The Crowberry
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
THE CROWBERRY (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Tony Bulteel SCD Archives1- 4 1s+2s+3s cross RH (1s and 3s face out), 1s and 3s cast 2 places to change places (passing LH)
5- 8 1s and 3s dance ½ RH across in middle back to original places. and cast 2 places again. 3(2)1
9-16 3s+2s dance ½ R&L; 1s+3s dance ½ R&L (1s end facing 1st corners). 2(1)3
17-24 1s dance 'Hello-Goodbye' setting, end in centre facing partner and cross LH up/down
25-32 1s dance reels of 3 across (Lady with 2s and Man with 3s) giving LSh to 1st corners
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Dance Information
This reel, The Crowberry, is named after the plant badge of Clan Cameron, the Crowberry.A clan badge, sometimes called a plant badge, is a badge or emblem, usually a sprig of a specific plant, that is used to identify a member of a particular Scottish clan. They are usually worn in a bonnet behind the Scottish crest badge, or attached at the shoulder of a lady's tartan sash. According to popular lore clan badges were used by Scottish clans as a means of identification in battle.
An authentic example of plants being used in this way (though not by a clan) were the sprigs of oats used by troops under the command of Montrose during the sack of Aberdeen. Similar items are known to have been used by military forces in Scotland, like paper, or the "White Cockade" (a bunch of white ribbon) of the Jacobites.
Oak is also named as the cameron plant badge. There is much confusion as to why some clans have been attributed more than one clan badge. Several 19th century writers variously attributed plants to clans, many times contradicting each other. It has been claimed by one writer that if a clan gained new lands it may have also acquired that district's "badge" and used it along with their own clan badge. It is clear however, that there are several large groups of clans which share badges and also share a historical connection.
Crowberry (Empetrum Nigrum) Berries, Hermaness
Known As 'Hedder-Berries' (Heather Berries) In Shetland
This page uses content under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, along with original copyrighted content and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources.
Text from this original Clan Badge article on Wikipedia.
Text from this original Clan Cameron article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Mike Pennington under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'The Crowberry' page