So I grew up across the street from a very proud family with roots in Nova Scotia. Not only are they proud of their roots but they are very proud Americans. Given their background in military service and service to our city I consider them to be some of the biggest Patriots in Dorchester. All of this seemed to trace back to the patriarch of the family who taught every one of his many sons how to play the pipes and instilled a fierce love of country .

So with our proximity, pipe practice became a daily occurrence in my house. I have to admit it added a lot of charm to our neighborhood. I used to hang out with one of the boys during my younger years and he let me take a shot at the practice pipe one day….complete failure I might add….not an easy instrument to play. My aunts would often stop by to hang out on the back porch with cups of coffee and listen for hours at a time. We learned all about Scottish culture from the Highland games to haggis from this family. They all seem to have this massive appreciation for Jazz, Hip Hop, Metal, Punk and even Classical music.

So I’m watching the tree lighting at the Common the other night and the they start going through the story of how Nova Scotia sends us a Christmas tree every year to say thanks for our help after the Halifax Explosion. I found it incredible that close to 100 years later they still try to say thanks. All of a sudden the Squid Percussion Group from Nova Scotia takes the stage and just blows my mind. These guys fuse their traditions with some urban American flavor….

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYoBqZZ4-hE]

As you can imagine, these guys made me feel like I was sitting at home at Ma’s house again. Tip of the cap to the MacMasters, you all are the essence of our neighborhood and some of Dorchester’s finest!

Also a big salute to the good folks of Nova Scotia…you are as loyal as they come!