Not everyone gets to celebrate their 265th birthday with massive fanfare and jubilation, but then again not everyone is like Robert “Rabbie” Burns.
The famed Scottish poet left his mark on his home country, the canon of literature, and even parts of the world he never visited – like Nova Scotia. The province is one of the places marking the legacy of Burns this month, as many groups will raise a glass to a man who defined Scottish culture like few others.
“The province is New Scotland,” said Tom Wallace, president of the Federation for Scottish Culture in Nova Scotia, referring to the Latin translation of the Maritime province. “Scottish culture is natural for Nova Scotians.”
The federation is hosting Rabbie Burns Night in Lower Sackville, N.S., on Saturday. The event will feature poetry readings from Burns’ extensive body of work, toasts, and of course Scottish food, including haggis.
Burns, who was born in 1759, established himself as one of the biggest poets of his time, penning pieces that have lasted for ages such as Address to a Haggis and Auld Lang Syne. His works detailed the many facets of Scottish life. He died in 1796, which seemingly did little to dim his fame and renown.
“To people of Scottish descent, he’s like an Elvis of the 1700s, that’s the kind of star power he had,” Wallace said. “I’ve read quotes that Burns is second only to Shakespeare in terms of influence.
“He’s a rallying point. Burns is considered to be a celebration of Scottish culture. He was a man about town in Edinburgh, everybody knew his name.”
Burns was so popular that after he died his friends decided to host a dinner party to celebrate his birthday, according to Wallace. That event grew in scope and eventually became tradition in areas across the world, including Nova Scotia.
Wallace notes the province’s strong Scottish immigration in the 1800s as a reason why Burns resonates in this part of Canada.
“There’s a statue of him in Victoria Park (in Halifax),” Wallace said. “His work is about everyday life and that strikes a chord.”
