I thought I was pretty much up with things Scottish in Canada but I didn't know Canada had a tartan. I suppose I should have known that. It seems Ottawa has celebrations but they are postponed this year to April 18. I wonder if they might be cancelled altogether. The only image that downloaded was the facemask.
What Do People Do?
Tartan Day celebrations include parades with pipe bands, highland dancing and sports, and other community gatherings with Scottish-themed events. While a variety of tartans are displayed, the maple leaf tartan is Canada’s official tartan.
Public Life
Tartan Day is an observance and not a public holiday in Canada.
Background
On October 21, 2010, the Minister of Canadian Heritage officially declared April 6 as Tartan Day. It is celebrated on April 6 because it is the anniversary of the signing of Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, the Scottish declaration of independence. In Canada, the day originated in the late 1980s in Nova Scotia, where it was declared an official day by the provincial government. It then spread across the country, with many provinces joining in.
NEW DATE - APRIL 18, 2021
Background
The Scottish Declaration of Independence was signed on April 6, 1320. The American Declaration of Independence was, in fact, modelled on this particular document. Almost half of the signers of the American Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent.
The US Senate Resolution on National Tartan Day was passed on March 20, 1998. From that point onward, National Tartan Day was designated as a day for all Americans, particularly those of Scottish descent, on April 6 each year.
It seems pretty much every country in the world has a tartan. This is a great link and you can view all the tartans that countries have. It's pretty amazing the influence Scotland has had on the world.
https://www.internationaltartans.co.uk/national-tartans
This is the tartan for Spain.
I can't seem to let this go...it's all so fascinating. I put a hold on this at the library.
How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It (or The Scottish Enlightenment: The Scots invention of the Modern World) is a non-fiction book written by American historian Arthur Herman. The book examines the origins of the Scottish Enlightenment and what impact it had on the modern world. Herman focuses principally on individuals, presenting their biographies in the context of their individual fields and also in terms of the theme of Scottish contributions to the world.
