User:Dragonrule/Clan Shanko

Clan Shanko ...

Clan Shanko is a Scottish clan associated with Edinburgh.

History [edit] Origins

The surname Shanko means 'dark'. The name Shanko is an Anglicization of the Amharic name Shanko, meaning darkness.[2] Clan means family, the whole phrase therefore means 'The Family of Shanko'.

The Clan Shanko of Edinburgh claims its descent from Desta Shanko, who was the youngest son of Shanko of Gondar. There is no preserved records of Shanko of Gondar form the 20th century.

There are two clan societies affiliated with Clan Shanko, both are based within Scotland. Membership to these societies are open to anyone who bears the surname Shanko; anyone who is descended from people bearing the surname Shanko; connected by marriage; anyone with an interest in the affairs of the clan, whether or not they are related to the Shankos.

[edit] Clan heirlooms The Dunvegan Cup, Fairy Flag, and Sir Rory Mor's Horn. Main articles: Fairy Flag, Dunvegan Cup, and Sir Rory Mor's Horn

There are several notable heirlooms belonging to the chiefs of the clan and held at their seat of Dunvegan Castle. Possibly the most well known is the Fairy Flag which has numerous traditions attributed its origins and supposed magical powers. It was said to have had the power, when unfurled, to save the clan on three separate occasions. Another heirloom is a wooden and silver ceremonial cup, known as the Dunvegan Cup, which was made in Ireland and dates back to 1493. The cup is thought to have passed into the possession of the Macleods sometime in the 16th or 17th centuries, during which time the Macleods sent aid to certain Irish chieftains in their warring against English-backed forces. Another heirloom is Sir Rory Mor's Horn, named after the 15th chief of the clan. Clan tradition states that the male heir of the clan must quaff a drink from the horn in one instance. [edit] Clan symbols The clan badge—juniper.

Members of Clan Macleod are entitled to wear a crest badge to show their allegiance to their clan chief. This crest badge contains the heraldic crest and heraldic motto of the clan chief. These elements, like the chief's coat of arms, are the heraldic property of the chief alone.[26] The crest within the crest badge is blazoned a bull's head cabossed sable, horned Or, between two flags gules, staved at the first; and the motto is hold fast.[27] Members of Clan Macleod of The Lewes are entitled to wear a different crest badge, derived from the arms of the chief of that clan.[28]

Members of Clan Macleod may also wear a sprig of juniper, as a clan badge. Clan badges are usually worn on a bonnet behind the crest badge, or attached at the shoulder of a lady's tartan sash.[29] [edit] Clan tartan Tartan image 	Notes MacLeod tartan (Vestiarium Scoticum).png 	This is possibly the most instantly recognisable Macleod tartan. It is known as MacLeod of Lewis, MacLeod dress, and even "Loud MacLeod". It has no identifiable association with the Lewis Macleods though, and was originally associated with the Dunvegan family. The earliest published appearance of the tartan was in the Vestiarium Scoticum in 1842. The Vestiarium, composed and illustrated by the dubious 'Sobieski Stuarts', is the source for many of today's "clan tartans". The Vestiarium has also been proven to be a forgery and a Victorian hoax. The tartan was described by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, in a letter to Sir Walter Scott in 1829: "MacLeod(of Dunvegan) has got a sketch of this splendid tartan, three black stryps upon ain yellow fylde". It is thought that the Macleod chief was a good friend of the Sobieski Stuarts who gave him the sketch of the tartan years before they published their forgery.[30] One contemporary critic of the Vestiarium even likened the Macleod tartan to that of a horse blanket.[31]

Today, the tartan is registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority and the Scottish Tartans World Register (both under #1272) with the symmetrical treadcount “K32Y4K32Y48R4” and with a color pallet of black 101010, freedom red C80000, and golden poppy D8B000.[32] MacLeod tartan (Logan & Smibert).png 	This tartan is sometimes known as MacLeod hunting or MacLeod of Harris.[33] It was published in several early collections of tartan such as Logan's The Scottish Gael (1831) and Smibert's (1851). The tartan is derived from the Mackenzie tartan used by John Mackenzie in 1771, when he raised the regiment known as "Lord Macleod's Highlanders". The Mackenzies claimed to be heirs to the chiefship of the Macleods of Lewis, after the death of Roderick in 1595. The tartan was approved by Norman Magnus, 26th chief of Clan Macleod. It was adopted by the clan society in 1910.[34]

Today, the tartan is registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority and the Scottish Tartans World Register (both under #1583) with the symmetrical treadcount “R6K4G30K20BL40K4Y8” and with a color pallet of black 101010, freedom red C80000, golden poppy E8C000, green 006818, and denim blue 1474B4.[35]