In their fascinating book, 'The Invention of Tradition', Terence Ranger and Eric Hobsbawm included a chapter on the invention of the kilt and of tartans - the first in the mid-1700s, by an English bloke who had been given a lease on forests in Scotland, to cut the timber for his cotton mills in England; and the second invented for a visit by William IV by Walter Scott and others in about 1821.

When that English bloke was employing Scots to cut down trees, they wore only a blanket, and when they used both hands on the axes, the blankets flew in all directions, so he provided them with a belt to conserve some form of decorum [and perhaps parts of their anatomy].

Bag-pipes, of course, are used all over Europe: doodle-sacks, they are called in eastern Europe. Sorry, just getting in before somebody claims them as Scottish-only.

Traditions are often what we fervently want to believe: the very first reference ever, anywhere in Australia, to an Aboriginal Earth Mother was in 1977, by the Aboriginal Christian minister Gondarra Djiniyini - within a year, it was taken for granted: 'Take a journey to the Earth my Mother', remember ? Well, I suppose if Blacks are utterly different from Whites, and Whites have a male, Sky, God, then Blacks can have a female, Earth-bound, goddess - dirty technology versus pristine innocence, etc. You know it makes sense.

Joe

Foxy,

Lady Nancy may well believe what she has written:

"The kilt has now become, beyond any doubt the national dress of Scotland; let us keep it that way and ensure it is not allowed to decline into mere fancy dress."

But the fact remains that Scotland has no National Dress and many Scots would be insulted to be told that their's is the kilt.

Dear Joe,

It certainly does make sense.

Each country has their own myths and legends
and they're passed down from one generation
to another.

Then there are the myths invented and maintained by political interests cynically pursuing their secondary agendas.

Politically correct factoids presented on the ABC and taught in schools as fact.

Oral traditions of myths and legends have
existed in all cultures since time began.
Some well known others not so. They've been
passed down from generation to generation
and form the tapestry of each nation.

As with folk tales every culture has its store
of legend. Indeed most families treasure their
private and local legends. "Tell me about..."
demand the youth of the clan, the tribe, the
nation. So exploits are passed down, gaining heroic
detail with each new generation.

In the fullness of time the actual historic events
become clouded and sometimes as in the case of
Arthurian legends, become tinged with the
supernatural. For even before the birth of
Arthur, Merlin the prophet and messenger had foretold
the coming of one that was greater than he.

Doesn't Australian law already indicate that knives should not be carried in public? Not that that necessarily means much within the sphere of this pathetic multicultural muck.