Tartan Day

 

On the 6th of April every year, Tartan Day celebrates and acknowledges Scottish heritage, cultural contributions and diaspora throughout the globe. Despite Tartan Day being primarily centred around celebrating and promoting Scottish history and culture, it was actually first acknowledged in Canada in the year 1987 from which it evolved into an event which is celebrated worldwide. This is because Tartan Day also raises recognition of the world’s connections to Scotland and the many great things this country has to offer.

 

A Little Bit of History…

 

Although Tartan Day was first recognised during the late 1980s, it primarily goes all the way back to the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in the year 1320 when Scotland gained independence from England in line with the demands of Pope John XXII, and it became feasible for them to take military action if under attack. This took place on the 6th of April that year – purposely coinciding with the day in which Tartan Day is celebrated annually.

A few centuries later after the Declaration of Arbroath, in the year 1746, an attempt to re-integrate the people of Scotland and England and abolish Jacobite clanship was made through the release of the Act of Proscription. This included outlawing revolts and protests amongst Scottish people and communities, as well as heavily restricting any displays of cultural through The Dress Act as an example, which made it against the law for individuals (albeit soldiers) to wear any clothes with tartan or plaid.

 

Shortly after this, a significant Scottish diaspora occurred throughout the 18th and 19th centuries in which thousands of Scottish individuals and communities fled and migrated to countries such as Canada, the USA and Australia after the Highland clearances commences and saw a significant rise in rent prices for Scottish people. Canada has since celebrated the contributions of Scottish people who migrated over to the USA and their own nation which also influenced the proposal and proclamation of the 6th of April as Tartan Day.

 

The Witches of Scotland Tartan…

 

Tartan itself has also been used as a memorial piece honouring the victims – primarily women – of the Salem Witch Trials that took place throughout Scotland between the early fourteenth century and early sixteenth century. This campaign was established last year in 2025 to pay tribute to those who were executed during this period regarding accusations of ‘witchcraft,’ and was also launched with the aim of receiving an apology and legal pardon on their behalf.

The Witches of Scotland Tartan itself also tells a story in the colour scheme and thread count used. The colour scheme primarily consists of pinks, reds, black, grey and white, with pink and red being symbolic of blood and the brutal, tragic fate of those accused, grey and black representing this sombre period of history and the ashes of those sentenced to death, and the white check highlighting the three main objectives of this campaign: to receive a pardon, apology and ultimately act as a memorial for the victims of the Salem Witch Trials and those persecuted during this time. The 173-thread count represents the 173 years that the Witchcraft Act was in place for between 1563 and 1736. This symbolic memorial piece eventually became a part of the Scottish Register of Tartans in February 2025.

 

The tartan is designed to be worn and can be purchased through the official Witches of Scotland website and page. Their founders Claire Mitchell KC and Zoe Venditozzi also run a podcast series which I highly recommend for more information about the Witches of Scotland campaign, tartan and mission. This can be found through Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

 

How to celebrate Tartan Day…

 

There are many ways in which you can celebrate tartan day – not all of which involve wearing tartan as well:

 

  • Exploring and researching Scottish and Jacobite clan history.
  • Attending nearby parades and events such as Highland games.
  • Donning a specific item of tartan clothing or a tartan accessory.
  • Decorating parts of your home with tartan.
  • Enjoying traditional Scottish foods and fare such as shortbread and haggis.

 

Want to learn more about the history of the Scotland and the Scottish diaspora? We have a variety of relevant resources that can be found, accessed and requested via our LibrarySearch catalogue.

 

By Rachel Downie

Photo by Mykhaylo Kopyt Unsplash 

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