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Scottish heritage celebrated on streets of Franklin The Society for Creative Anachronism sent two knights into battle on Saturday at Franklin’s annual Taste of Scotland. Willem O’Blood (L) took on Dogbert DeGaila in the full-contact Medieval fighting recreation. The grudge match was just one of many entertaining Scottish events and activities at the festival. By Marla Dalrymple
Staff WriterIt was hot and humid walking through downtown Franklin on Saturday, June 20. But when the Scottish bagpipes called the town’s folks to the Taste of Scotland Festival, they came out to celebrate the music and culture of Scotland and the British Isles. Throngs of people gathered under temporary shelters meant to shield them from the sun while eating or watching performers. Carefully shaded, spectators watched as the 2009 Little Miss Tartan was crowned on Town Hill. [click here for the full photo gallery] Last year’s Little Miss Tartan, Skylar McLeod, relinquished the crown to 5-year-old Emma McSween. Skylar said it was good being Little Miss Tartan. Emma is home-schooled and said she likes her dogs, named Lucy and Desi. Emma said that, as Little Miss Tartan, she will smile and wave. During the crowning, The Carolines sang, “Ain’t She Sweet.”Nancy Deeks, in charge of event publicity, said on Saturday, “Even though it is unfortunately hot today, the event has gone very well. The people are having a good time, we have good entertainment and it’s another fine year for the Taste of Scotland.” Festival coordinator Claire Suminski agreed that event turnout was tremendous. She said that having activities set up around town really helped to keep people moving. Coming into Franklin up Town Hill, just past Town Hall, a tent housed the wares of a medieval spinner and smithy. Amerie Helton sat spinning soft white lamb’s wool into sturdy thread. Franklin’s tartan, created by Jenny Mc-Sween, was presented to the crowd. After shearing the sheep, Helton combs out the wool with two big Viking wool combs. She then winds the wool on her fingers, twisting it into a shape to place on the wheel.Helton said it is important to prepare the fluff enough in order to make a nice, even yarn. A fine wool will last longer, she said. She then winds the wool onto the bobbin of the treadle wheel, “One of the greatest inventions of the 15th century,” she said. Helton’s partner displayed tools he created by beating heated metal into a desirable shape. “We do everything they did in the Middle Ages,” said Helton. The couple are members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, (SCA) out of Asheville. They attend events during the weekends and participate in spinning, weaving, blacksmithing, woodworking and sword fighting. Musicians and revelers with Brasstown Dancers marched in the parade and performed for spectators. Two sword fighters demonstrated for the crowd, enlivening the whole area with intense battle sounds. The Society for Creative Anachronism, an international group that formed 44 years ago, had the crowd in front of Town Hall “oohing and aahing.”Swordsmen Willem O’Blood squared off against Dogbert DeGaila. The men wore the standard armor of the 13th Century, which consists of boiled leather, chain mail, and an open-faced helmet with a nosepiece. O’Blood said the sport is full-contact and is not choreographed. They use rattan weapons for safety purposes. Even so, both fighters came out of the struggle sporting bruises, with no clear winner, and the crowd ate it up. The SCA is dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Their “Known World” consists of 19 kingdoms, with more than 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events, which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, and various classes and workshops. For more information on the recreation group, visit http://www.sca.org/. Dunham Harps came to perform and offer harp lessons. In the grass behind the building stretched a large Loch Ness monster. Children were given strips of plaid fabric to tie onto the giant metal “Nessie,” who was built by Franklin local Carl McSween, a volunteer at the Scottish Tartans Museum.“We hope to have her decorated by the end of the day,” said Amy Channell of Nessie. Channell also allowed children to create mini flags from scraps of real tartans. Mid-morning a parade of tartans came through town. Scottish clans like Craig and Bell held their tartans high, marching to the rhythm of the pipes. Men in kilts accompanied dancing and waving children. When the troupe reached the top of the hill, a ceremony took place to raise the flags of the United States, Scotland and Great Britain. The Franklin Tartan was presented. A weave of colors yellow, red and blue, the Franklin Tartan was created by Jenny McSween and will grace Town Hall. The parade of tartans included musicians of all kinds who hoped to coax a smile from each spectator. Matthew Newsome, director of the Scottish Tartans Museum, was recognized as the event’s 2009 Honored Guest. Newsome said he is one of the few people who is lucky and blessed enough to make a living doing what he truly loves.During a special ceilidh hour, people ate traditional Scottish foods and enjoyed authentic music. Traditional wares and handmade goods were for sale in booths set up along the street. Sterling silver jewelry, woven goods and pottery awaited purchase. The John Mohr MacKintosh pipe and drum corps The entertainment at the square included Nosey Flynn, a popular Celtic group from Nashville. Sean McNamara, who plays 12-string guitar for the band, said he moved to Nashville to get in the music business. Working in an Irish pub influenced his music, and he joined with Josh Culley to form the band. Culley plays the tin whistle and flute, and the crowd tapped their feet and danced to the traditional songs of Nosey Flynn. The band plays five or six nights a week in Nashville, and Franklin’s event is the only festival at which they perform. Amerie Helton demonstrates spinning on a traditional treadle wheel Also performing at the courtyard was the John Mohr MacKintosh pipe and drum corps, under the direction of pipe major Richard Smith. Bass drummer Douglas Grey, a founding member of the group from Atlanta, said the band was formed in 1977, after he and a bagpiper friend, Julian Cunningham, decided to find two more bagpipers and start the group. The band has 24 members and performs during Scottish fests all across the Southeast. “I enjoy the camaraderie the most,” Grey said. “We have people of all ages and all walks of life.”Candyce Dunham of Dunham Harps brought her family to the festival for the second time all the way from Ohio. In addition to performing, she conducted free harp workshops to an eager crowd. Members of Boy Scout Troop 202 were in back of Town Hall playing Highlands games. Brian Penland, 9, of Franklin was doing the sheave toss, and said the game came from men tossing bales of hay to the top of the barn using pitchforks. “It’s to strengthen your skill and agility," he said. Among the games the kids were playing is the ever-popular caber toss, where the object is to toss a log, have it flip forward in the air once, and land it straight at the 12 o'clock position. Chris Gee, 17, of Franklin, said a perfect toss is 100 points. A less-than-perfect toss has points deducted, he said.If you weren’t playing games, enjoying music or watching dancers, a full fare of Scottish and American favorite foods were available throughout the day. Whether you hungered for Scotch eggs, or haggis (modified a little using beef liver as opposed to traditional sheep stomach), bangers or burgers, no one left hungry. The event delivered good times for all and drew in crowds from as far as Colorado, Utah and Arizona. Next week, said Newsome, the committee will begin readying for next year’s. |
