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| THE HEAD TABLE at the Moray, Nairn and Banff Burns celebration at the Scottish Cultural Centre. |
All Honour to the Bard at Moray, Nairn & Banff Annual Burns Suppers
By KEN ROGERSON
VANCOUVER - For many years the "Taste of Burns" Burns Supper has been a family night, where mums and dads bring their children, introduce them to Robert Burns, and have a few hours where they can party themselves.
January 20 was no exception. The Scottish Hall was packed to capacity with well over 300 people, 44 of whom were under 12 years of age. The evening got off to a grand start with the Address to the Haggis being given by Angus Head, a.k.a. Robert Stuart. This was probably the funniest and well staged address to any haggis anywhere, certainly in Vancouver.
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| THE HAGGIS was carried by Ken Parr. |
As Angus Head will probably be asked to perform elsewhere in future years, I will not go into detail. Suffice to say the children and their parents won’t forget this part of the evening.
For the past 11 years, the Moray, Nairn & Banff have brought out a duo from Scotland – Brian and Darren – known as The Pepperpot. These two young men bring a dynamic mix of music that is unique and exactly what is wanted for a good Scottish evening.
Saturday is the more formal Burns Supper with all the traditional Burns speeches. The start of the evening was of course the Piping In of the haggis by Moray, Nairn & Banff’s own piper Ken McCrimmon and the haggis carried by Ken Parr.
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| ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS of the annual Moray, Nairn and Banff Burns suppers is the Scottish duo, Pepperpot. |
The Address was performed by the well-known Jock Laidlaw and was suitably stabbed, slashed and gushed to the enjoyment of all. Ian McDonald was the evenings Master of Ceremonies and introduced Isla and Hamish Robertson to give, and reply to the Toast to the Lassies. Their witty banter gave much laughter to the audience.
The main speech of the evening was given by yours truly, and in which, although touching on Burns’ early life, concentrated on the magical song Auld Lang Syne and the mystical haggis, both of which are uniquely Scottish and associated with Robert Burns.
The party went well into the next day with The Pepperpot leading the whooping and hollering of another successful Moray, Nairn & Banff Association’s Burns weekend.
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