Scottish Heritage Society celebrates 50 years
The organization recently held its 50th St. Andrew's Banquet
Kilts and bagpipes, haggis and Scotch.
The Scottish Heritage Society of Iowa reached a milestone November 16 with its 50th annual St. Andrew’s Banquet at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club.
It’s an organization that has kept alive the culture of Scotland. Some of these Iowans are descendants of migrants who crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and others settled here more recently.
The Iowa Scottish Pipes and Drums performed a concert at the 50th St. Andrew’s Banquet November 16 at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club. (Photo by John Naughton.)
In 1975, members of 20 families joined together to form the society. Tom Coulson was the first president of the organization.
Scots aren’t as visible as some other ethnicities in Iowa. There’s no big celebration like St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo, no big festivals in Des Moines like the CelebrASIAN, Juneteenth or the Italian American Heritage Festival.
The St. Andrew’s Banquet, named for the patron saint of Scotland, celebrates the culture with music, poetry and great fellowship.
Me in my kilt and other Scottish finery. (Photo courtesy John Naughton.)
There are solo bagpipe performers and a group of the Iowa Scottish Pipes and Drums — a band that started as a result of the Society.
The evening’s version of haggis — a mixture of oats and savory bits of meat — is served with much ceremony. There’s a Robert Burns poem recited by the very talented Sasha Kamper after a colorful procession into the banquet hall.
A nice dinner and drinks make for a nice evening.
I was blessed to sit with members of the Caldwell family, whose roots with the organization date back to its founding. Such fun people, and I think we laughed more than any other table.
The distinctive sound of the bagpipes is appealing to some, but striking to all. (Photo by John Naughton.)
But let’s get to the bagpipes. It’s such a distinctive part of the celebration and of Scottish heritage. You either like them or hate them. But you won’t forget them.
The banquet is definitely the time of year when you’ll hear more bagpipes than any other in Iowa.
My Scottish heritage comes from my mother’s side of the family. The Fraser family (or clan) is part of my family tree.
If you’re Scottish, or simply up for learning about an interesting organization, you can find the Scottish Heritage Society of Iowa online.
Until next year’s banquet, Auld Lang Syne.