Across Scotland, supermarkets, schools, pubs, and village halls are preparing for Burns Night; a Scottish tradition that falls on the 25th January. It honours the iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns, often referred to as ‘Rabbi’, who died in 1796 at age 37. His memory is most traditionally celebrated by a large supper featuring Haggis, neeps (turnips), and tatties (potatoes), and – depending on your level of dedication – is accompanied by readings of Scottish poetry, dancing, bagpipes, whisky, and extravagant toasts. This became a ritual due to Burns’ friends coming together five years after death to honour his memory. They ate Haggis and read his poems, establishing this as a tradition to pay tribute to his life.
But who is Robert Burns? Often referred to as the ‘Scottish Bard’, he is considered Scotland’s National poet. He embodied the nation’s spirit, culture, and voice through his work with poems like ‘A Red, Red Rose’, ‘To a Mouse’, ‘A Man’s a Man for A ‘That’ and of course ‘Auld Lang Syne’, which is famously sung on New Year’s Eve. You could call him the Shakespeare of Scotland, with them having many similarities – mostly just that no one really has any clue what they are saying half the time.
A key tradition surrounding Burns Night that most Scottish students will reminisce about is that primary schools across the country partake in Scottish poetry reading competitions. I’m sure many Scottish students look back with fond memories of this. That monumental moment when you got to P7 and finally got to choose ‘Tam O’ Shanter’, panicking the night before that you’ve completely forgotten and now have to memorise a poem in an hour and trying to figure out how you’re even meant to pronounce words like “As ta’en thy ain wif” actually meaning “As if you had taken your own wife.” Many would take this very seriously, with extravagant hand actions and embracing extremely strong accents, and pronouncing every Scots word exactly right.
Another classic tradition that surrounds Burns Night is, of course, Haggis. Many international students have probably heard stories about where Haggis comes from and what it is – a question many avoid. However, the legend is that a Haggis is a small, shy creature from folklore with two legs, one being shorter than the other so that it can run around the steep highland hills. Many Scots claim to have seen this creature, some even saying they’ve seen it on Arthur’s seat. Burns has a poem called ‘Address to a Haggis’ which is an ode to Scotland’s national dish, and it has become a tradition that at Burns Night suppers, that you are meant to address the Haggis before eating by very dramatically reciting the poem.
Students in Edinburgh can choose to celebrate Burns Night in many ways, perhaps just by trying Haggis for the first time, or attending a supper. Across Edinburgh most pubs, restaurants, and venues hold events and special evenings in the run up to and on Burns Night. For example, The Three Sisters have named the whole week “Burns Week”, meaning there’s lots of options. Although many International students across Edinburgh Universities have never even heard of Burns Night, such as 2nd year student Zoe who said: “she had no idea what it was until she came to Scotland but was keen to learn more about Scottish culture through it.” Unlike other national holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day and so on, Burns Night has limited global recognition. Its niche celebrations and rituals haven’t quite made it internationally; I would doubt if shops in other countries have ever even stocked Haggis. Another common confusion that stunts Burns Night’s global popularity is that many mix it up with Guy Fawkes, due to the misconception between “Burns” and Guy Fawkes also being known as Bonfire Night.
Therefore, for those wanting to get more involved and embrace Scottish culture, Burns Night is the perfect way. You’re experiencing every possible avenue: food, music, dancing, poetry, and much more. And even if you’re a Haggis hater or don’t understand every word of Burns’ poetry, it’s a great way to celebrate Scottish traditions and the perfect excuse to go to the pub.
“ROBERT BURNS STATUE – KILMARNOCK” by summonedbyfells is licensed under CC BY 2.0.