Irrespective of ancestry, race or church affiliation, all who value family values and traditions are welcome to join the Natchez Scottish Heritage Society at the annual Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans Ceremony at First Presbyterian Kirk (Church) Sunday morning. Piping on the church green will begin at 9:45 a.m., followed by a processional into the sanctuary which will be decorated with Scottish emblems and tartans.

A roll call of the clans will precede the 10 a.m. service. A covered-dish luncheon will follow.

Scottish clans are not quite the same as families. They are somewhat similar to Native American tribes. Life in ancient times in Scotland, as in most locales, was dangerous and families would band together for their mutual protection, or to attack their neighbors. Most of this fighting was over boundaries of tribal lands.

Since ancient Scotland had no property title laws, the usual way to settle boundary disputes was for one group to fight another. To wage a war, you need a leader.

The different families that would form alliances would choose a leader, adopt his name and consider themselves related, although they might not be blood relatives.

Today, many centuries after our clans were first formed, many of us feel a special bond for others who claim the same clan name although we have no idea whether we are actually relatives.

A part of this bonding mechanism are our clan tartans, which were woven from wool for centuries, and each clan tended to develop their own design. In war, clans would fight as units under their chiefs and they were able to separate their allies from their foes by the pattern of their plaid kilts. It became customary to take their tartans to church to be blessed by the priest.

This came to be known as “kirking o’ the tartans.” Even after Scotland came under British rule and the wearing of tartans was outlawed as divisive, legend has it that Scots would smuggle pieces of their clan’s tartan into churches to be secretly blessed.

The late Dr. Petere Marshall, chaplain of the U.S. Senate, revived the kirking o’ the tartans in America during the 1940s to help instill pride among Americans of Scottish descent.

The custom has become very popular since, including other countries where Scots had emigrated. It is most often observed in Presbyterian churches, but also by other protestant denominations and a few Catholic churches.

It provides an opportunity to combine reverence for God, ancestors and country into one compact package.

Please join us.

William D. McGehee is a Natchez resident and a member of the Scottish Heritage Society.