Introducing the Lassies and the Laddies
It is Robert Burns (I prefer the more endearing Robbie Burns) Day! As a true Scotscat and a (feminist) poet myself, I daresay I feel a lot of affection (who would have thought) towards this guy. And as much as I dislike stereotypes, even I can’t deny the typically Scottish spirit and cheer of the day. And although I love cozying up with a bunch of Burns’s poems, I decided to be a bit more considerate (you know, in the spirit of the occasion) and do some wee celebration for my readers here.
Always up for some task delegation (I mean, teamwork), I went to my subordinate (I mean, teammate) Sarah Hess to help out. The result is a fun and quirky Toast to the Laddies and Lassies segment she did with her friend Graham Smith.
Now, for my non-Scot friends, the Toasts were traditionally a part of Burns Night supper that celebrated Robbie’s eccentricities and poetry. And no it is is not a misspelling of “ladies” like my Indian friend had thought. The lads-and-the-lasses are just us Scots saying “ladies (ha!) and gentlemen”, “boys and girls”, “men and women”, and all those binary addresses. Just perhaps a bit more affectionate and less generic in tone.
*Insert customary Burns reference*
(I am not shirking, there are just too many!)
Toast to the Lassies…
I like to call this the adage of “lad(d)ies first” (my Indian friend has been such an inspiration). The good lads begin by proposing a toast to all the lasses at the table, traditionally to compliment them on the meal they had prepared. Our 21st century lens of course lets us see how this cements some gender-roles. Our 21st century lens also lets us see the fodder this gives us for some acerbic commentary on these gender-roles.
Graham’s toast mixes this idea with the woman-loving spirit of Robert Burns – telling us that though his poetic persona might translate to arrogance today, it is only because of the limits of his time.
Reply to the Laddies…
This is where the lasses speak up to respond to certain points in the lads’ toast. It is also subversively called “Toast to the Laddies” (the modern transposition of this entire tradition translates to some quirky subversions).
In her toast-back, Sarah employs some sarcastic humour to (fondly) poke fun at the men at the proverbial table, followed by quirky facts about Burns’ well-known love for womankind. Oh, and poetry, of course.
Burns’ purported philandering ways but general commitment to and belief in gender equality – as proclaimed by his poetic persona – continues to elicit both amusement and admiration amongst his readers. As our Toasts will tell you – the ideas and questions he raises on gender disparities are still of burning (sorry, couldn’t resist) relevance today, as is evidenced by the sustainability of this tradition.
Next step: Introduce “Toast to the Cats” into the tradition. I know that Burns didn’t write any poetry about us cats, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t love us, right? I am pretty sure he did.
Let the feast begin!
(Again, for my non-Scot friends, that’s the haggis – a traditional Scottish dish made with minced meat – that’s being piped in with bagpipes. Honestly, the fanfare and excitement around food is the main reason I love Scotland so much.)
Video credits: Sarah Hess
