Chieftain’s Chatter – December 2016

We are heading very quickly towards the end of 2016 and I am wondering where the year has gone. It has passed so quickly. They do say that happens, the older you get!

Chieftain Ali King

Chieftain Ali King

As we approach the end of the year, the planning and organisation of the Burns’ Supper is well in hand. We will hold the event at Hilton Doubletree Hotel on 21st January 2017. Tickets are now available to purchase on-line at: http://www.ssas-online.com/tickets-2/

We shall be serving some good old Scottish fare as usual and, in addition to free flow of wine and beer, there will be a bottle of Scotch per table.

Well! What a blast was had by all at the St. Andrew’ Day celebrations! The skirl of the pipes resonated throughout the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday evening of 26 November 2016.

tn_Robert Burns

The sound welcomed all the guests to the St. Andrew’s Ball which is the way that the Society celebrates St. Andrew’s Day. Indeed, we have held the event very year since 1887, with the exception of the war years. It is probably the longest running annual expat event in Malaysia.

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The evening was a formal black-tie dinner with dress kilt outfits in abundance. The foyer and ballroom were decorated with tartans, saltires and lion rampants, while clan banners adorned the walls around the ballroom. In keeping with the best of traditions, it should be noted that earlier in the day, most of the work to decorate the room was done by the ladies of the committee, while the men stood around and debated the correct sequence of events for the Haggis Ceremony!!

ClappyDoo Ceilidh Band

ClappyDoo Ceilidh Band

We danced the night away to the sound of Clappy Doo, a live Cèilidh band who travelled from Scotland to play for us. Our dance cards were full and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the dancing. By the time we had performed all the dances on our card, a good old knees up was had by all.

Members of the Elegance Dance Club

Members of the Elegance Dance Club

We were graced with the presence of the Elegance Dance Club, who travelled from Johor Bahru to dance to a Scottish Cèilidh band. Along with our own dancers they were a beautiful sight to watch, we saw some fantastic coordination and lovely footwork.

Young and old of many nationalities enjoying a Scottish evening together, now that is something we don’t see every day. I imagine many a “sair heid” was had on Sunday morning!

May I take this opportunity to wish you all Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. My wish for 2017 is contained in the following passage from Robert Burns:

“Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a’ that,)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.”

Yours Aye

Ali King, Chieftain

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