Highland Games Of Grandfather Mountain

A Brief History Of The Games

The Highland Games are believed to have started in the 11th century when King Malcolm III called for a foot race to find himself a swift royal messenger.

During the times of the Wars of Independence and after the Jacobite wars, the English Invaders forbade the Scots from training with weapons, and the clan gatherings and games were used as training. The events of the Heavy Games portion of the gathering gave the men to train for strength and accuracy by not using weapons, but items such as cabers, hammers, and stones.

The modern games have grown out of Victorian times, after what is known as the Highland Clearances. For the reasons of the Highland Clearances, a shrewd political move by the English to break up the clans, the Scottish immigration around the world gave rise to the popularity of the Highlands Games internationally.

Today, the second largest clan gathering in the Northern Hemisphere, takes place at the base of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. The size of the over 50 year old Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is only behind the games held by the Caledonian club of San Francisco. The Caledonian gathering has been held annually since 1865.

The Music
Although visions of the Highland Games are often filled with caber tossing or stone throwing, there are actually three events that characterize any clan gathering. The events are the Heavy Games, Dance, and the Massed Pipe Bands.

Clad in the full dress uniforms which include colorful kilts and feather bonnets, a bagpipe band can create an imposing vision on the parade field as well as the military theater of operations. For over 500 years, there have been both Scottish and Irish Pipers in battle. Often used as lead elements to unnerve the opponents with the eerie sounds of the pipes., there was even a piper on Normandy Beach during the D-Day landing of World War II.

The Massed Pipe Bands will always bring a goosebump or two as they are generally the highlight of the Opening and Closing ceremonies. Anyone who attends the ceremonies will most likely be awestruck by the bagpipe renditions of either or both of the songs Scotland the Brave and Amazing Grace.

Listen to the Massed Pipe Band and get a feel for the deeply moving clan high spirit.

The Dance Competitions at the Highland Games are something to behold in their tradition and precision. There are two general categories of the dance events; one is the more traditional folk style dance, Scottish Country Dancing, and the other is the highly technical Highland Dancing.

Steeped in the traditions of Renaissance era court dancing, Scottish Dancing is a form of folk dancing or "reel" that involves a group of mixed dancers stepping to predetermined paths or choreography. This form of dancing is akin to the square dance or contra dancing.

Highland Dancing is highly competitive and takes quite a bit of practice and energy. Between the Highland Fling and the Sword Dance, I prefer to watch the Sword Dance.

Another tradition of the Games that is believed to have been started by Malcolm III is the Sword Dance, which was initiated as a military dance. . But, in the late 19th century, women started competing in the dance event, and now the Sword Dance world is dominated by females, who make up 98% of the competitors.

Enjoy the precision of not only the feet, but the entire body as this girl performs the Sword Dance during a Highland Games competition.

Although Highland Games are made up of many different events, they are after all, clan gatherings. The general perception is that the Heavy Events are what the games are all about, and the Caber Toss is what most people perceive when they think of the Highland Games. Granted, watching men and/or women pick up a long tapered log pole by the small end, hoist it vertically, run a few steps and toss it leaves something of an impression, but there are other athletic contests that take place during the Heavy Events.

The Stone Throw
Similar to the shot put seen in track and field events, the Stone Throw uses an actual stone and is comprised of two different styles. The Braemar Stone uses a lighter stone, but does not allow for any "run up" to the toe board. It is a standing throw. The Open Stone, on the other hand, allows for any style of toss as long as the stone is cradled to the neck of the thrower until release at the toe board.

Scottish Hammer Throw
Again, an event similar to track and field event, the Scottish Hammer Throw is performed by swinging four foot long shaft with a metal ball attached on the end, over the competitors head and tossing the hammer behind them. Here's the rub; the athlete must keep his feet fixed.

The Weight Throw
Using one hand, the athletes throw the weight for distance. Any technique is allowed and spinning is the preferred approach

The Weight Throw Over A Bar
One hand, one four stone weight, and one very high bar. The contestants get three attempts to clear the bar. The Bar is raised after each round, until there is one athlete left.

The Sheaf Toss
An event that definitely has its roots in the farming culture, the Sheaf Toss is reformed by hoisting a burlap sack of hay over a high bar, with the aid of a pitch fork.

The Real Reason
The Highland Games are a clan gathering and are treated as such, like a great family reunion if you will. In and around the games, the clans in attendance will set-up "camp" and enjoy the high spirit of their culture. Food, frolic, and fun are to be had during any clan gathering. Why not find some Scottish blood and attend the games sometime?

This speech has been given hundreds of times over thousands of years, in countless tongues. Yet, it is not the words, the dialect or the speaker that matters; it is the truth of freedom that belongs to every man, woman and child, and it is the commitment to that truth that matters.

Enjoy.