Hogmanay Celebrations in
Scotland:
Mr. Omale Don John, a Chevening scholar from Nigeria studying at the University
of Leicester, was fortunate to experience the Hogmanay celebrations in Scotland
at New Year.
I applied for a "Host" visit and was placed with the amiable
family of Mrs. Sabine and Mr. Richard Cross of Nigg, Rosshire-in-Inverness.
The family
was able to welcome me at Inverness train station after a 10-hour train journey
from Leicester. The drive round the scenery of Inverness and its highland was
beautiful.
At about 4pm on the eve of New Year, I was taken to a party organised at the
Nigg village hall to celebrate the New Year, popularly known as "Hogmanay" in
that part of the world. It was a party well attended by the "who's who" of
Nigg.
As the only black man in the dance hall I thought I was going to be discriminated
against - owing to the reports of black racism in the UK that I had read, but
my assumption was wrong. My Host family and many others invited me to the dance
hall where I learnt the intricacies of the popular Scottish traditional dance
known as a "Ceilidh" (pronounced Kay-lee !!).
Today I can compete favourably with contestants in any Ceilidh dance competition.
I also hope to take the Ceilidh dance and other games learnt from the visit back
home in Nigeria.
All thanks to God for the Chevening scholarships, the HOST organisation and my
well respected host family of Mrs Sabine and Richard Cross. HOST has changed
my perception of the British people.
Richard and Sabine Cross , 18th January 2003
The Hogmanay Hosts of Omale Don John
We were delighted to read the article by Omale Don John, being his hosts for
the Hogmanay visit which he writes about. The HOST programme is very satisfying
for the Host as well. We gain a clearer insight into the society from which our
guests have come and over many years we have also gained an appreciation of all
the major world religions. We recognise that most of our guests are the elite
students of their country and as such they are likely to be influential in the
future. Being able to show to future leaders of opinion in foreign countries
that Britain is a friendly and decent place, we hope we are contributing to a
move to a more peaceful and tolerant world of the future. The same applies to
religious understanding, and I believe that the HOST programme has far greater
significance than is generally realised. Omale Don John will be one of many friends
made through HOST, for many years to come.
