For Auld Lang Syne
@owlwings (43910)
Cambridge, England
January 25, 2020 10:06am CST
Today Scots (and many who aren't Scots) around the world celebrate the birth of Robert Burns in 1759. He was just a poor farmer's son who had little formal education. He spent his early life as a plough boy and farm hand on his father's farm and yet he became one of the best known poets in the world, probably second only to William Shakespeare. His poem, "For Auld Lang Syne" (which, roughly translated, means 'For old time's sake') is, according to some, the second most sung song after "Happy Birthday to You".
He led a somewhat turbulent life - he had quite a large number of children, not many of whom were born in wedlock - and died very young, at the age of 37, but distinguished himself with his many poems and songs. He was voted 'The Greatest Scot' in 2009 by the audience of Scottish TV.
His birthday today (25 January) is traditionally celebrated as "Burns Night" all over the world and the central 'piece', so to speak, is the Haggis. This is really nothing more than a large, well-seasoned sausage made from oatmeal and the less prized parts of the sheep - the lungs and the liver and other parts - stuffed into a casing made from the stomach of the animal.
Why the Haggis? Well, not only does it represent the humble fare which only working-class people would normally eat, but it was also celebrated by Robert Burns as one of the most iconic of Scottish foods (even though versions of it have been eaten since time immemorial throughout Britain and the rest of the world).
Here is how the Haggis is customarily addressed - or, at least, was addressed in Singapore in 2015. Even if you don't understand the language (and, yes, it's English), it's quite entertaining!
Singapore St Andrew's Society 2015 St Andrew's Ball Address to a Haggis by British High Commissioner Scott Wightman
9 people like this
8 responses
@LadyDuck (471272)
• Switzerland
25 Jan 20
His song is surely so much better than Happy Birthday, even if it comes second. I called a cousin of my husband to wish her Happy Birthday this morning, what a shame I did not know before that she shared the birth day with this great poet. Thank you for this interesting post and for this link. (I know it will be hard for me to understand).
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471272)
• Switzerland
26 Jan 20
@owlwings The Italians eat the brains battered and fried, often served with artichokes, my husband thinks that it is disgusting, while I really love. Particularly in the center and south of Italy those parts of the animals are regularly served, in the north rice and lungs was a very common meal. There are a few sausages made with those parts in Italy, I remember the "Corata" made with lungs (it is from Sardinia) and the Torcinelli made with all the lambs parts that rich people do not eat, those are from Apulia.
I confess my ignorance for the Swiss cuisine, I only know the most common food served here.
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@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
26 Jan 20
@LadyDuck I searched (for a recipe) online and found 'La Taverna del Ghetto' in Rome (TripAdvisor) serves them (or did). I also found the experiences of a cookery writer in Zurich quite amusing:
An easy and delicious recipe for golden and crispy Fried Lambs' Brains, served with Roman-Style Fried Artichokes.
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@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
26 Jan 20
I'm glad you found the text and the translation. I would have put all of them there if we were allowed more than one link. Mostly it's just dialect words which need glossing and the vowel changes which make words look unfamiliar ('wad' for 'would' and 'taps' for 'tops', for example). When you understand what 'maist like to rive' and such things mean, you begin to see the earthy humour in it!
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@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
2 Feb 20
Most of the incomprehensibility is because of dialect words which many Scotsmen today probably wouldn't understand and, if they did, would be unlikely to use in everyday speech. It's a grand address and beautifully and clearly executed in this video.
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@RebeccasFarm (89832)
• Arvada, Colorado
25 Jan 20
Oh what a treat this was to listen to Owl. It is like a breath of fresh air to me the thick brogue on them.
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@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
25 Jan 20
I have had haggis several times especially when I was at home as my parents always had it. I think I may have bought it once. Have not had it for years. As for Burns well I am not partial to his poetry mainly because I don't understand what the heck they are talking about most of the time or rather I am not bothered about it to be fair!
2 people like this
@Fleura (30338)
• United Kingdom
31 Jan 20
My friend always used to host a Burns supper for a group of friends (now she is married and lives further away, so it seems to have stopped). One of us would have to address the haggis which was always hilarious as we were nowhere near as good as this gentleman at pronouncing the Scots!
I do like a good haggis. McSweens are the best although many chip shops also sell haggis and chips which I used to enjoy when I spent a summer in Scotland.
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@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
31 Jan 20
McSweens are certainly almost the only company to make and sell haggis on a major scale outside Scotland and they certainly do make a good haggis. I did once have haggis made by a small local Scottish butcher, however, and my impression is that it was moister and tastier than some McSween's which I've tasted since. Of course, a great deal depends on the ingredients (McSween's produce several varieties, some with lamb's lights and some with pork or beef - I found that the ones I got from Marks & Spencers contained pork lung) and the method of cooking/reheating - boiling, oven or microwave.
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@happylife1 (13404)
• Karachi, Pakistan
7 Apr 20
Thanks a lot for sharing this link
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