National Tartan Day
​and the Oak Island mystery

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by James A. McQuiston
Editor/Publisher
​Celtic Guide magazine
April 5, 2019
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April 6th is National Tartan Day, and celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath on this day in 1320, which was essentially Scotland's declaration of independence, in the form of a letter to the Pope that accompanied the ascension of Robert the Bruce to the throne of Scotland.

This declaration was a forerunner to the American Declaration of Independence, and many of the same words, phrases, and thoughts are echoed in the latter document.

​And, so, in recognition of the Scots role (often in the form of the Scotch-Irish) in the American Revolution, the United States instituted National Tartan Day in 1998, following the lead of Canada.

On March 9, 1986, a 'Tartan Day' to promote Scottish heritage in Canada, was proposed at a meeting of the Federation of Scottish Clans in Nova Scotia. Jean Watson, President of Clan Lamont, petitioned provincial legislatures to recognize April 6th as Tartan Day. 

The first such proclamation was issued by Nova Scotia in April 1987.

​On December 19, 1991, in response to action initiated by the Clans and Scottish Societies of Canada, the Ontario Legislature passed a resolution proclaiming April 6th as Tartan Day following the example of other Canadian provinces.
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In Australia the similar International Tartan Day is held on July 1st, the anniversary of the repeal of the 1747 Act of Proscription that banned the wearing of tartan.

In Scotland, the Angus Council, whose region includes the Arbroath Abbey and surrounds, established the first Tartan Day festival in Scotland on April 6, 2004, and has since joined other regional councils in attempting to develop its potential as a global celebration.

Even Argnetina, which has around 100,000 people of Scottish descent (the largest such community outside the English-speaking world) has gotten into the act. The Tartan Day parade of Scottish porteños was inaugurated in Buenos Aires on April 6, 2006 and is organized every year by the Scottish Argentine Society. A symbolic key to the gate of Arbroath's Abbey is carried to mark the date in 1320 that inspired this celebration.

The freedom sought by the Scottish people in 1320 was tested many times, especially around the time of Henry Sinclair, one of the Scots said to have traveled, pre-Columbus, to Nova Scotia. 

I wrote about Sinclair in my first Oak Island book, Oak Island Missing Links. I also speak of how I think Gylascop Campbell, Sinclair's cousin, was the inspiration for the Mi'kmaq First Nations of Nova Scotia legend of Glooscap. 

​I also speak of the Stone of Destiny and the original Scotichronicon, or first real history of Scotland, two items that appear to be missing, and that would seem logical to be taken to New Scotland, or Nova Scotia.

I talk a little more about why Scots would want to leave Scotland in my second book, Oak Island 1632. In this book I also reveal a Freemason connection to the Oak Island mystery.

On Tuesday, April 9th, I appeared on the Curse of Oak Island TV show on the History Channel (9:00 pm EST in the U.S.)

This is the number one show on cable TV in its season.

Since the day I appeared in the Oak Island war room to present my theory, I have written a third book, Oak Island Knights, which gives my final theory of the involvement of Scots in the Oak Island, Nova Scotia, mystery.

Even with this book, available soon on amazon, there has been more research done on my part, and with the help of Doug Crowell, regional historian in Nova Scotia,

I will periodically be adding to me theories on my website oakislandgold.com/

The role of the Scots in American freedom, and the role they played in settling Nova Scotia, and in the Oak Island mystery, just goes to show that you can't keep a good Scot down.

UPDATE!!!!

It finally happened!!  I appeared on Curse of Oak Island after waiting almost two years. These people are great – the Lagina team, the Prometheus team, and the History Channel. Can't say enough nice about them. 

Of course my intricate theory couldn't be completely portrayed in the space of 10 or 15 minutes, but they did a pretty darn good job and I can't thank them enough. My new book, Oak Island Knights, is now available on Amazon.