Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

2 things, really. What's Invercargill like?

Secondly, where are the parts of New Zealand that have a strong Scottish (particularly Gaelic) history and even better, which areas still have a living interest (ie: Gaelic speakers, Highland games and all that)?

Thank you!

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

Waupo, Northland is Scottish in culture.

When we visited there were a few blokes in skirts in a boat with bagpipes. Heaven knows what they were doing. Looked but dodgey to me :D

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

I'll think you'll find that Dunedin has the strongest Gaelic links.....what with 'Dunedin' actually being a Gaelic word...but, from what I remember of my studies, there hasn't been much Gaelic spoken since the 1930's.

Though, to be fair, some of the people in Wellington might as well be speaking Gaelic for all that I can understand them.....

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

Trying to catch those wee Haggis, no doubt!

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

But I didnt notice their rod's out mate :eek:

:rofl:

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

I'd be more worried if you had! :thumbup: :eek:
noticed that is, not had YOURS out!

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

Too big to fit on the boat ;)

:rofl:

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

what.....you or your rod!?!?!?!:eek:

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

Pervert :sneaky:


:rofl:

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

Around October or November in Victoria Square in Christchurch (I don't recall exactly) you'll see loads of people wearing kilts and blowing bagpipes, beating on drums and marching around. I think it's some annual competition as there's always somebody with a clipboard jotting down notes, checking out if the lines are straight, how well they play their bagpipes.

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

I think it's 'Waipu'. :)

'Sourflour' lives there and is very helpful if you have specific questions. I think they do have an annual event akin to a Highland games, but am not 100% certain on that, having never been myself, or not remembering if I have. ;)

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

oh yes they do have highland games and bagpipes - I know this for sure!! They drive poor F mad! ( I LOVE them!) She also works in the Scottish museum there so shes your girl. There is a huge Scottish history to Waipu. It was a Scotsman who first settled there. http://www.waipumuseum.com/ bit of bumf here.

Also as you drive to Waipu there is this HUGE bagpiper to welcome you!! :D It's freakishly cool!

Also Waipu is really really lovely.

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

And it is the first place we stopped off and the missus used the public loo's. Very clean by all accounts :thumbsup:

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

:eek:

Re: Scotland in NZ and Invercargill
 

Hiya, yes, we live in Waipu :D

I work at the museum here, which is dedicated to the story of the migration.

Waipu was settled by Norman McLeod and his followers in the mid 19th century. They left Scotland nominally because of the highland clearences but also we think because of McLeod's constant run-ins with the church and others (he's a personality to be examined!). They originally went to Novia Scotia, but the potato blight hit and they went to Adelaide, they didn't stay there long because the gold-rush meant that everyone was having too much 'fun' for their sensibilities, so they were given a choice of down south, hawkes bay or waipu and they chose Waipu because they were sick of the cold of Canada and because 'Bream Bay' where we live is so beautiful.

And here we are. The roads of Waipu are all named after the settlers - so there's 'mclean road' and 'rosythe road' etc.

Their Scottish/gaelic heritage is incredibly important to the town, not just with the obvious highland games, but at much deeper levels too. The original settlers didn't even speak english! and right up to around the mid 1960s some of the old folk still only spoke Gaelic. We have some recordings of interviews with them which are haunting.

There are lots of pipers and fiddlers, etc. And the museum (which is also the tourist info centre) is begining to build up to an annual Celtic Music Festival - we're bringing the Battlefield Band to NZ in June!! They've racked up gigs in Dunedin, Hamilton and Wellington too now - but it was us that persuaded them to come over (they're playing in Whangarei on June 9th in case anyone fancies it - tickets through ticketek).

I meet lots of Scottish People during work at the museum - 'slovely!

Anyway, if I can help you more, let me know.... and if you speak Gaelic you could maybe help me too?! :D

Steph xx