On women – and Jen Hill - addressing the Haggis

Photo Credit: Paul Couvrette

Robert Burns became important in Scottish culture, as he was a great influence on the working class with his poems about humble beginnings as a ploughman, and his musings about love, nature, culture, politics, drink, and food. One such food was haggis.

Burns Supper was first celebrated by friends of Robert Burns in 1801, five years after Burns’ death, his life was commemorated by his friends with a haggis supper in his honor. The tradition continues to this day on Robert Burns’ birthday with Scottish staples such as haggis, neeps, tatties, whisky, and song.  

In Burns’ time, haggis was nourishing and easy for the poorest families to prepare. He loved the culinary creation and celebrated that love in his poem called Address to the Haggis.

Before I first started presenting the address myself, I was challenged to learn it from a seasoned - as I will call him – “Haggis Slayer”. I was to have my very own pub party to give the address but alas, the pandemic hit. I kept reciting it, hoping my day would come. And then it did come - at the Scottish Society’s post-pandemic supper. It was then, that I truly realized how important this part of the dinner was, how so many paid attention, and how my address would be compared to so many “Haggis Slayers” before me.

Burns was well known to love the “lassies” but what was less known is that he was an ardent supporter of women’s rights. He was definitely very forward-thinking at a time when women were very much in the background. He made it a subject of his writing in The Rights of Women, a poem I know by heart:

While Europe's eye is fix'd on mighty things,

The fate of Empires and the fall of Kings;

While quacks of State must each produce his plan,

And even children lisp the Rights of Man;

Amid this mighty fuss just let me mention,

The Rights of Woman merit some attention.

I don’t know how many female slayers there have been, but I would hazard a guess … not that many. So, I felt proud and a little fearsome as I rose to the address. 

Of course, the haggis was truly the star and deserved the homage. I chose an all-women crew to carry the trencher. Walking behind, watching that haggis jiggle. I have heard stories of haggis falling to the floor and slip-sliding across the floor. What a relief when that trencher was set down without a hitch.

I gave the Address my all, I gave it a woman’s touch. Through Burns’ words, I expressed my passion for “the great chieftain o' the puddin'-race”.

I have since had other opportunities to make the address and enjoy doing it very much. It’s awesome to represent the lassies and hopefully spark the passion in others to join in such a Scottish tradition.