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SCOTLAND FOREVER!
THAT'S OUR THEME TODAY.
I THINK ALL HERITAGES ARE IMPORTANT AND I THINK THE
SCOTTISH ONE IS MORE COLORFUL THAN MOST.
I LOVE THE KILTS AND I LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL FASHION
THAT COMES OUT TODAY.
IT'S GOOD FOR US AS A COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE
GOOD THINGS AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WHEN IT COMES TO CELEBRATING SCOTTISH
HISTORY, CULTURE AND TRADITION, IT'S NO TOSS-UP
THAT THE SPOKANE HIGHLAND GAMES WIN THE DAY.
WE USED TO DO THIS IN SCOTLAND WHERE WE GET
TOGETHER FOR SINGING, DANCING AND JUST
FUN TOGETHER.
FROM MASSED PIPE BANDS TO MUSCULAR ATHLETES, THIS
HIGHLAND HEYDAY AT THE SPOKANE COUNTY FAIR AND
EXPO CENTER IS DRESSED TO KILT WITH A FLOCK OF
SCOTTISH-THEMED EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES LOADED WITH
CELTIC CHARM.
THE SPOKANE HIGHLAND GAMES ARE A SCOTTISH HERITAGE
DAY WHERE WE CELEBRATE ALL THINGS SCOTTISH...
TO BRING ABOUT PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE SCOTTISH
HERITAGE AND TO SHARE IN THAT JOY OF
SCOTTISH HERITAGE.
THIS DAYLONG EVENT WAS BORN IN THE LATE 1950S AS
A SMALL SCOTTISH PICNIC.
OVER TIME IT WOULD GROW TO BECOME A GAELIC GALA FOR
THOSE WITH CELTIC ANCESTRY AND FOR THOSE WHO SIMPLY
ENJOY CELTIC CULTURE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SCOTTISH TO ENJOY
THIS EVENT.
NO, THERE'S A BIT OF SCOT IN EVERYBODY.
THIS EVENT REALLY IS FOR EVERYBODY AND WE ARE
TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT OUR CULTURE.
EVERYBODY'S WELCOME...ESPECIALLY THE
IRISH.
THE SPOKANE HIGHLAND GAMES STARTED OFF WITH THE BASIS
OF THREE MAIN COMPETITIONS WHICH ARE THE PIPING AND
DRUMMING, THE HIGHLAND DANCING AND THE
HEAVY ATHLETICS.
NOWADAYS WE'VE ADDED A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT
OTHER THINGS TO DO WITH SCOTTISH HERITAGE, SO NOW
IT'S JUST A HUGE EXPOSITION OF SCOTTISH
HERITAGE IN ALL ITS FACETS.
THE GAMES FEATURE MORE THAN JUST A WEE BIT OF
SCOTTISH FARE, BUT IT MAY BE THE HEAVY ATHLETICS
THAT BEST SYMBOLIZE THE HIGHLAND GAMES AS ATHLETES
COMPETE IN RUGGED FIELD EVENTS LIKE THE SCOTTISH
HAMMER THROW, WEIGHT OVER HEIGHT, THE STONE PUT AND
THE ICONIC CABER TOSS.
KIDS CAN CATCH THE SCOTTISH SPIRIT TOO WITH A
VARIETY OF FUN ACTIVITIES FROM "BRAVEHEART STYLE"
FACE PAINTING TO GAMES LIKE "SHOOT THE
ENGLISH KNIGHT."
SCOTTISH FAMILIES REALLY GET THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN
INVOLVED AT A VERY EARLY AGE.
WE DO THIS TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AS
INDIVIDUALS AND TOMORROW'S LEADERS, THEY LEARN
CONFIDENCE AND POISE THEY BUILD CHARACTER AND THAT'S
REALLY WHAT PIPING AND DRUMMING AND DANCING AND
ATHLETICS IS ALL ABOUT.
THEY'RE REALLY BUILDING STRONG BODIES, STRONG
MINDS AND WE'RE PREPARING THEM FOR TOMORROW'S
CHALLENGES.
FAMILY VALUES, THE VALUES OF HARD WORK, OF LEARNING,
BEING YOUR BEST, EXCELLING AT WHAT YOU DO, THOSE ARE
THE VALUES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US AT THE
HIGHLAND GAMES.
THE REASON WHY I GOT INTO DANCING AND REALLY LIKED
IT, IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I CAN JUST FORGET ABOUT
ALL THE DRAMA IN LIFE AND DO IT FOR FUN.
IT'S CHALLENGING BUT IN THE END IT MAKES YOU FEEL
REALLY GOOD.
THEY SAY IT'S NOT THE HONOR YOU TAKE WITH YOU,
BUT THE HERITAGE YOU LEAVE BEHIND.
HERE AT THE SPOKANE HIGHLAND GAMES THE
SCOTTISH ROOTS GO DEEP AND THE CELTIC CULTURE IS
UNFORGETTABLE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER OUR HERITAGE IT
BRINGS RICHNESS TO THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN'T GET
ANY OTHER WAY BY REALLY EXPLORING YOUR ROOTS.
HERITAGE IS REALLY IMPORTANT JUST REMEMBERING
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE FOR YOU AND HOW PEOPLE HAVE
COME TO AMERICA AND SETTLED HERE AND CAN DO
THESE KINDS OF THINGS TO REMIND US ABOUT LIKE OUR
ANCESTORS, I THINK THAT'S REALLY COOL.
WITH A STRONG SCOTTISH COMMUNITY BEHIND THEM, THE
SPOKANE HIGHLAND GAMES HAVE A FIRM GRIP ON
FESTIVALS HONORING THE HERITAGE, TRADITIONS, AND
TRUE SPIRIT OF SCOTLAND.
MY HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SPOKANE HIGHLAND GAMES
REALLY IS THAT IT WILL GROW AND GROW AND GROW AND
WILL BRING MORE SCOTTISH INTO THE FOLD BECAUSE
THERE IS A LOT OF THEM OUT THERE.
WE'LL NEVER REACH PERFECTION BUT BEING
SCOTTISH IS AS CLOSE AS WE'LL EVER GET.
SCOTLAND FOREVER!
SCOTLAND FOREVER!
SCOTLAND FOREVER!