Traditional haggis, swords, scotch, pipes and drums, dances and hundreds of smiles. Once again Robbie Burns night was a huge success for the Estevan Army Cadets.
Saturday night, over 200 people gathered to celebrate the birthday of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns.
The opening ceremony was followed by roast beef supper, music by the No. 2901 Estevan Elks Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry pipes and drums band, which united with the adult Kilted Wind Pipe Band for the main part of the performance, and the show by the Drewitz School of Dance.
Celebrations dedicated to Robert Burns’ birthday have been going in Estevan since 1978. These nights out are popular in many places in Canada. Every year people come together to celebrate the poet and his work, as well as Scottish culture and traditions.
However, Canadian Robbie Burns nights are somewhat different from traditional Scottish celebrations.
“We don’t have roast beef (in Scotland), just haggis, turnips and mashed potatoes. The meal is totally different, haggis is a side meal here,” said Anne Hamilton, Robbie Burns night’s guest of Scottish descent. “Traditional Robbie Burns night, and it’s not Robbie, it’s Rabbie, we don’t do a toast to the queen.”
According to Anne, even haggis here tastes different. The traditional Scottish meal is made of lungs, heart, oatmeal and ground lamb, and is cooked in a stomach of a sheep. Haggis made for the Robbie Burns night in Estevan is usually cooked in plastic instead, and even though the ingredients are there, Canadian haggis would never taste the same for those, who tried the real Scottish one.
For Anne Hamilton Jan. 26 has personal value as well. That day 38 years ago she arrived to Canada and later made Estevan her new home. Her first daughter Stacey was two years old when they left Scotland, and second – Jamie Guertin – was born in Canada.
Now she has four grandchildren, and all kids and grandkids were raised in Scottish tradition and learned a lot about Scottish culture. When they were kids, both girls were a part of the PPCLI. Jamie Guertin later joined the Kilted Wind Pipe Band and usually performs at annual celebrations. The entire family has been attending Estevan Robbie Burns nights for over 30 years now.
“It’s a family tradition and it’s still the same. The same layout; but the place has changed, they used to have it at the legion, but the legion is too small,” Anne said.
Despite some differences in traditions, Estevan Robbie Burns night attracts a lot of attention and keeps bringing the Estevan Scottish community as well as those involved with army cadets and those interested in Scottish culture together.
Army cadets coy officer Captain Robert Rooks, who put the event together, was satisfied with the turnout.
“We had a good crowd here tonight. I’m happy with the performances, with the band and the dances,” – said Rooks.
Every year it takes a lot of effort to make sure that the night goes well, yet the outcome is worth it.
“It is a whole mess of details. Everything has to be at a certain level. Every tune is a detail. Every drum is a detail. Every dance is a detail. These are details (waves towards the supper setup),” Rooks said.
Even though traditional Scottish dances were on the Derwitz School’s exam list and all dancers know them, it took them a lot of time to polish up every move for the performance.
“We usually start practising right after they get back from Christmas holidays, so right from the beginning of January,” said Hunter Hildebrand, Drewitz School assistant teacher.
The 2019 Robbie Burns night was the debut for about 15 dancers, who joined the Drewitz School just this year.
Robert Burns was born on Jan. 25, 1759. A Scottish poet of the Enlightenment Period (mid to late 18th century) was a representative of romanticism movement. In his poetry Burns used different dialects of Scottish in opposition to common Queen’s English. The song Auld Lang Syne is one of his most-known creations.
