Cameron Tartan

[Ken]

Ohh really, well then I'll do that before I wear it... No better time to ask than if I can go meet the Camerons of Lochiel in 2009 ;D

[Thomas Cameron]

Ken,

Welcome to the Message Center.

I have to jump in on the tartan discussion. The Cameron of Lochiel tartan's use is resticted to Lochiel's immediate family, so in actuality none of us may wear it, especially at Achnacarry. Most clansfolk opt for the basic/modern Clan Cameron (red and green, with a yellow stripe). You could also opt for, as you've already mentioned, for the Clark tartan. I hope this helps in your search for a new tartan.

[gaelgal]

Thanks, Tom. Somewhere I had it in my head that Honorary Chiefs could get permission to wear the Lochiel's tartan but that it was in bad taste to wear it around the Lochiel or Achnacarry. This has been a fun discussion... but I still want to know why Taylor's not in the list of choices! LOL!

[Ken]

Thanks Tom.... Good thing I haven't spent money for a kilt with that tartan on it... So I can wear any Cameron tartan except the red & blue Lochiel tartan, correct? Well that's ok too, it still gives me a variety since the Cameron Clan has several tartans.

[Ken]

gaelgal said:

Thanks, Tom. Somewhere I had it in my head that Honorary Chiefs could get permission to wear the Lochiel's tartan but that it was in bad taste to wear it around the Lochiel or Achnacarry. This has been a fun discussion... but I still want to know why Taylor's not in the list of choices! LOL!

Hey check out this site, it's a company here in the USA that sells kilts and other Scots/Celt clothing... www.scottishclansman.com/ They sell the Taylor tartan for men's, children's, women's kilts, sashes/ties/scarves, travel blackets, clan badges/crest/kilt pins, etc... And it's all listed in USD, so no worries about having to figure out the currency conversion and an international order fee.. ;D Just thought I'd share...

[Heather Willis]

The Cameron of Erracht tartan is a nice tartan. It's the Cameron tartan that I wear and wore with the Cameron Highlander Pipe of San Diego County. Also is the tartan for the Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band of the Carolinas that I am in the process of forming.

[hazegry]

how often do we get new tartans? I am asking becuse there are Modern tartans which would lead one to belive that a new design is accepted once in a while. I am trying to find a military tartan of the cameron clan so I can wear it when I reinlist in the navy.

[gaelgal]

The military tartan of the Camerons is traditionally the Cameron of Erracht. Check out this tartan and a wee bit of its history at the online Scottish Tartans Museum connection: www.scottishtartans.org/

[intheblood]

Hi im new here im in Washington state im a Cameron and i really like the Cameron Hunting Weathered its grey and orangeish red

[intheblood]

Hi can i wear the Erracht tartan why does does the Caledonia sometimes come up is that one wearable or the Lochaber wearable. Dont know about the two district ones not sure about the districts.

[Cameronian]

Well I guess what you really have to decide is why you want to wear the Tartan.

The Celts for many thousands of years are known to have woven chequered or striped cloth possibly for identification, the Gaelic word for which has always been – breachdan, and as such was possibly introduced to the West of Northern Britain with the Iron age Celtic Scoti (Scots) from Ireland in the 5 – 6th c. BC.

With the passage of time, each community would boast a weaver who would construct a pattern for those of that glen as opposed to the neighbouring glen differing it in colour by the use of local plant stock creating a district tartan... Since then the tartan has passed through various transitions, sketchy records and small samples from Killicrankie and Culloden exist but not easy to identify, however with the recruitment of the Highland Regiments and the planning of Sir Water Scott, who brought King George IV to Edinburgh in 1822 overnight tartan became popular.

Therefore the tartan has always been a very visible sign of who you are, and where your ancestors came from. The Erracht tartan is the tartan of the Cameron Highlander's Regiment and all those who have served in this regiment are entitled to wear the tartan regardless of name. There are variations now in the dyes used which although the same sett is present the colour gives that subtle difference to the original and it is worn by any of the Clan out of respect for those who have served within the regiment.

There are few Cameron tartans, the red and green Clan tartan, the Weathered Hunting (my choice as it evokes the natural colours of the vegetation) The Lochiel family tartan (which is only worn by members of the Lochiel family) ...another Hunting tartan with softer shades of green and mauve created to be more suitable for women to wear, so the choice is yours. If you wish to acknowledge your ancestry then you would wear a Cameron tartan

Call at the Clan Cameron tent at the next Highland Gathering you attend I am sure that they will have them all there to be seen.

[daveseibert]

Dear Folks, New to the Clan, have proven my 4th great granddad, James Chambers came from Fife to the Colonies as a soldier, deserted and fought against the English in the Washington Co., Pa. Militia. Voted for the Hunting design, if that is the Cameron Locheil Hunting, guess I go for the more muted colors. Someone asked kilts made in the U.S.A., my mother also descends from the Wilsons of the Clan Gunn and I had John Higgins of Lenexa, Ks. make me a fine kilt, a good fit, hangs well and good people to deal with. Just my two cents. Dave Seibert.

[laphroaig13]

Hi everyone - I have just joined the forum today. I have just ordered a kilt in the Cameron of Lochiel (Modern) tartan. Are you all saying that I cannot indeed wear this without the permission of Lochiel?

I was born and bred in Scotland, live in Fife and every time I visit Glenfinnan I stop and imagine the 700 Lochiel Camerons marching over to the skirl of the pipes to join Charlie on 19th August 1745. It makes me so proud.

I am going to the Highland Gathering on Saturday at Glenfinnan and will be as proud as any Cameron who will be there.

[houndofthearrows]

Hello Laphroaig13,
Welcome to the message center and of course our wonderful, big family of ours, Clan Cameron! It's always nice to see new members signing on ! To answer your question : unfortunately it is true . The Cameron of Lochiel Tartan is specifically reserved for our glorious Chief and his immediate family. It is absolutely necessary to get permission from Lochiel himself to wear this Tartan. It makes no difference where you may reside. You stated that you just recently placed the order. Maybe you still have time to change it . Good luck ! On a different matter, I love your avatar ! Again welcome and I look forward to chatting with you in the future.
Aonaibh Ri Cheile
Yours Aye,
Sean

[houndofthearrows]

Hello again Laphroaig13,
I was doing a bit of research for some friends on the "Board" this early morn and a couple things reminded me of your post in reference to "Every time I visit Glenfinnan I stop to imagine the 700 Cameron's marching over to the skirl of the pipes to join B.P. Charlie on August 19th 1745. It makes me so proud !". I couldn't agree with you more! Anytime I think of my ancestors I immediately well up with pride. I'm truly honoured and humbled to be a part of the greatest Clan to ever grace this spinning ball we call Earth. The bravery, the courage, the undaunting loyalty to Family and Clan ! These things are sadly missing in todays generations. I will always be able to hold my head up high and look into the face of all I see. I'm proud of my Family, I'm proud of my Friends, I'm proud of my Ancestors and this Glorious Clan, I'm proud of the man I'm growing to be, and I hope that when my Lads look up to me they're proud of the man they see, for I'm am proud of them and forever will be, for even though they gaze up to me , one day the world will look up to them and Finally SEE !!! WE ARE CLAN CAMERON !!! Sorry some times I can get a wee bit carried away. I just realized I came up with a little poem of my own ! Any how I wanted to share a couple quick things : "Until well into the afternoon of 19 August the only inhabitants of the valley were the Prince and his escort, and some grazing cattle and the people who followed them. At some time between 3 and 4 o'clock the sounds of bagpipes was heard from the east, and then 800 Camerons swarmed over the hills in a scene that would have been too theatrically embarrassing to record if it had not been true. The Prince then ordered the Duke of Perth to carry the standard ' to the other side of the River Finnan', with an immediate escort of 100 of the MacDonalds, and accompanied by 300 more. Lochiel's men were stationed "on the other side of the river'. The Catholic bishop Hugh MacDonald then blessed the standard of King James VIII. It was then spread to the wind- a red silken flag with a white square inset, sewn by the ladies of Kinlochmoidart.""Among the gentlefolk who witnessed the scene was the Jenny Cameron who had brought 200 of the Camerons of Glen Dessary.' She's is a genteel, well-look'd, handsome woman with a pair of pretty eyes, and hair as black as jet. She was a very sprightly genius, and is very agreeable in conversation.' The crowd was augmented at 6pm, when MacDonnell of Keppoch arrived with 350 of his men, together with two bemused companies of redcoats captured three days before, whose presence served as a reminder that the first armed clashes of the rising had already taken place.". Now we skip ahead to April 16 1746. " It was a matter of pride to the Camerons that their pibroch had been the first heard when the Prince set up his standard at Glenfinnan. That pibroch was sounding now in the sleet: You sons of dogs, of dogs of the breed, O come, come here on flesh to feed !" The first bits are quoted from "The '45 Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Untold Story of the Jacobite Rising" by Christopher Duffy. The second I'm sure many are familiar with "Culloden" by John Prebble. For those not familiar with these to books, I highly recommend them !
Back on track, TARTAN ! Did you happen to find out if you could change up your kilt you recently ordered or better yet did you get permission to wear the Cameron of Lochiel Tartan ? I'm sure it would take a little longer to get a response to the answer your seeking, but I always say their is no such thing has a stupid question, it's the question never asked that's stupid ! Well I look forward to hearing from you. I see you on the board at times, stay and chat awhile ;D. It's always a pleasure to chat with fellow Camerons !
Yours Aye,
Sean

[laphroaig13]

I can have the kilt in a different Cameron tartan but the shop advised me that the Cameron of Lochiel is available in all major kilt retailers in Scotland and can be used by Clan members. I received an e-mail back from Clan Cameron stating that I can have a kilt made in the Lochiel Modern tartan but it is usually family members that wear it.

I have decided to write to the family seeking permission and that way I won't offend anyone, which is the last thing I want to do.

[Thomas Cameron]

Hi,

The Clan Cameron Association typically advises its members, and those who get in touch for general guidance, not to purchase a Lochiel tartan kilt. It is reserved for use by the Camerons of Lochiel and their immediate family (even though kilt retailers will sell it to anyone that makes the order).

The traditional right to wear this tartan does not include those with a distant connection to the Lochiel family, but only the current Chief, his wife and children, our Chief's siblings (and their children, grandchildren) and also the siblings of our past Chief. There are probably a handful more, but for the most part it's those who might also spend the holidays with our Chief's family - close relations.

Now, there are individuals who purchased a Cameron of Lochiel kilt many moons ago. We (here in North America) asked about this years ago, and the Lochiel family was very understanding. They stated that there was no problem with individuals wearing their tartan in the U.S. and Canada to Scottish events, but that when visiting Scotland (and in specific, when attending a Gathering at Achnacarry) it would be kind of them to leave their Cameron of Lochiel kilts at home. This rule of thumb is widely respected within the Clan Cameron Association.

In that you live in Scotland, I would strongly recommend contacting the Scotland Branch President, Alan Cameron (via their website, which is linked from the main page of Clan Cameron Online) if you'd like further confirmation. He will be able to offer an opinion, on behalf of Lochiel.

[laphroaig13]

It was Alan Cameron who sent me the e-mail I quoted above.

[Thomas Cameron]

Well then... I'll only comment further that we do try to respect the wishes of our Chief in this matter, and to the best of my knowledge he doesn't grant permissions for use of his family tartan, other than to immediate family.

[laphroaig13]

Can I ask what is the family tartan? There is more than one variaton of the Lochiel tartan. (modern, hunting muted and hunting ancient]

I am right in saying that they are all tartans that are requested to be worn by the family only?