Ledger-Dispatch

By Scott Thomas Anderson (sanderson@ledger-dispatch.c= om)=20

Alex Sharp, Bill Welsh, Stuart = McNaughtan and=20 John Burton present the haggis and play bagpipes at last year's = Robert=20 Burns Dinner.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch

Jim Sinclair of the Mother Lode Scots = competes in=20 a highland game known as the shot put at the Grass Valley Celtic = Music=20 Festival.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch
Call it the invasion of the = Scots - a=20 night of green and plaid revelry alive with the sway of kilts, the lush = blare of=20 bagpipes, and a table full of whiskey and haggis. Like the rugged = highlanders=20 whose unconquerable fire still burns in their spirit, the Mother Lode = Scots know=20 how to throw one mean party.

On Jan. 19 at 6 p.m., they'll host = their=20 annual Robert Burns Dinner at the Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel and = Conference=20 Center. The dinner honors Scotland's most famous poet, and in a larger = sense,=20 the brave, clever and tenacious culture of underdogs his words have now=20 immortalized.

From Britain to the United States, those of = Scottish blood=20 feel they have plenty to be proud of. In his 2001 book, "How the Scots = Invented=20 the Modern World: the true story of how Western Europe's poorest nation = created=20 our world and everything in it," eminent historian Arthur Herman asked, = "Who=20 formed the first modern nation? Who created the first literate society? = Who=20 invented our modern ideas of democracy and free market capitalism?" His = answer=20 is unequivocal - "the Scots." The title of Herman's book is tongue and = cheek,=20 but his basic assertion is not. Between politics, philosophy, = literature,=20 medicine and science, the Scottish experience has played a major role in = the=20 civil landscape we know today.

The Mother Lode Scots are among = hundreds=20 of Scottish-inspired groups in the United States that are dedicated to = honoring=20 that fact. They were formed in 1979 when a handful of people of Scottish = decent=20 wanted to get together with other Scots and form a close relationship to = Scotland.

Marilyn McDanel, a long-time member of the group, said = that=20 over time the group's focus has shifted to mainly celebrating the = Scottish=20 heritage. "At this point our membership is open to anyone who has an = interest in=20 Scottish culture," explained McDanel. "We meet once a month to plan = local=20 events. We also do community service activities in the area." McDanel = added=20 enthusiastically, "One of our favorite things to do is go the Highland = Games=20 where people compete in traditional Scottish games and competitions like = the=20 caber toss, the putting of the stone and sheep dog trails."

Like = their=20 sword-swinging ancestors William Wallace and Rob Roy, the Mother Lode = Scots have=20 also occasionally found themselves under siege. Their big Christmas = event, the=20 Mother Lode Scot's Walk, was relocated to Plymouth this year after a two = residents of Volcano became fearful of them carrying traditional = Scottish=20 weaponry such as claymores and dirks. McDanel emphasized that the = weapons are=20 for show, as well as a crucial part of highland ensemble. "Symbolically, = the=20 dirk and claymore are as much a part of the Scottish heritage as = anything else,"=20 she said. "But I think it was all for the best. The city of Plymouth has = really=20 welcomed us with open arms and seems to be genuinely happy to host our = Christmas=20 event."

There will likely be no such objections with the = upcoming Robert=20 Burns Dinner. Robert Burns, who in his day was known as the "peasant = poet," was=20 born was in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1759. For most of Burn's short life he = toiled=20 on a hard, dead, piece land that of that was impossible to farm - all = the while=20 penning songs and verses with a wild energy that engaged the natural = world,=20 fusing it with Scottish folklore. Burns first publication, "Poems," in = 1786 made=20 his famous throughout the British Empire. But in Burns' time, fame did = not=20 always equal money. He died penniless at the age of 37. Since his = passing,=20 Burn's skill for satire mixed with his rural sensibilities have made him = a=20 national hero to the Scottish culture. Most non-Scottish Americans live = with=20 Burns too, whether they know it or not, every New Year's Eve when the = entire=20 world sings his "Auld Lang Syne" - otherwise known simply as "The New = Year's=20 Eve" song.

John Burton, who was involved for decades with the = Scottish=20 Caledonian Club of San Francisco before joining the Mother Lode Scots, = said=20 Robert Burns dinners are a tradition held by Scottish people everywhere. = "He's=20 the national bard of our people, and for 200 years now Scots have been=20 celebrating his Jan. 25 birthday by getting together for a a great = social event=20 with bagpipes, haggis and songs from his poetry."

When asked why = Burns=20 is so inspiring, Burton said it was a hard thing to put his finger on: = "They say=20 if you ask two Scots a question you'll get seven dissenting opinions. = But for=20 me, Burns is special because his poetry has really stood the test of = time. The=20 Scots are a proud people who embrace hard work, intelligence and humor, = and I=20 think Burns stands for all of those things."

For this year's = Robert Burns=20 Dinner, the Mother Lode Scots have chosen a specific theme for the event = based=20 on Burns' famous poem, "A Red, Red Rose." While Burns had a reputation = as an=20 unapologetic womanizer, he was known to have been seriously in love at = least=20 twice in his life. The upcoming dinner will focus on that part of the = poet's=20 biography, with red roses at each table and that specific poem being = recited.=20 Twelve-year-old bagpipe prodigy Blare Biggar will also perform a number = of=20 songs.

Stuart McNaughtan, who's been with the Mother Lode Scots = since=20 1997, sees the Robert Burns Dinner as another important part of keeping = the=20 Scottish identity alive. "Like all of the events we try to do at The = Mother Lode=20 Scots, the Burns' dinner works to keep the heritage of the Scot's going. = It also=20 brings about camaraderie and closeness, which are essential parts of our = Scottish roots. I enjoy all of it - the music, the dancing, the history. = What I=20 enjoy most is passing the culture on to my kids."

For = reservations and=20 additional information about the Robert Burns Dinner, visit=20 www.motherlodescots.com/robertburns.htm, or call 223-0028.

Scott Thomas = Anderson