Letter from Boston

Burns Supper

By MASAKO YAMADA

I received a fancy e-mail from my friend, Jason, inviting me to a "Burns Supper" that he and his girlfriend Rachel were hosting. Although I'd never heard of such a thing before, he made it clear in the message that the Burns Supper is a tradition that has been upheld for over 200 years. It is basically a commemorative dinner held in memory of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. Jason has some Scottish blood in him, and he's a good party host, so I wasn't too surprised that he was planning on throwing such a dinner.

Apparently, there are different ways of holding this supper. Some of the suppers are made into intellectual events. Others are mere excuses to drink a lot of Scotch whiskey. This one was a nice combination of the two. The e-mail listed the full dinner menu, as well as an entertainment program featuring live poetry readings.

Jason and Rachel served us a Scottish meal featuring the famous national dish, haggis. Haggis is sheep stomach filled with a filling of chopped liver, heart, lungs and oatmeal. The haggis that was served at this party did not contain any lung meat, however, because it is considered unfit to eat here.

The boiled haggis was the centerpiece of the meal. We tried to re-create a haggis ceremony by clapping to recorded bagpipe music and following the haggis as it was carried from the kitchen to the dining room.

Some of the other Scottish foods that they served were a vegetarian version of cock-a-leekie soup (chicken and leek soup), mashed neeps (turnips), typsy laird (sherry trifle) and Scottish oatcakes (cookies). There were about six kinds of scotch to choose from as well.

I had wanted to bring some Scottish shortbread, but I didn't have time to buy any, so I gave them some Scotch tape as a joke, instead. Thankfully, someone else thought of bringing the shortbread. There was plenty of other food to go around as well.

About 12 guests came to the party. Among the guests were Rachel's family members. Both her mother and her father contributed greatly to the party atmosphere by dressing up in plaid and reciting poems. Her mother helped in procuring and preparing the special food. Her father prepared a short background on the poet and his country and taught us some rudimentary Scottish words. He even donned a tam cap before he started reading the classic poem "Tam O'Shanter."

Many people recited poems. I must admit that even though I'm a former English major, I could hardly understand what was going on in most of them. Thankfully, Rachel's father gave a plot synopsis of "Tam O'Shanter" after he finished reading it. I was impressed by his dedication to research, especially considering that he's as Scottish as I am.

I also did a little presentation by singing "Comin' Thro' the Rye" in my checkered kilt-type skirt. However, I think the most unique performance of the night came from Jason's friend, Jason G. Jason G. had prepared a modern-day version of a "Toast to the Lasses." He had written it so that it was both casual and very witty. One of Rachel's friends recited her own "Reply from the Lasses."

I thought the party was well-planned, and a lot more fun than a plain cocktail party at which people just stand around and talk. When I told my British roommate about it, however, he laughed a little and said, "The Scots would never do such a thing."

I suppose this is true. Americans seem to have the desire to cling onto the customs of the Old World, even if they've never been to the Old World, and even if the people in the Old World don't really follow these customs either.

Ironically, it seems that for many Americans, an ethnic group affiliation is necessary in establishing a "unique" identity. Whether this is good or not is the topic of endless, passionate debate, since it involves the question of whether the past should be buried or preserved. The Burns Supper probably embodies the most common answer to this question. It was a distinctly American party with a carefully orchestrated Scottish bent.

Shukan ST: Feb. 12, 1999

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