Why does a continent comprising 52/53 separate and distinct nations become one ‘nation’ for the spurious purpose of having a ‘National’ Day. What is it that links the cultures of South Africa to Egypt or The Gambia to Mozambique in such a way? Is there a multiple-country Asia Day or Europe Day or even a Day for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland? No, there isn’t. Each individual country has its own special day. The same should apply to the amazingly diverse nations of the African Continent. Please treat them with more respect. Happy Day, Africa!
African Union Commission set a theme for Africa Day 2019 to be Year of Refugees, returnees and IDPs: Towards Durable solutions to forced displacement in African – African Union
One of the most poignant of the stories that have emerged from the commemorations marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War is the one about German and British troops laying down their arms and emerging from their trenches to exchange greetings and share rations on the Western Front on Christmas Eve 1914. Some even say that a football match took place though evidence is scant. If it did, what a pity it wasn’t a game played for two years each way. Football could then truly have justified its claim to be ‘the beautiful game’. The sad irony is that this spontaneous outburst of goodwill lasted for only a few hours and foresaw four years of senseless slaughter and destruction resulting in the deaths of tens of millions, leaving much of central Europe as a vast wasteland.
Against this background the peaceful death of one man some 6000 miles away seems relatively insignificant, but John Muir was no ordinary human being, for his legacy was the prevention of even more senseless destruction in the name of so-called ‘progress’. Although much of what he preached about the conservation of our natural heritage only came into being after his passing, nevertheless his influence is felt to this day. And we can be thankful for that.
It is said that ‘history teaches fools’ and ‘those who forget it (history) are doomed to repeat it’. And doomed we might have been if not for this eccentric genius, and a remarkable three days spent by two men in the wilderness of North America.
John Muir was born in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland in 1838 and emigrated with his family to the United States of America in 1848. Throughout his life he developed an ever-growing fondness for wild places and wild creatures. Largely self-taught this son of East Lothian became a poet, philosopher, preacher, inventor and mountaineer, as well as an expert in the fields of botany and geology.
His journeys into the vast wilderness of 19th.Century America brought him to discover the oneness and order of the natural world in which ‘every rock, plant and animal is a golden thread in the infinite fabric of life, and from which no fibre can be pulled without spoiling the whole.’
‘When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with all the other stars, all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty. This show is eternal.’
This extraordinary man, regarded today as the ‘Father of Conservation’, was truly ahead of his time. His passionate concern for the future of our planet, allied to a unique clarity of thought and expression, enabled him to influence the world’s most powerful men through his writing. It seems extraordinary by today’s standards but he persuaded the then President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt, to join him on a three-day excursion into the wilderness of Yosemite. It’s believed to be the only time in US history that a President has been without his Secret Service bodyguard. Together they explored the, mountains, forests and rivers of the Sierra Nevada; they hugged trees in a lightning storm and slept under the stars. Roosevelt left Yosemite a convert to the idea of conservation.
‘Conservation is a great moral issue, for it involves the patriotic duty of the safety and continuance of the nation.’
America must have seemed like a bounty of infinite resource to the early settlers, but 19th C industrialisation and exploitation were already beginning to take their toll on the natural environment. It was to be several years before the National Parks Service Bill was signed and passed into law “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations”, but one can only imagine with horror how America, and perhaps the rest of the planet, might look today had the exploitation of its resources continued unabated throughout the 20th C. John Muir’s legacy in the form of America’s sixty-two National Parks is there for all to see and enjoy, and his thoughts and writings have encouraged conservation worldwide thanks to those three days in the wilderness.
We can only imagine the conversations that took place between these two great men. So let’s do that.
Let’s imagine that the following postcard was written by John Muir to his wife Louisa at their family home in Martinez, California after spending two nights in the wilderness of Yosemite with President Teddy Roosevelt.
It is generally understood that it was this ‘adventure’ that persuaded Roosevelt to introduce the concept of ‘National Parks’ in the USA.
Let us imagine that President Roosevelt was so moved by his experience in Yosemite that he wrote the following postcard to John Muir a few weeks after he returned to Washington.
The John Muir tartan was created in 1998 by David McGill for the 150th anniversary of John Muir’s arrival in the United States and was launched at a reception in the San Francisco Bay area City of Pleasanton in 2002 when Muir’s grand-son accepted an inscribed tartan clock and picture frame on behalf of the Muir family. It is registered on the Scottish Tartan Register No.2682 The colours in the John Muir Tartan were chosen to represent what Muir first saw, and invited us all to see, long before man walked on the moon: the earth spinning silently through infinite space.” The postcards to his wife Lousia, depicted above were distributed at the exhibition – “In the Footsteps of John Muir” – by Scottish photographer Ken Paterson at Federal Hall in New York City in April 2013. Framed copies of Ken Paterson’s photographs are available and can be seen at www.kenpaterson.co.uk. The exhibition “In the Footsteps of John Muir” will be on display in the Scottish Parliament this January.
The JOHN MUIR Tartan
DESIGN NOTES
John Muir was born in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland in 1838 and emigrated with his family to the United States of America in 1848. Throughout his life he developed an ever-growing fondness wild places and wild creatures. Largely self-taught this son of East Lothian became a poet, philosopher, preacher, inventor and mountaineer, as well as an expert in the fields of botany and geology.
His journeys into the vast wilderness of 19th. Century America brought him to discover the oneness and order of the natural world in which ‘every rock, plant and animal is a golden thread in the infinite fabric of life, and from which no fibre can be pulled without spoiling the whole.’
‘When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with all the other stars, all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty. This show is eternal.’
This extraordinary man, regarded today as the ‘Father of Conservation’, was truly ahead of his time. His passionate concern for the future of our planet, allied to a unique clarity of thought and expression, enabled him to influence the world’s most powerful men. His legacy in the form of America’s National Parks is there for all to see and enjoy.
The JOHN MUIR tartan was woven to celebrate the 150th. Anniversary of his arrival in America, and the colours chosen to represent what he first saw, and invited us all to see, long before man walked on the moon: “…the fragile earth spinning silently through infinite space.”
Registered on the Scottish Tartans Register No. 2933
We are delighted to announce a first batch of International Tartans Facemasks. These facemasks have been individually handmade in Scotland from 100% wool with a cotton lining. Each tartan is officially registered with the Scottish Tartan Register.
Although not classified as PPE in accordance with WHO guidelines, science tells us that wearing them will stop the spread of viruses. They should be hand-washed only, but never left soaking.
They are not disposable: they are masks for life. They may save your life, the lives of others, and help save the life of the planet.
Masks are priced at £15.00 each + p&p. The Sakura Olympic Special mask
Coming soon: Denmark, Daugherty, Ghana, Holland, Internationale Lanarkshire Midlothian, New Jersey, Nigeria, Norway, Queen of Scots, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, South Africa, St Andrew, Wimbledon. Arsenal, East Lothian, Finland, Florida, India, Mexico, Newcastle, Sweden and Zimbabwe.
Last October Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government in the Scottish Government led a delegation to the Social Enterprise World Forum in Addis Ababa. Amongst the delegates was Hazel Smith, CEO of ReTweed, International Tartans’ main supplier of tartan accessories.
International Tartans supplied ReTweed with a length of Ethiopia tartan which they made into ties, scarves and plaid brooches to take as gifts. Their Ethiopian hosts were astonished and delighted to be given something that carried the colours of their national flag.
Neil Munro, an environmental scientist now based in Addis Ababa formerly worked in Sudan. When in Khartoum he helped form the Khartoum Caledonian Society which adopted the Sudan tartan. Although kilts were made in Scotland the Caledonian Society used local craftworkers to make a range of accessories with a view to establishing a job-creating social enterprise. Upon hearing of the Ethiopia tartan, Neil immediately ordered Ethiopia tartan products for his fellow Scots and is currently trying to establish a Caledonian Society in Addis Ababa. Such is the universal versatility of Scotland’s ‘international calling-card’ it can be used as a unifying force for good and for promoting Scotland almost anywhere in the world.
Although these are tiny steps on a long road towards the level of international co-operation that will be needed if we are to ensure our planet is fit for generations to come, it is a start and a welcome one.
The title of the design is taken from the universal anthem of the same name, and is intended to provide a common bonding theme for democratic socialists worldwide in keeping with the concluding line of the chorus: ‘The Internationale unites the human race’. The design itself can be reproduced to give that common theme a unique physical identity in the form of tartan. Although at times misused and cheapened, tartan has a broad popular appeal to people of all countries and is instantly recognisable.
An appropriate choice of colours in a tartan can give it a yet more specific identity – in modern parlance, a brand, and over time, by repetition, a recognisable brand. The colours for the Internationale tartan have been chosen to reflect those linked to the socialist movement, but with fashion in mind, by retaining their traditional red and (part) yellow colours, but in the softer tones implied in the battle-hymn of the Suffragettes: Bread and Roses.
‘As we go marching, marching, in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts grey
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses
For the people hear us singing, bread and roses, bread and roses.
As we go marching, marching, we’re standing proud and tall.
The rising of the women means the rising of us all.
No more the drudge and idler, ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life’s glories, bread and roses, bread and roses.’
Illustrated below is an example of the best-selling item in Scotland’s tourist shops – the lambswool scarf: useful, stylish, light and comfortable to wear, and affordable.
At £20.00 (inc P&P) these exclusive tartan scarves make an ideal gift for family and friends, or maybe you just want to treat yourself. A donation of £5.00 from each sale will be made to local food banks. Get in touch to order one at info@internationaltartans.co.uk or click here.
The Tartan is Registered No. 11376 on the Scottish Tartans Register
Letter published in The National Newspaper Thursday 8th August
It may interest you to know that the good people of Catalonia actually have their own tartan. Commissioned by Catalans in Edinburgh the Catalunya Escocia tartan is registered no. 11163 on the Scottish Register of Tartans. The colours are based on the ‘Estelada’, the flag of the independence movement in Catalonia.
It was launched at a fashion show in Glasgow, the occasion being the ‘Football Fashionistas’ fashion show at the second Tartan & Turban Burns Supper at the Thistle Hotel in aid of ‘Show Racism the Red Card.’ It represented Barcelona.
The event was organised by the Sikh community in the West of Scotland and compered by Hardeep Sing Kholi. His fee was a kilt in the Spirit of India tartan.
The life of St. George is shrouded in legend, but he was almost certainly born in the Holy Land. Converted to Christianity, he was imprisoned and tortured by Emperor Diocletian (245 – 313 AD)., and upon refusing to recant his faith he was eventually beheaded. The Emperor’s wife Alexandria was so impressed by his courage that she became a Christian and so too was put to death.
The best-known legend surrounding St. George is that of the dragon. According to this legend, a pagan town in what is now Libya was being terrorised by a fierce dragon. To placate the insatiable beast the locals began to sacrifice their own townspeople. Finally, the local Princess was to be sacrificed, but good St. George came along, slaughtered the dragon and rescued the fair Princess. At this, the townsfolk converted to Christianity.
In 1222 the Council of Oxford declared 23rd. April as his Feast Day, and he eventually became the Patron Saint of England sometime in the 14th Century. It is traditional for men to celebrate St. George’s Day by giving their ladies a red rose to honour the memory of St. George and the Princess he saved from the dragon.
The St. George tartan has been designed to incorporate those emblems which best represent England as a nation:
The RED Cross of St. George on its WHITE field, surrounded by the three lions passant which form the Arms of England, and set in BLUE symbolising its island nature and dominance of the High Seas, laced with Royal PURPLE representing 1000 years of enduring monarchic tradition.
Registered on the Scottish Tartans Register No. 3178.
Colin Cameron and his wife Alison return to Malawi to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of his arrival in what was then the Preotectorsate of Nyasaland. A former Cabinet Minister in the first Malawian government and 16 years as Malawi’s Honorary Consul in Scotland Colin presented gifts of Malawi tartan scarves and ties and Golden Thistle badges to his hosts.
The MALAWI tartan is registered no. 3221 on the Scottish Register of Tartans. The colours are a combination of those in the flags of Malawi and Scotland. It is one of twenty-four tartans in the ‘Tartans for Africa’ range used to promote African countries internationally, whilst providing a valuable source of funds for humanitarian projects.
A number of Government Ministers, MP’s and MSP’s have presented Malawi tartan cloth and accessories to their counterparts in Malawi, and dozens of schools and charitable organisations in Scotland have been able to use the Malawi tartan to raise funds for a variety of projects throughout Malawi.
”Oxfam customers in Glasgow may soon be able to buy a new kind of tartan, woven from red, green and gold thread. The cloth, registered earlier this summer, is the most vivid expression of a support and advocacy group set up by a group of female refugees from Africa with the evocative name of Karibu Scotland.
Founder Henriette Koubakouenda was 50 years old when she arrived in the UK from her native Democratic Republic of the Congo in the summer of 2001, to join an existing community of African women in Scotland. Using her knowledge of English and her experience of working with women in community development (she had worked with the United Nations Development Programme back in Kinshasa), Koubakouenda would help her fellow asylum-seekers with their phone calls and letter-writing. “Many of the women didn’t speak English and it was really difficult for them to access mainstream services,” she tells me from her flat in Glasgow. “And I thought maybe if we can organise ourselves, this could be more formal and people will see us. The mainstream services will know our need and respond to it.
The women who use Karibu also come for services such as ESOL English classes and IT lessons. The organisation also has a social enterprise arm: hence the sewing group that registered the tartan in the Karibu colours and the catering enterprise Taste of Africa (they cater events around Glasgow).
They are planning a Karibu Scotland cafe. “We are hoping to have the cafe before the Commonwealth Games. Many people will be coming from Africa, and if they can find a place where they can eat African food, it would be great,” says Koubakouenda. “We just need to secure the funding.”
Laurentine Zibi, chair and former volunteer, says: “All the feedback we’ve had on our services and events has always been so positive.” She adds: “We did not choose to be here but now that we are – this is our home, this is our country and our voice should be heard through our projects, events and skills.” Amen to that. ”
Our involvement
“I’ve never forgotten the day I first set eyes on Henriette’, says David McGill of International Tartans ‘, with her twinkling eyes and ready smile. It was the first time I’d met someone from Cameroon who spoke perfect English and French, and had a degree in aquaculture from Budapest University! We arranged to meet again in a church hall in Govanhill where ‘The Ladies of Karibu’ met once a week. These women had come to Scotland from many different countries throughout Africa, so I took along tartans in my ‘Tartans for Africa’ range and invited them to try them on (see opening illustration). They immediately spotted that the colours of their respective national flags were represented in the tartan’.
The Karibu tartan – registered in Scotland STR No. 10674
As it happened, along with my colleague Tecla Wight, a fashion designer originally from Zimbabwe, I was invited to take part in a fashion show in the Barony Hall as part of Strathclyde University’s annual fundraiser for Malawi. Tecla arranged for outfits to be designed and made by well-known Scottish designers including students from the Scottish Textile College in Galashiels. Some were modeled by the daughters of the Karibu ladies alongside students from Holyrood High School. It was an outstanding success. Judge for yourself at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voT8uSo-a0A
As a consequence, the idea of training women refugees in tailoring and dress-making was formed into a social enterprise known as Karibu. International Tartans gifted a roll of cloth for training purposes and, at their request, designed the ‘Karibu’ tartan for them in the pan-African colours of red, green and gold as used in their logo. The rest is history”.
International Tartans designed tartans for some 24 African countries and provides fundraisers for schools and ‘good causes’ throughout Scotland with projects in Africa. It also works with Caledonian Societies in African capitals to create employment for local women by using its ‘10% solution’ business model. And something as simple as tartan wrapping paper is used to fund the ‘Send a girl to school’ campaign which was launched at the European Social Forum in Malmo, Sweden in 2008.
It’s astonishing how such a little here in Scotland can go such a long way in Africa.
And sometimes a little can go a long way in Scotland too. Re-Tweed is a brand new enterprise based in the fishing town of Eyemouth in South East Scotland – offering women a new way to think about their futures by gaining the skills and experience for creative industry and enterprise whilst producing amazing and original furnishings and fashions and fabulous ‘fings’. It is an aspirational project which provides creative and inspiring employability and entrepreneurship opportunities for women in a community often forgotten in the wider national initiatives.
The project was developed by serial social entrepreneur Hazel Smith over 18 months after researching a wide range of social and community enterprises from across the UK, EU and as far afield as Africa, harvesting the best of ‘what works’ in terms of women’s training, enterprise and creative and manufacturing initiatives. Every student creates at least 11 items which Re-Tweed sells at local craft fairs, through local retailers and online.
Project funding is in place, but what is now required are donations of all types of textiles which will be creatively reinvented into artisan furnishings, fashions and crafts. So, if you have anything lying about: old curtains, slightly damaged but unwearable dresses, or whatever, please donate now. You will receive full credit for your donation and even a photograph of what ‘the Re-Tweeders’ can turn it into. Have a look for yourself at https://www.retweed.com/textiles-donations/
Such has been the demand the Khartoum Caledonian Society has just taken possession of 100 metres of International Tartans ‘Sudan’ tartan.
‘Of course’ says Chieftain Archie Frame, ‘ the expatriate Scots like to dress up for their St Andrew’s Night ceilidh, Hogmanay celebrations, and their annual Burns Supper, but we are attracting members and guests from a number of European and Asian countries who wanted to join in, and many native Sudanese as well’.
‘Although kilts and kilted skirts will be made in Scotland, accessories will be manufactured here in Sudan in accordance with International Tartan’s business model, which is designed to create awareness and sustainable employment in African communities’. By using the colours of the flag of Sudan in the design, International Tartans has provided Sudan with a unifying national emblem’.
The SUDAN tartan
Blue for the Blue Nile, St Andrew and Scotland;
Green for Sufi robes, the woodlands, and cropped lands;
Red for the Sea, the dust, and the sands of Sudan;
White for the White Nile, and the Peace (after Umdurman).
A collection of International Tartans 