and followed the piper (still playing) around the manor house and up through the front entrance to the grand hall, and then around the lengthy dining table. When everyone was standing behind their seat, the piper finished and we all sat down to a feast.

And THAT is being piped in to dinner. I recommend it, and a visit to experience the wild beauty of the highlands, be on everyone's bucket list.

Thanks for this OP. Great photos.

[demmiblue]

13. Ireland, Scotland and Wales would be my dream vacation!

That sounds absolutely enchanting. Sigh.

[Divernan]

16. Here are some photos of Aigas

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVjUXDblWOEkAPzAnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Aigas+Field+Centre&fr=yhs-mozilla-002&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002

And here's a link to Aigas/Wildlife Holidays in the Highlands of Scotland. http://www.aigas.co.uk/

I hope to go back someday.

I'm of Irish/German heritage and have spent three 10 day vacations in Ireland & Northern Ireland - I especially love the theatres in Dublin - the Abbey, the Peacock and the Gate Theatres. Two beautiful countries - but I'll tell you, the Aigas wildlife experience was the best vacation of my life, and my heart is in the highlands.

My post-retirement international traveling (Berlin, Prague, Istanbul, Paris, London, Micronesia & many small islands in the Caribbean) was done before the 2008 crash - I'm glad I did it because I lost my retirement savings in 2008 and would have lost the money I spent on travel as well. The 2011 Aigas trip was a birthday/Christmas gift from my 3 wonderful kids.

[phantom power]

11. I love the highland games, because they're so elemental

They're still only about a half-step removed from:

"I bet I can throw this log farther than you!"

"yeah, well I bet I can toss this rock higher than you!"

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

14. Thanks for this!

Being of Scots descent I try to make the local Highland Games each summer.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

18. 19th century, not ancient. But they are quite cool.

I've done enough highland dancing badly to know just how impressive the people who do it well are.