For almost as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in my Scottish heritage and the traditions of Scotland. Hanging on the wall in the staircase of my grandmother’s home was a framed photo of my grandfather in full Scottish Highland wear. The photo grabbed my attention as a child and held it for years. It looked like he must have been Scottish royalty! At the time, I didn’t know the story behind the photo, but I can remember feeling intensely proud when I would see it on the wall, especially when I first learned that the Carmichaels descended from Scotland and that there was still an active Carmichael clan in Carmichael, Scotland.
Along with the photo, my grandmother also had kept a small fabric sample of the Stewart of Appin tartan that my grandfather had mailed to his sister while he was in Europe during World War II.
It seems that most people have a moment when they find themselves officially hooked — fascinated by the idea of their family boarding a ship from Scotland and making the trip across the Atlantic for a new life in North America. The photo of my grandfather and the tartan was all it took for me. And while the degree of excitement and involvement has ebbed and flowed over the years, that intense pride has never left. Today, as a board member of Clan Carmichael USA and the chair of the membership committee, I have never been prouder of my Scottish ancestry. It wasn’t until this year, however, that I finally experienced an important and traditional way of celebrating one’s Scottish heritage: the Highland games.
History of the Highland Games
Much as the Olympic Games trace their origins to antiquity, later to be revived and reshaped into a more modern version, the concept of the Highland games are thought to have originated during the reign of the Scotland’s King Malcom III (nicknamed Canmore, or “Great Chief”) nearly a thousand years ago. They, too, would later undergo a similar revival when, in 1848, Queen Victoria officially endorsed the Braemar Highland Games, thus marking the beginning of the modern era of Highland games. These games featured competitions such as running, wrestling, tug-of-war, and pole-vaulting, as well as some of the “heavy” competitions that are more familiar to games-attendees today: the caber toss, hammer throw, and the stone put.
In the 175 years that followed the games at Braemar, Highland games have spread throughout the world, imported from Scotland by proud immigrants seeking a new life and opportunity elsewhere. In addition to the heavyweight competitions, the modern Highland games also normally feature a pipe and band competition, and games events have become one of the most popular ways of celebrating Scottish heritage throughout the Scottish diaspora.
The 2022 Stone Mountain Highland Games
After years of intrigue by the concept of the Highland games and seeing the near-ubiquitous photos of kilted strongmen throwing long wooden poles competing in the caber toss, I finally made the decision that I should attend a games event to see what they were all about. I admit, I was on the fence about attending — what could be so appealing about sitting in a field or in the woods all weekend? Were the Highland games similar to a Renaissance Faire? Were they actually as much fun as everyone had claimed? To be certain, there was only one way to find out.
With the 50th Stone Mountain Highland Games in Stone Mountain, Georgia planned for the weekend of October 15th and 16th, 2022, I decided that given its relatively close location, I would finally attend my first Highland games. So on the sunny Saturday morning of October 15th, I left my house early to attend the Stone Mountain Highland Games, making a quick stop in Chattanooga to pick up my aunt, Betsy Carmichael, who was also curious about these events following her visit to Scotland the previous summer.
Upon arriving and parking, I opened the car door and was immediately greeted by the sound of bagpipes in the distance. The weather that particular weekend was perfect — sunny and a comfortable, with only a hint of fall in the air. Walking to the entrance, I enjoyed seeing so many people wearing their clan tartans who were obviously as proud of their clan as I am mine. Seeing all the colorful patterns with pipe bands playing in the background couldn’t have been a better welcome, and certainly set the scene for a great experience.
Attending this particular games event wasn’t purely a logistical decision based on its proximity to home. As a member of the Clan Carmichael USA Board of Directors, this event was also the location of our annual board meeting and general meeting. Upon entering the event, and having not gotten too stuck in Atlanta’s notoriously congested traffic, I was thankful to have had some free time to enjoy some of the sights and sounds before having to make my way to the meeting location.
Navigating my way to the meetings, I was thrilled to see that my route was lined with vendors and shops offering everything from kilts, tartan by the yard, pipes and practice chanters, home goods, and foods. If it was Scottish, I’m sure it could have been found there! One shop, in particular, received the greatest share of my attention — it sold beautiful prints of original photographs taken throughout Scotland. I spent as much time as I could flipping through each of the photos, carefully reading the descriptions on each.
For the past two years, I’ve been able to attend Clan Carmichael USA meetings only by using Zoom and, while Zoom is a useful tool, I had never met in person any of the other board members or officers and was looking forward to doing so. As expected, it was great to finally get to meet all of these people who I already knew quite well, but had never seen in person!
A Family Reunion
After the meetings were complete, everyone began to make our way back to the Clan Carmichael tent. This was the first time I had walked through the wooded area where all the clan tents were set up. I was surprised at how many clans were represented at the event — each unique, and each fiercely proud of their own clan.
As mentioned above, I had heard a lot about Highland games throughout the two years since I had officially started working with Clan Carmichael USA. Everyone seemed to talk about how much fun the events were, but I didn’t fully understand the appeal. I understood that most everyone at the Clan Carmichael tent had descended from a few common ancestors, and I expected the atmosphere to be courteous, but to not feel too different from meeting any other person on any given day. To this point, however, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead, everyone at the clan tent almost immediately felt like family.
Speaking to Andrew Carmichael, the Younger of Carmichael, on Episode 8 of Carmichael Clan Radio really highlighted this point for me. I suspect that Highland games are very much like clan gatherings, where clan members come together as a family to eat, play, dance, and tell stories. As such, I feel certain that the 2023 Clan Carmichael gathering will be spectacularly fun! The friendships found at these events represent a stronger bond than just a membership in a group. Instead, I found real family friendships. After attending my first Highland games event, I realize that that being a member of Clan Carmichael is much more than paying dues and getting a newsletter — it’s about fellowship with your extended clan family. The experience is rich and the sense of community and family is strong around the tent. But to experience it, you first have to show up.
For me, it took several decades of being interested in my Scottish heritage — and two years of being closely involved in Clan Carmichael — before I decided to attend a Highland games, and I’m so happy I did. I want to encourage anyone who has not been to a Highland games to go see for yourself. Don’t wait; make plans to attend one this year. It’s much less about throwing poles and stones than you might think, and I feel certain you won’t regret showing up. I’m excited about attending more of these in the future, and I can’t wait to see you there!
“All of these lifelong friendships form themselves up from the experience of being together.” -Andrew Carmichael
Great article, Scott. It was fun meeting all the cousins I had not yet met at Stone Mountain as well, you included. There are two highland games here in Mississippi later in the fall and not so far from Carmichael, Mississippi, yes, that IS a place.