Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo

If you’ve been to the ‘Tattoo’ in Halifax then you understand the mesmerizing power of it and if you haven’t, then you need to get yourself there!  We were very fortunate to be able to introduce our girls to the power of the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo last night due to the generosity of the Tattoo.

I have been to the Tattoo a few times in the past and have always been very impressed by the incredible performances from around this world.  The timing, the precision, the sheer magnitude of the work that must go into it by the organizers and performers – mind-blowing!  So when the opportunity for tickets came up through ECM Media to attend the Tattoo, I knew it was time to introduce the girls to the wonder that is the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo.

We had to try to explain exactly what the Tattoo was to the girls, clearly I should’ve just turned to Wikipedia from the get-go, they do a much better job of explaining it than I managed to stumble through…

“A tattoo is a military performance of music or display of armed forces in general. The term comes from the early 17th century Dutch phrase doe den tap toe (“turn off the tap”), a signal sounded by drummers or trumpeters to instruct innkeepers near military garrisons to stop serving beer and for soldiers to return to their barracks, and is unrelated to the Tahitian origins of an ink tattoo.

The tattoo was originally a form of military music, but the practice has evolved into more elaborate shows involving theatrics and musical performances. It is also used to designate military exhibitions such as the Royal International Air Tattoo.”

We were excited to head down on Wednesday evening after I finished off work for the day.  I knew there were a few fellow bloggers heading there for the event, too and we had made rough plans to text each other our seats and maybe say Hi.  But, as it turns out, we couldn’t have planned it better – we all rolled into the Box Office at the exact same time!  So, we took a selfie, of course! { Meet Heidi of Itsy Bitsy Haligonians and Kerra of Eat Drink & Be You } Then we all scurried off to find our seats and the show started.

Guys, this is an experience unlike any other.  It is powerful, moving, exciting and  so entwined into our heritage and culture.  The bagpipes, the marching bands, the rich military history – very much a part of our history as a province.  And so beautifully displayed with such precision.

I love asking the girls about their favourite parts of any event we attend and this was no exception.  Lena’s highlight was the BMX team from Germany who were doing flips in the air  on their bikes and wowwing the crowd with their stunts.  We are used to seeing bikes fly through the air, but usually they are motocross bikes at my brother’s track – so these guys were pretty impressive!

Hannah’s favourite acts were any of the ones in which the highland dancers were involved in.  And lucky for Hannah, they were involved in quite a few different acts.  There is just something so magical about watching them dance together as a mass in their tartan and velvet.  I really enjoyed their Irish dance with Heather Rankin, too.  Plus, we all love the song, “Tell My Ma”  so it was a toe-tapping hit, in my books.

Michael loves the rich military history and loves hearing the stories.  So, clearly, the Tattoo is perfect for him.  And this year’s theme, Heroes and Legends, told the stories of epic battles, heroes from the past and celebrated those who served our great country.

I can’t pick a favourite.  I loved watching the dancers from around the world, the way the marching bands move with such exact motion and in perfect time.  But the thing that really gets to my heart is when they ask all those who have served our great country, in service in the military or police, fire to stand so we could applaud them, man, gets me in the feels every time, these people give so much of themselves to serve.  They deserve so much more that a round of applause.

I wish I had caught more about the statue of drums, I was so busy watching it being built, I missed the story that went along with it.  So, if anyone can help a girl out, I’d appreciate it! I only caught a glimpse of the old black & white photo of a similar stack on the screen!

The other part I love is the grand finale when ALL the acts are on the floor together, filling the Scotiabank Centre’s floor and choir loft.  It is incredible to think about the precision that goes into that alone, let alone the whole entire performance. And to hear the crowd join together in the singing of our national anthem, so powerful.  I just looked around the stands, watching all the men, women and children joining their voices together.

The Tattoo is over for another year, but when it rolls around again next year, I would highly recommend you take some time and sit back and marvel in our rich history.  There is something so powerful, incredible and awesome about it.  I feel like every Nova Scotian should attend at least once….if not yearly!!

To be continued,

Lori

PS Even though I was provided the tickets to the Tattoo, the opinions I express here are my own.