here and there , drawing curious locals and kind words .

The young people from Scotland were blown away by the rugged , desolate beauty of Far West Texas and the charm and warmth of its people . The landscape couldn ’ t be more different from Scotland , with its verdant greens , refreshed continuously by the unpredictable and often rainy weather . For Scottish people , your landscape offers a peek into a completely different world . Even our participant from Austin remarked that the programme had given him the opportunity to visit places he would never have imagined seeing .

Storytelling is an integral part of Scottish culture , and this is also reflected in other Celtic nations such as Ireland . The oral tradition was revered in these lands . In Scotland after the failed rebellion in 1745 , when bagpipes and tartan were proscribed , the country experienced elements of what is now called ethnic cleansing . Storytellers and tradition-bearers were key to ensuring that the music and legends were passed down the line to new generations . Known in Scots gaelic as ‘ Seannachies ,’ these storytellers played an important part in preserving the unique heritage that Scotland holds dear . The word ‘ sean ’ in gaelic means ‘ old ,’ and traditionally , the hand of history weighed heavily on these storytellers .

It is with the above in mind that we ensured the young people visiting Far West Texas had an opportunity to hone and share their stories about life in Scotland . Their efforts were warmly welcomed and everywhere they went , audiences appeared appreciative . One kind man , who said he was half-Cherokee and half-Scottish , insisted on taking us all for lunch , treating us after our performance . This was just one of many acts of kindness we encountered during our stay .

This first music exchange was a pilot , but the feedback from the young

people on the programme was overwhelmingly positive , so it looks quite likely that from now on , two , three , or even more times per year , you ’ ll see a small group of pasty-faced Scottish young people , who will be bringing music , stories and dance to Far West Texas . If you do bump into them , I know you ’ ll be nice , but say “ howdy y ’ all ” and maybe they ’ ll give you a tune .

Next March , chapter two of Tartan Twang takes place , and I will be returning with some musicians of an older generation . We look forward to learning more about your amazing landscape , culture , lifestyle , and playing plenty of music along the way .

The following month , April , will see us take a group of young musicians from Texas and let them loose in Scotland for a series of performances and unforgettable experiences . The tour will have similar themes to the U . S . trip . There will be performances in places like Glasgow , a renowned music town . There will also be excursions to beautiful rural and rugged parts of Scotland , like the Highlands and the Scottish Borders . For one week , there will be a little bit of Texas in Scotland and we look forward to hosting more Texans along the way , as we develop our programme .

I ’ ve only been back in Scotland for a month or so , but I can already feel the magnetic pull of Far West Texas . It looks like I might be hooked . Maybe I ’ ll go for therapy and see if I can break loose . Maybe I won ’ t , though . Maybe this Scotsman is slowly going to become an occasional part of the Far West Texas landscape . Just maybe .

If you are a musician , an artist , a creative person , or even just curious , and fancy the notion of seeing Scotland , experiencing its music , culture and beautiful scenery , you can visit www . tartantwang . com to find out more . �