An Interview with Clan Farquharson, USA

Founded in 1977, Clan Farquharson, USA are a not-for-profit organisation aiming to educate and enrich their community through Scottish/Celtic games and gatherings, community events, online resources and publications. We were delighted to speak to the President of Clan Farquharson, USA, Colin Wolf Farquharson Bowman, during March's Farquharson Clan of the Month celebrations. Find out more about the Clan Society, how to get involved and their hopes for the future.

Thank you for joining us for our Clan Farquharson’s Clan of the Month celebrations, Colin. Great to speak with the President of Clan Farquharson, USA. 

Have you celebrated your clan heritage from a young age?

Yes, I was born in Glasgow and received my first kilt when I was three. The rest, as they say, is history. Coming from Glasgow in the 1960s, it was not a regular occurrence to see many kilts around.

We must ask of course, what’s your favourite Farquharson tartan (if you can choose!)?

Farquharson Modern … from day one.

Colin representing Clan Farquharson at the opening of The Return to Turtle Island exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art

What does being a member of Clan Farquharson mean to you?

I have always identified with it, but coming to the USA 30 years ago has given me a whole new appreciation. It’s down to the enthusiasm and patriotism over here, especially from people who have not visited Scotland but identify as Scottish with more fervor than most natural-born Scots. When I went to school in the UK, we were never taught about Scottish history outside of Bannockburn, so coming to the USA inspired me to learn everything when I realized this actual Scot knows less than his Yankee cousins.

When did you move from Scotland to the States and how did you first get involved with Clan Farquharson, USA?

I came to the USA in 1994, and as my life began to slow down (that’s sarcasm), I started to reconnect with my roots, especially when my son was born in 2004, and it was important for me to share where he was from. We would religiously visit our local Highland Games every year, great father-son moments, but very rarely saw our Clan. That is when I started to get involved in earnest. From participating on Facebook, I started as a Commissioner for Florida, joined the board as Secretary and now I am the President.

What does your role as President involve? 

It feels like everything, but that’s not to say I do not have an amazing Executive Board. I just like to be involved in every aspect and make sure that nobody with an interest in our Clan is ever ignored and that we are the best that we can be. My main role is to promote the Society and raise awareness so that membership can grow and enable us to expand the number of Games we can attend.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being President?

Meeting our Clansfolk in person. Discussing our history and listening to all the interesting tales they have about how their relatives arrived in the USA and how they settled and grew here. I always have time for anybody who steps inside our tent.

What are your hopes for the future of the Clan?

I hope we can develop a replacement scheme for declining membership caused by the previous generations dying out. We can do that by engaging with the young and showing them how much fun being Scottish is, what the kilt means, and making sure that they realize themselves, not by being bullied by other family members.  I never asked my son how he felt about the kilt or Clan; I just strapped him into it, and there you go. I think nowadays you shouldn’t do that. Make it fun, concentrate on the legends and myths, and make the education process something they want to examine themselves. We have a young, progressive Chief, and we are continuing to move forward using any technology available to us in our quest to make everything more accessible. Our Clan holds its annual gathering in August around the Ballater Highland Games, and this year is extra special as the Chief will receive his new colors. Many of us will be attending from all over the world, and I intend to use the occasion to continue discussing how we can all move forward and build on each other's momentum.

Do you have a favourite story or fun fact to share about the history of the Clan?

There are so many, but the most relevant to the USA is the Braemar Highland Gathering, held on our lands. It is one of the most famous games in the world and still enjoys Royal patronage that dates back from Queen Victoria.

Our past Chief, Alwyne, was the longest-serving Clan Chief in Scottish history when he died in 2021 at the age of 102. He was married to Frances Farquharson, who made tartan fashionable in the 1960s, as well as painting Braemar Castle pink.

The 1715 uprising started with a meeting at Invercauld House, the seat of our Clan Chief, and the Earl of Mar raised the Jacobite Standard at Braemar.

There are so many stories about the “Fighting Farquharsons”, and I'd be happy to share them with anyone.

There’s a real trend just now for exploring your roots, have you noticed this within the Society and if so, in what ways?

It’s not just our Society; it’s every Clan and every Scot, and it’s prevalent throughout the USA. Ancestry.com has played a part, but I’m happy when someone gets the bug, no matter the reason. I am guilty of this, tracing direct lineage to Robert the Bruce and many notables from Scottish and Clan history. 

What’s the best way for those interested in exploring their Farquharson heritage and connecting with other members to get involved with Clan Farquharson, USA? What does the Society offer those interested?

Join our Society. It’s $30 per year, and the first year you get a letter from the Chief, a beautiful certificate, a decal, and a sticker, but best of all, you receive our online quarterly magazine and access to a member’s only part of our website, where you can learn so much more about us and explore our archives. We also have a mailing list for our monthly e-blast for anyone and our Facebook group.

Here is a link to the magazine from the last quarter.

Check our calendars to see what events we are attending. If you don’t see us at your local event, consider becoming that local commissioner.

Any links you’d like us to share:

I would love everyone to watch our new clan video, which you can view here. 

Visit our website here, join our Facebook group here, and follow us on X here. 

A big thank you to Colin from Clan Farquharson, USA for taking the time to answer our questions and tell us more about the Clan and the Society. 

 

Head over to our Clan Farquharson page for more exciting facts and content while we celebrate the Clan for Clan of the Month this month!