Sorry this has taken a while to write up - and now I'm not sure I can figure out how to upload some photos (which is annoying for someone employed in a Computer Science Department
) but if I can't figure it out at the end then I'll devise a webpage and put up a link to it.
Well the 28th was a glorious day in Dunedin - the sun was shining brightly and it must have been the hottest day so far this side of winter. I got sunburnt just in the shortish walk from the car to the grandstand and back again. I would have enjoyed it more and got out and about more if I'd gone with someone, but never mind.
Firstly, I was sad to see that there wasn't as good a turnout as I'd hoped. I suppose there'd have been about 200-300 people there but those were mainly connected with those who were competing and for a city that prides itself on being the "Edinburgh of the South" I thought the turnout was very low. The only advertising for the games was about two days before hand, although I did note a radio van when I was there, but I'm not sure that they were reporting direct from the grounds.
Competitions held were: carrying the stone, tossing the sheaf, caber toss, running (from 100m to 5km), deadweight carrying, gumboot throw, tug of war, highland dancing, and marching, and for the children there were sack races and egg & spoon races. The competition was all completed with the "kilties dash" but I didn't stay till the end to see the race that was open to only those who wore a kilt. Also on the agenda was a piping competition, but it seemed to me that it was only the junior pipe bands that were competing as they all looked so young, and our pipe band from down Riverton way wasn't there. The day ended with the massed pipe bands.
As the games came at the end of Scottish Week (more like Scottish 10 days - is this a NZ thing, or do other places have Scottish Weeks?) there had been a week of different activities that were attended by "princesses" and at the Games the "Queen of the Heather" was crowned.
A little explanation on two of the activities - gumboot throwing is sort of like throwing the discuss but it's done with a gumboot - the typical footwear of a lot of New Zealanders - especially farmers and freezing workers - but you will know them better as Wellington boots I believe. As for marching - this is a sport that belongs to Australia and New Zealand I believe. It is a female only sport that once was extremely popular but their numbers have dropped in the past decade too. Teams of between 7 and 10 girls perform three marching routines - one is technical, one is freestyle marching and the final one is more for entertainment it would seem, it brings in almost dance steps. The girls are kitted out in uniforms and their appearance is marked as well as the marching. The girls compete in age groups and the tiny ones (under 7?) are gorgeous to watch. We have some very good teams in New Zealand and together with Australia they have often been selected to perform at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo (but not on any of the 3 times I've been there).
Now, as to Clan representation - there was only one clan present, the Donald Clan had come up from Milton (40 miles south) and had a table there, but I didn't notice any queries going to them at all. They had their banner, and a little material on the names in the clan, and the New Zealand Donald newsletter (a really glossy affair), but basically they just sat and watched what was happening. I went and chatted with them and they said that clan numbers of all the clans was really low these days in the Dunedin area - evidently the Campbells only have one member and they said there was one clan they thought had disbanded but it had been advertising a dinner during Scottish week.
All, in all, it was a brilliant day but I'm just so sad that there was hardly anyone there to experience it - and I don't know if that is the normal number that would turn up.
Kaye