Before I arrived back in the UK I had the pleasure of going to the Dunedin Scottish Festival, a week long series of events celebrating Scottish culture and local peoples’ roots. New Zealand is good like that. When the French were in town for the rugby they still made an effort to welcome their guests and make them feel at home, even with them being their competitors at the national game. One of the first things people will say about Dunedin when describing it to visitors is about it’s Scottish heritage and I’ve met a lot of people that talk fondly of some relative that came over.
Dunedin, Gaelic for Edinburgh has the rough road layout and all the familiar street names of its name sake, it has its own bagpiper that can often be found outside the Scottish Shop on George Street, Irn Bru, haggis and a variety of Scottish things can even be bought in the local supermarket, the tourists often taking pictures of the statue of Robert Burns in the centre of town. It all makes me feel very welcome and proud of my culture.
Bhav, my partner had enjoyed a ceilidh last year held during the festival and while we missed that this year we at least attended the opening ceremony, highland games and the St Andrews Day lunch.
Being on the opposite side of the world never felt more like home.
Me with the Mayor, Peter Chin at the Dunedin Highland Games
Mass pipers at the Highland Games
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