"Great
chieftain o' the pudding-race," he said, addressing the haggis before
plunging a knife down the length the whitish lump. "Trenching your
gushing entrails bright ... O what a glorious sight. Warm-reekin' and
rich."
Haggis, a hearty meal that sustained the Scots
when there was nothing else to eat, is a symbol of its people's
endurance over hardship, said Suprise, who is half Scottish.
And in that tradition, part of Saturday's proceeds
from Arcadia's "Highland Christmas Celebration" of its 11th anniversary
went to the Food Bank of South Central Michigan.
A dollar from each pint sold and admission paid
went to support the Food Bank, which supplies food for the needy in
eight counties. People also brought nonperishable goods for a discounted
admission.
"As a local downtown business, I think it's
important to do our part," Suprise said.
Kelly DeMoss, who was the first to nab a piece of
the haggis' gushing entrails, said, "As soon as I saw it, I thought, I
feel like I'm back in Scotland."
DeMoss, 46, of Battle Creek hadn't seen the Gaelic
land since she visited it with a friend 20 years ago. Now her
12-year-old daughter, Ellerie, performs with the Quinn School of Irish
Dance in Marshall.
They had come to see Fonn Mor, a regionally famous
Celtic music band that incorporates traditional fiddles and mandolins
with folk percussion instruments from around the world.
And with her arisaid, or tartan shawl, tucked
under her wide skirt was Sara Lockmiller of Battle Creek, planted
squarely on a bar stool.
As a frequent member of living history
encampments, she explained her attire, consisting of bodice over a
long-sleeved dress, was typical of late 1700s working class Scottish
women.
"It was worse to show off the elbow than to show
of the bosom back then," Lockmiller, 31, said. "I guess cleavage was
OK."
She called herself a history buff who delighted in
seeing locals help to keep Scottish heritage alive.
"It is really neat to see all these people here,"
she said. "I haven't seen it packed like this in a while, but I like
it."
Elizabeth Huff can be reached at 966-0684 or
ehuff@battlecr.gannett.com.
