April 6th is National Tartan Day—a day for celebrating the contributions to our country of the more than four million Canadians who have Scottish ancestry. Canada joins with many other countries around the world today in recognizing the achievements of their citizens who hail from Scotland. National Tartan Day is marked annually on April 6, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish declaration of independence, in 1320.
The tartan, a traditional woolen fabric woven in patterns that look checkered or striped (plaid), has long been a symbol of Scotland and is worn proudly by members of its diaspora, including those in Canada.
Canada’s national tartan, the Maple Leaf Tartan, was created in 1964 by David Weiser in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Confederation in 1967. It was proudly worn by Canadians for many years and elevated to official status in 2010.
Source:Heritage Can
