by Tanya Steele
The Melbourne Highland Games and Celtic Festival got all the clans together for a day of competition and festivities on 26 March in Croydon, with tartan galore and the sounds of bagpipes on the breeze.
The opening ceremony gave Fáilte (welcome) to all and encouraged people to enjoy the Scottish competitive dancing, Celtic dance displays, the heavy games and pipe band competitions scheduled for the day.
Gwendoline Bell is a long standing dancer and President of the Victorian Scottish Dance Members Association and won the Robin Gardini award this year.
Ms Bell thanked everyone for her nomination and she was very happy with the turnout on the day.
“It’s just wonderful, all these people here,” Ms Bell said.
The award is given to recognise dedication, support and contribution to the games.
Ms Bell began Scottish dancing as a six year old and also participated as a dancing judge at the games for over 50 years.
She hopes the games will continue on for many years to come.
Weather was overcast and cool, which pleased patrons and performers alike due to the high volume of heavy woollen garments worn for the festival.
The Scottish Clans were represented by their flags and tartan and each family name had a tent set up where people could trace their heritage.
Scottish dance competitors seemed undisturbed by the busy day as they competed in highland fling and sword dances.
The sword dance is one of the better known Highland dancing traditions and involves competitors leaping around, in and out of the four quarters of two swords laid across each other on the ground.
The pipe bands also each took their turn to compete and play throughout the day and finished in a giant assembly of one, a sea of tartan and bagpipes.
The Old Scotch Pipe and Drums Band were present, coming from Hawthorn for the festival with player and secretary Ian Bell there on the day.
Mr Bell played and judged in pipe bands some years ago, but has recently gotten back into it and enjoys bringing the music to events like the games.
“I got out of bands for about 15 or so years and recently thought, well why don’t I get back into it,” he said.
Many of the bands traveled from all over the state to compete at the games this year, forming what is known as competition circles to play through sets of marching, reels and medleys.
Hawthorn Pipe Band won first in Grade two, the City of Melbourne won in Grade three, Haileybury College took out first in the 4A Grade and Scots School got first in the 4B Grade.
The caber toss and the weight over bar, plus many more were performed by participants of the Heavy Games.
Strength and stamina are required for the unique sport, which uses large stones, weights and the long “caber”, a large tapered wooden pole.
The weight over bar event looked like limbo in reverse, with the bar the weight had to be thrown over rising with each round.
Competitors threw their weights higher and higher to the amazement of the crowds.
MC for the event Michael Crichton really enjoys the heavy games and finds them very interesting.
“There is a lot going into that sport and I am really impressed with it and it’s great that women now also compete in the event as well,” he said.
Mr Crichton has been announcing at the Highland games for a number of years and always has good fun on the day.
A folk music tent played traditional music and featured bands and choirs from Croydon and surrounds.
Celtic dancing was on display all day and featured Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Morris style dancing, with dancers ranging from three and upwards.
A highland cow champion “Murphy ” was present and seemed quite happy getting pats and attention from the crowd.
The event was dog friendly and attendees were also able to meet and greet a number of Scottish deer hounds and terriers bought in by breeders and pet owners.
Clan Fraser were selected to be hosts and highlighted for their ongoing involvement in Highland games and activities in Victoria.
Don Chitts of the Mitcham Scottish Society represented Clan Fraser on the day.
Mr Chitts also performed the “Address to the Haggis” at the official opening ceremony, which celebrates with traditional Scottish fair and a Ceilidh (dance) gathering on the Friday night before the games.
