Founder member continues with invaluable contributions

Amanzimtoti is blessed to have one of the founder members still active in the Highland Gathering today. The first South Coast Highland Gathering was held on 15 June 1963, as part of a fundraising event for Umbogintwini Primary School.

The organisers were Cliff and Betty Leesam, a Scottish family, who involved Dr Ian Dalziel and his wife Pat, who is still involved, and Keith and Elva Steyn. “My three daughters did highland dancing with the Leesam’s daughter and the school needed to raise funds to build a hall. That’s how we became involved,” said Pat, who will turn 86 in September.

“For the first gathering only one band, the Natal Mounted Rifles, performed with Mary-Rae’s highland dancers. The school’s parents association put up stalls and a fete. The school made money, so we decided to do it again the next year. The Germiston Pipe Band had heard about the first one, so they performed at the second one and it kept growing from there.”

The school managed to build its hall and the Highland Gathering continued to be held at this venue until 1969. At this time the Amanzimtoti area was relatively undeveloped and much of it was farming units. In those days, for economic viability, the Highland Gathering was held as a joint event involving the Amanzimtoti Agricultural Show.

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In 1970 the venue for the event was moved to Athlone Park Primary School, where the dividends paid for the school’s swimming pool, and in 1972 to Kingsway High School. In 1973 a committee involving Pat organised the event on wasteland on the southside of the Amanzimtoti River. “I still remember the march past had to be done by the light of the cars headlights, because there was no electricity there,” said Pat.

In 1974 and 1975 the show moved to in front of the municipal buildings. “It kept growing bigger and bigger and in 1976 we approached the Amanzimtoti Lions to become involved and the event moved to its current venue at Amanzimtoti Sports Centre. We only used the top field at Hutchison Park but now it is so huge that we use all the fields.”

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In 1990 the Lions took over full responsibility for the event and Pat herself became a member of the club about a decade ago. Pat and Elva are the only remaining founder members and every year Pat is still hard at work behind the scenes, whether it is marking out the fields for the stall holders or making sandwiched for the judges.

“I love the Highland Gathering and it keeps everyone busy. Last year we only had 19 dancers, which was very disappointing, as we used to have 40 to 50 in the past. Unfortunately it is a dying art and expensive. The number of bands is also diminishing. The most we had was 26.”

Ian’s spirit still lives on in the gatherings, as each year Pat lends out his kilt for the Lions president to wear during the march past. “My favourite part of the whole weekend is the grand march past – it is very moving.”