“Scot of the Year” Goes to Legendary bagpiper and Maui Resident Hamish Burgess for the First Time
Scottish Pride for our very own Hamish Burgess.
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West Maui resident Hamish Douglas Burgess was recently awarded “Scot of the Year” 2010 by the Caledonian Society of Hawaii for services to the Scottish/Hawaiian community, the first time the award has come to Maui. Hamish received the award at the Hawaiian Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Honolulu from Caledonian Chieftain Bruce McEwan who stated, “The Caledonian Society has presented this award each year since 1987 to an individual who is of Scottish descent or has embraced an interest in Scotland and Scottish culture, has supported the Scottish community in Hawai’i, and has made a contribution to the Hawaiian community in general.”
Hamish has enriched the Scottish culture here for the last decade. He owns Maui Celtic, an import and Celtic goods retail company, and cross-cultural link for music events, genealogy, Celtic art and heritage. His website (www.mauiceltic.com) is a resource and archive for all things Scottish and Celtic in Hawaii. He promotes Scottish culture to a worldwide audience over the airwaves and internet, as a volunteer presenter of his Celtic music radio show on nonprofit Mana’o Radio 91.5 FM, which can be heard every Sunday morning from 8-10am, and online on West Maui at www.manaoradio.com.
As an artist focusing on traditional and modern Celtic art, Hamish has been commissioned for book and album covers including world renowned, ‘Irish Rovers’ latest release, and the Maui band ‘Finn McCoul’ new CD. His “Celtic Dragon” truck is a familiar sight on West Maui.
Some have heard the sound of his Highland bagpipes wafting from cliff-tops overlooking West Maui’s surf spots, or piping “Happy Birthday” for our Lahaina Banyan Tree. Hamish was a founding member of The Maui Celtic Pipes and Drums, now renamed The Isle of Maui Pipe Band, and is now a solo player for weddings and cultural events throughout Hawaii.
He is also a promoter of traditional Celtic music, producing concerts on Maui, with partner Jennifer Fahrni, including the world’s top Scottish fiddler, Alasdair Fraser, the late Irish singing legend Liam Clancy, and World Champion Bagpiper Jack Lee. He has organized his own Robert Burns Night on Maui for the last 5 years.
As Scottish Ambassador for Maui’s “Princess Ka’iulani Project”, Hamish also volunteers his time in honor of Hawaii’s most beloved Hawaii/Scot, Victoria Ka’iulani Cleghorn by helping to bring her words back to life in presentations throughout Hawaii. He also personally took the story of Ka’iulani, back to her father’s homeland in 2009, where he was a featured guest on BBC Scotland and Celtic Music Radio Glasgow, and contributed to Scottish national newspapers.
Hamish was also instrumental in getting the Hawaii tartan (plaid) worn as kilts in the state, bagpiping under Lahaina’s Banyan Tree for several years on Tartan Day (April 6), then ordering the world’s first Hawaii tartan kilts for himself, Hardy Spoehr and the tartan’s designer, Doug Herring. Now worn by many, last year the State officially recognized the Hawaii tartan and National Tartan Day.
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