Then & NowHow Scottish settlers brought bagpipes to Hong Kong

Readily consumable, cliché examples abound. Crusty egg tarts from backstreet bakeries recall only faint traces of their European (or more specifically, Portuguese) ingredients. Likewise, Hong Kong-style milk tea – made with tannin-rich tea dust and condensed milk – betrays its Indian bazaar origins, having been introduced here via the British forces, and preparation methods gradually spread across the territory through skills learned in military cookhouses and NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) canteens.

But when asked which musical style has become elementally “Hong Kong”, most people would probably note Cantopop, along with concert icons such as the Four Heavenly Kings, and perhaps make a passing reference to earlier local bands such as The Mystics. While reasonable enough, these guesses overlook the most widespread, “gone local” musical introduction of all, one that can be heard plaintively wailing in a performance or a practice session somewhere in Hong Kong throughout the year. Yes, you guessed correctly: the Scottish bagpipes.

Bagpipes were introduced into maritime Asia in the late 16th century, with the first permanent settlers from Scotland. Lured out East by better economic opportunities as Scotland steadily stagnated, these homesick Scots-in-exile would do anything for their beautiful country, except actually live in it. By the mid-18th century, large, well-established Scottish communities existed in prosperous commercial cities from Calcutta to Canton. Along with a shrewd business sense, the Scots exported their own distinctive cultural life. No community gathering, especially the annual Burns Night binge, was complete without bagpipers.