1995 Clan Sinclair Gathering on the Shores of Gitchi Gummi
By By Editor Gloria Bouschor  Clan Sinclair USA

    Big Sea Shining Water is the Ojibwa name of Lake Superior.  The 1995 CLAN SINCLAIR GATHERING was held in Duluth on the shining water near the famous Aerial Bridge, which placidly moves up and down to the tune of great ships entering the harbor from distant and not so remote ports.  Grain, coal and Japanese cars, among other things are carried over these waters, sometimes in boats longer than a football field.
    Weather by the lake is always changing, never dependable.  Every outdoor event must have a plan B, undercover.  Thursday night the heavens poured on the early arrivals, but smiled during the entire remainder of the festivities.  Duluth is a convention tourist city and its skill of welcoming was mentioned by several during the gathering.
    The initial event was a dinner at Fitger's By the Lake, an old brewery refurbished into hotel, restaurants and mini mall.  The lake was unfriendly that night with the rain and wind, but no one noticed, all were so engaged in meeting cousins and renewing and pursuing friendships.  Sometimes close blood relationships met to share the larger CLAN SINCLAIR reunion.  The similarity in appearance between hardly remotely related cousins was noticed. Niven Sinclair is a thinner version and could be a brother, as Judge Royal G. Bouschor II is, to Judge David Sinclair Bouschor.  Facial shapes and the noses set upon the faces often favored each other.
    Traffic moved intermittently on the rather busy street in front of the Sinclair-Bouschor home on the night of the CLAN SINCLAIR RECEPTION held there.  The neighbors have grown used to the sound of the pipes, even a pipe band once or twice a year.  This has been going on for nearly twenty years, since Charles Bouschor began to learn the pipes.  Contrary to common assumption, Charles taught his Father, David to play the pipes, instead of father teaching son, as is the usual progression.  Charles piped for the arrival of the guests marching around the large yard, between the flags flying in the wind.  CLAN SINCLAIR BANNER flew between the Lion Rampant and the Cross of St. Andrew.  Ample food, from the bounty of Minnesota harvest was served.  Gloria prides herself in carrying on her family tradition of women practicing the culinary arts.  Congeniality was the description of the evening.
    Later Rory Sinclair, our Canadian visitor, also favored the group with piping tunes, on the lawn.  The weather was splendid, with enough wind to whip the flags in accompaniment to the piping.  Rory Sinclair is son of Edward and Roselma Sinclair, both deceased.  They were dear friends of the Bouschors and other early members.  Eddy was partly responsible for the inauguration of CLAN SINCLAIR U.S.A., urging David to initiate the organization.  Communications between Eddy and David, were the beginnings of the present society.  The eventual meeting of the Sinclair Bouschors and the Clan Chief, Earl of Caithness, and his invitation to David, to organize CLAN SINCLAIR in the United States, was the CLAN SINCLAIR U.S.A. genesis.  It was especially meaningful to have Rory Sinclair with us for the Duluth Gathering.  His piping enhanced not only the official reception but thrilled CLAN SINCLAIR membership and other tourists, lucky enough to share the Dinner Cruise on the Vista King. Saturday night.
    Saturday was spent exploring Duluth, after the CLAN SINCLAIR Meeting, held at Fitger's Inn, auditorium.  Reports from the Commissioners, Niven Sinclair, and David Sinclair Bouschor were interesting and informative.  The clan is healthy, happy, and active, and financially sound.  Games through our country are graced with tents of CLAN SINCLAIR.  Sinclair Cousins are volunteering great chunks of time and talent to these endeavors.  There is pride among the membership to see us well represented.  Discussion with members, involved with tent management, always reveals the pleasure they find in the events.  This can be enjoyable, in spite of inclement weather, and fatigue from the very real work, operating a tent involves.  Word has come, since the gathering, from several who want to organize a tent and display our flag and motto at other games, where we are presently not represented.  This is a very positive sign.
    Niven Sinclair, who made the trip from the United Kingdom, gave us an in-depth report on the Jarl Henry St. Clair Story.  Work on further discoveries progresses.  Inpatient for swifter exploration must be curbed.  It is all so exhilarating to those explorers among us.  Government regulations and the ever present need of funding, combine with other factors to slow the progress.
    Jerry Sinclair, our California Commissioner has contributed immeasurably to the preservation of CLAN SINCLAIR Chapel, in Scotland.  This is a jewel in the Scottish Crown and its conservation, with its great cost, is certainly a priority.  Jerry has spent time and talents conserving Chapel Windows, restoring them to historic authenticity.
    Saturday evening the group gathered for the Dinner Cruise around the Duluth harbor.  The sound of the pipes was heard, as we arrived to park our cars in the harbor lots.  The Engrailed Cross floated from the halyard.  Rory Sinclair serenaded not only the CLAN SINCLAIR group but many other lucky tourists. milling in the harbor area.  The ships anchored in the basin and the S.S. Irwin, moored there as a floating museum attract constant crowds to the scene.  A hardy meal of prime rib and its accompaniments was enjoyed.  Always the conversation flowed, eating and drinking while pleasing, were only secondary.  The final return of the ship, to the port, was after dark.   The sparkle of the lights on the hills of Duluth welcomed us all, as the boat plowed the waves.  Rory Sinclair piped on the promenade deck, as we returned to the dock, with full tummies and warm hearts.
    A Kirkin'O the Tartan was held during the Sunday Morning Worship Service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Duluth.  The service was led by Rev. Harold Anderson and our CLAN SINCLAIR Chaplin, Rev. John Sinclair.  The Gothic Church provides an impressive setting for such an event.   The procession of the flags and choir precedes the worship service.  The congregation was treated to dancing in the aisles of the Strathspay and Half Reel of Tullic, by Duluth Scottish Heritage Dancers, to begin the Kirkin.  The old story goes, that the dance was often done, to keep warm in the cold churches, while waiting for the traveling preacher.  This tradition is carried on, though the weather was warm, and the preachers did not travel that day.  The tartans were blessed, the people properly churched.  A reception was held afterwards for the parishioners and CLAN SINCLAIR.  Scottish goodies were supplied by the Sinclair Bouschors, Highland and National Dancing by the Duluth Scottish Heritage Assoc., dancers served as the entertainment.  Diana Bouschor, clan member was one of the dancers.  Diana is a new young lawyer in Duluth.  Diana is also a Full Member, B.A.T.D., instructor of Scottish Dancing, for the Duluth Scottish Heritage Assoc.
    The final event, the CLAN PICNIC was held Sunday afternoon, outside of Duluth at the AAA Golf Course, on Pike Lake.  Clan members arrived, properly kilted, spilling out of all manner of vehicles.  Picnic tables welcomed.  A local food specialist served bratwurst (Scottish version of course) on European bakery buns, condiments, salads and drinks to the assembly.  The culminating event of the CLAN SINCLAIR GATHERING was the appearance of the Duluth Scottish Heritage Pipes and Drums, uniformed in Sinclair Green Kilts.  Diana  Bouschor, an award winning Tenor Drummer, adding another Sinclair to the group, her Father, David Sinclair Bouschor, is the pipe major.
    The performance of the Pipes and Drums enhances the final event immeasurably. Once again, Rory serenaded us with solo piping.  It was a warm and happy afternoon, fond goodbyes were said, a few tears shed, but that mystic tie of "Clanship" prevails among us all.
    It has been speculated that because of the very mobile society, in which we now live, these extended family connections are very significant.  Presently few reside near many blood relatives.  Where we used to visit them, on our way to and from school, for a bite to eat or a snip of conversation, we must travel to see them occasionally.  Families are so detached that the clan connection can give even the lonely a sense of belonging to a busy, active family.  The size of our membership gives enough variety for friendships and interactions with persons who really care about each other, as well as the group.  We learn of eccentricities and unique personality styles, but we have history and continuity, so valuable in this volatile world.