Some heritages have been around for a while. Others are invented to
serve present needs. All heritages, to remain vigorous, require constant
updating and upgrading. A favorite example of the "invention of
tradition" is the actual history of the Scottish kilt--a relatively
recent (late 18th century) garment invented for Scots workers by an
English Quaker industrialist. See the essay by Hugh Trevor-Roper in the
book Invention of Tradition (essays in honor of Terrence Ranger). Sorry
about the partial cite--I'm working on memory here.
Doug Deal
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