The legacy of Scottish poet, writer, and folklore presenter Robert Burns will return this Thursday as Bobby’s Place prepares to host this year’s annual Robbie Burns Night on Jan. 25.
All the traditional elements are set to come together as the meal begins at 5 p.m., followed by programming starting at 6 p.m. The celebration is expected to run until about 8:30 p.m.
“There will be a toast first of all to him, to the Bard and his legacy, and a toast to the lassies and a response to the toast to the lassies,” explained Don Mitchell, one of the three members of the local group Desperate for Haggis. “The main toast is to (Burn’s) legacy and why we celebrate it.”
Burns’ legacy has been celebrated in Scotland since his death in 1796. Ever since, Scots the world over have retained that tradition. In Moose Jaw, the tradition goes back to the early 1900s with the first known celebration taking place in the year 1908.
One annual highlight is the toasting of the haggis. After historically importing haggis from a company in Regina, this year’s celebration will see the first ever stuffed sheep stomach delicacy made in-house at Bobby’s Place.
Piping in of the haggis will be performed on the bagpipes by Michelle Gallagher, followed by music and reflection of Burns’ legacy.
Starting at 8 p.m., the group Mitchell performs in, Desperate for Haggis, will play some traditional Scottish tunes. The three-man group includes Mitchell along with Doug Shepherd and Terry Lavineway.
The legacy of Robbie Burns is a mixture of culture and politics during a time of socio-political change in Europe.
“He travelled a lot through the country (of Scotland) and had a wide following,” Mitchell explained.
“Especially later in his life – which wasn’t a long life -- …he supported the liberation and the principles that the French Revolution represented. Those issues were being debated… all over Europe, including England. Some of his writings were satirical and critical of the high elite – the Lords of the time – and he was also a voice for the abolition of slavery, which was an issue at the time as well.”
In one of Burns’ most famous poems, "A Man’s A Man for A’ That," he celebrated the brotherhood of mankind the world over.
“As there was emigration from Scotland throughout the next century, Scots retained and introduced that tradition in countries all over the world. Through to this day, Burns Night celebrations occur (on) every continent.”
The tradition remains alive and well in Moose Jaw. To join in on the celebration, Bobby’s Place is located at 63 High Street East. Seating in the establishment is limited, so anyone interested in attending may wish to show up early to guarantee a seat.
Marie Gibbs is a distinguished Moose Jaw resident, and at 101 years of age, she has attended the celebration for the past 60 or 70 years. Sadly, she won’t be able to attend this year’s celebration. To honour her longstanding contribution of speeches, a few words were included to announce this year’s event.
“Like I’ve said when I’ve addressed the crowds many a time, I said, ‘If we didn’t have the wonderful poets of years ago, what would we have today?’" Gibbs reflected.
“And you know, this is the thing – why we remember him is (because of) what he has contributed to society. And you know, that goes over very well with the crowd and that’s my very words.”
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