McGillicuddy Highland Army
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The McGillicuddy Highland Army is the fighting wing of New Zealand's Clan McGillicuddy and does battle with enemies of the Clan in accordance with the rules of pacifist warfare. During the period 1984-1999 it shared many members in common with the Clan's political wing, the more well-known McGillicuddy Serious Party.
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[edit] Origins
The McGillicuddy Highland Army (McGHA) was established in Hamilton, New Zealand, in 1978 as the McGillicuddy Highland Regiment, the battling wing of the Clan McGillicuddy. Its foundation was inspired by a pacifist battle that Clan leader Graeme Cairns, the Laird of Hamilton, had taken part in Dunedin earlier that year involving Alf's Imperial Army (Alf's).
[edit] Weapons
As required by the rules of the pastime of pacifist warfare, the McGHA fights its battles using strictly non-harmful weapons, such as newspaper swords and cardboard shields for personal duelling. 'Mass effect' weapons such as water bombs, flour bombs, porridge bombs, funnelators (huge slingshots), and meths mortars armed with soft or rotten fruit are also used (though water and flour bombs are the most common). 'Psychological Weapons' such as the dreaded Can-Can charge, heavy duty assault poetry, mass singing and vicious taunting are also permissible.
[edit] Uniforms
The basic uniform of the McGHA regiments was a white shirt, kilt, and bonnet with a white cockade, with a doublet faced in the regiment's colour. How strongly military the uniform looked varied depending upon the individuals in a regiment; whilst there were very strong variations between the regiments themselves. Appearances ranged from 17th century Scottish Jacobites to 19th century Victorian British Scots, to South American Presidential Guard, to hippies or anarchists, with the only article in common being a kilt. One regiment even wore tartan trousers combined with Russian-style jackets and fur hats.
[edit] Enemies
Being a Jacobite Clan, its army naturally fought for the restoration of the Stuarts to the throne of New Zealand and Scotland. A strong rivalry with Alf's soon developed, as the McGHA evolved their own idiosyncratic interpretation of pacifist warfare. The regiments developed into the clan's 'standing army' with uniformed troops ready to swing into battle against such 'irregular' groups as folkies, hippies, anarchists, student hostels and even political parties; and other uniformed 'regular' opponents, such as Alf's, Black Mac's Death's Head Hussars, the Auckland Revolutionary Army, and the NZ Colonial Brigade.
[edit] Brief history
The 1st Flying Claymores were the first company in the regiment, quickly followed by the 2nd McBormann Fusiliers, both based in Hamilton.
The name was changed to the McGillicuddy Highland Army in 1985, shortly after the Wellington-based 3rd Laird's Own Borderers (established in March 1984) was officially incorporated into the Army, and its members welcomed into the Clan.
The success of the Clan's political wing, the McGillicuddy Serious Party in the 1987 and 1990 NZ General Elections saw a rapid growth in McGHA membership, with new regiments founded in Auckland (The 5th Thane of Gordonton's Own Islemonn), Christchurch (The 6th Jahkirk Highland Tossers), and Dunedin (The Blues and Greys). At its peak in late 1992, the McGHA consisted of some eight uniformed regiments boasting a combined membership of over 100 pacifist warfarers.
[edit] Current status
As of 2006, the Clan McGillicuddy has no 'standing' uniformed regiments, although the McGHA has never been formally dissolved. Many clan members still answer the Laird's calls to arms, and the Clan will still happily meet in battle any opponents who wish to challenge them.
[edit] Sources
Largely taken from issues of the Clan McGillicuddy's magazine Th'Noo in particular issue number 10/11. Available in the National Library of New Zealand. ISSN: 1170-6333 Hamilton [N.Z.] : Och-a-non Publishing, [1988-
[edit] External links
McGillicuddy Highland Army Rivals:
