MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/4EA24113/StoneMountainHighlandGames.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Stone Mountain Highland Games October 21-22nd 2006

Stone Mountain Highland Games October 21-22nd 2006

Duncan G Cameron

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After months of planning and= endless e-mails to Camerons in the USA, Tuesday 17th October saw Jane and I board a Delta plane for Atlanta on our wa= y to The 34th Stone Mountain Highland Games. Nine hours later and we were= at Atlanta airport a= nd managed to miss Colin Cameron the acting President of the Clan Cameron Stone Mountain Branch.

 

The following morning having collected our hire car, we headed off to the Stone Mountain Inn where we we= re to stay for two nights prior to the games. We discovered a beautiful hotel - directly opposite the Stone Mountain mon= ument. The drive on busy freeways ended with subtle autumn tints as we entered the park. We met up with Colin for lunch, an introduction to southern specialit= ies, fried chicken, ribs, catfish, peach cobbler and ice cream and planned our w= eek.

 

Next day, in good weather, w= e did a 230 mile trip to Ellijay on the North Carolina border. This proved to be a stunning jou= rney of autumn colour and we called in to Mercier, an apple = business, that was busy with people stocking up on every variety of apple prod= uct. Highway 60 wound through national forests in the Appalachian-trail area.

 

Friday saw a move to the hos= t hotel for the games, after a morning in Stone Mountain village. We were quickly registered by the games reception and received our pack as “games sponsors”. The afternoon was spent in a whisky tasting and listening to Piobaireachd before ge= tting ready for the evening reception. The reception was a grand affair with high= land dress and regalia of all varieties, much in evidence. The evening was a nice time to renew old acquaintances from a visit to Grandfather Mountain Games = in 2004 and meet new ones.

 

Saturday 21st October and th= e first day of the games saw us on the field early. The Stone Mountain Games uses t= he natural surroundings of the park to great advantage, setting the activities= in special areas. Apart from an Athletic Field and Parade Field there were are= as for Highland Dance, Bands, Harps and Fiddles, Clans and Societies, Scottish Craftsmen, Scottish Vendors, Scottish Foods, Country Dance, Entertainment a= nd even a Chapel - all enhanced by the beautiful autumn colours.

 

We were greeted warmly by th= e Camerons at the Clan tent and were impressed by the d= isplay of items for sale and of Clan interest. There was even a mannequin dressed = up, called Donald! Behind the tent woodland made a wonderful picnic area for the Clan visitors. Later we were to experience the buffet and local honey-glazed ham (a Georgian delicacy), as well as drink the local alcoholic “tea”.

 

From a cold but dry start, t= he day warmed up and the air was filled with pipe music and the senses were assail= ed on all sides by colour and activity. I was able to represent Clan Cameron Scotland at the opening ceremon= y that had= one representative per Clan. Flower of Scotland was played and sung = by Alex Beaton. 35 bands in two waves were to add to the occasion. Finally, we were addressed by Viscount Tarbat on behalf of = his Father the Earl of Cromartie, Chief of Clan Mackenzie. A happy day was then spent visiting a= ll the attractions and watching heavy events and pipe bands in the arena. Of particular note were the duo of Alasdair Fraser on fiddle and Natalie Haas = on cello performing with great style. Also the heraldry tent was visited and I made the acquaintance of several American armigers.  During the afte= rnoon the Stone Mountain Camerons held a meeting that= I was invited to join. I was able to give a message of greeting from Lochiel, recalling his visit in 1986. This was very w= ell received and helped to bind the Camerons across= the miles.

 

We left the park and drove b= ack to the host hotel to get ready for a Scottish musical evening. A happy 3 hours= was spent listening to Alex Beaton. Smithfield Fair and Alasdair Fraser and Nat= alie Haas, the latter stole the show, a wonderful end to the day.

 

Sunday 22nd saw a= change of weather to rain, but we still arrived bright and early at the Clan tent ready for the non-denominational worship and the “Kirkin of the Tartan”.  This wa= s held indoors because of the weather and to our surprise also included 12 christenings. Perhaps this should not have been such a surprise as there we= re two weddings at the games the previous day. The Kirkin= of the Tartan took a different form in the absence of many of the banners a= nd instead the Reverend blessed our own tartan, a moving experience, making my Great Kilt that much more precious.

 

The day proceeded as before = with all the stalls and events in the rings including falconry and sheep dogs. The m= ain event for me was the Parade of Tartans. Each clan association lined up and = then paraded into the arena bearing its tartan and banners. I was proud to head = the Camerons with a banner that had travelled to the Grandfather Mountain Games and often been used in events at home including = the 10,000 piper march in Edinburg= h. On the march I was flanked by a WW II veteran and a veteran of the Korean W= ar. The arena was a sea of tartan all moving to the tune from massed bands. Aft= er a prayer of thanksgiving prizes were awarded to various competitors.

 

Following another fine picni= c at the clan tent we were made honorary members of the branch and presented with Cameron T shirts. An interesting afternoon was spent listening to music at = the harp and fiddle tents, exploring the stalls and keeping an eye on the main events in the rings. Finally it was time for the closing ceremony and massed band performance. We bid sad farewell to so many members of the Stone Mountain branch who had made us so welcome.

 

Monday was spent exploring t= he Plantation that h= as been recreated from original buildings brought to the park, visiting the park mu= seum for an explanation of the giant carving depicting Jefferson Davis, Robert E= Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The evening was spent in the co= mpany of Colin and Linda Cameron.

 

Tuesday, the last day was sp= ent having a last look at the world’s largest high-relief carving. Our fi= nal pleasure was a trip by amphibious DUKW or “Duck” round the park= and on the lake for a last look at the autumn colour before setting off for hom= e.

 

One more journey on the free= way and we were at the airport, goodbye Atlanta an= d all too soon, the following morning a touchdown in Manchester. A quite wonderful experienc= e of sights and sounds to gladden any Cameron made more enjoyable by the welcome from our fellow Clansfolk in America= .