Life in Morro Bay: 2010 Seaside Highland Games in Ventura

I know this is not in Morro Bay, but this is apparently the closest that any Highland Games will get to Morro Bay!! I drove about two and a half hours down to Ventura last weekend to attend the 2010 Seaside Highland Games. I expected it to be similar to a Renaissance Faire, but it was a lot more serious, no play-acting that I saw. Serious people in serious plaid!! I lost count of how many men were wearing kilts, mostly plaid but some solid and more utilitarian. And I have to say I was pleased not to be surrounded by people joking about what is under a man's kilt!!

Their advertising promised "large men throwing heavy things", and they didn't disappoint. I watched the "pitching the sheaf" competition where large men (and smaller ladies) pitched a burlap-covered sack with a pitchfork up and over a high bar. The winner of the men's competition (Andrew Hobson) is known nationally and almost broke his personal record of 32 feet 6 inches!! He is a handsome 250-pound, 6 foot 4-inch tall Irish-Navajo from Arizona who teaches art as his "real" job!!

Andrew Hobson

Dancing, folk music groups, and pipe bands abounded. They were out and about practicing and competing all day. I witnessed the amazing Closing Ceremonies where ten pipe bands (known as the "Mass Bands") paraded into the arena and played some songs together.

There were two great tribal Celtic rock bands performing throughout the day on an outdoor stage. I loved that they used a didgeridoo and lots of drums to create that sonorous tribal beat. After most people went home there was a "jam" where they were all to play together on the stage. However, due to my long drive home, I left before that started.

BROTHER

Next time I will watch the loud demonstration of canons and Gatling guns, but this time I got to see some darling Border Collies do their thing with some sheep in the ring.

I could find only one authentic Scottish food booth, and the line stretched for many yards at lunch time. I tried their Scottish Meat Pie, which was some ground seasoned beef mixed with oats, in a pastry. They offered haggis, but I don't think I am ready for that yet!!

I brought my genealogy, which included three Scottish names, and attended the genealogy workshop. The teacher is a renowned genealogist whose specialty is Scottish ancestry. She also heads up several "Family Tree DNA" groups, and encouraged all the men in the room to submit their DNA for inclusion to the growing database. They are finding that you can verify which line you are from using the "Y" chromosome DNA and comparing it to the known samples in the database. If you have already tested with the "National Geographic" DNA project, you can add those test results to the "Family Tree DNA" database for free, but that only covers 12 points. You get a better comparison if you submit more points with "Family Tree DNA". I was disappointed that only one of my Clans had a booth at the Games, but they are not very common names. In fact, one of them does not even have its own clan, but is a "sept" of another one, which means it is under fealty to that name. I am definitely "sparked" now and hope to visit my local genealogy library soon to research some more aspects of my Scottish family names.