The Clavie

In this series, writers delve into lesser-known aspects of contemporary Scottish society. They explore customs, passions and pastimes that rarely hit the headlines yet give communities a strong sense of identity and belonging.

This episode features the Clavie, a spectacular fire festival celebrated in Burghead on the Moray Coast. Peter Ross meets the ‘Clavie crew’, a group of brave men who carry a flaming barrel of tar on their backs through the streets of the ‘Broch’ in a ceremony that is believed to bring good luck and burn the evil spirit out of the village. The men carry far more than just their burning burden, rather they bear their heritage and identity aloft. As the forces of health and safety and modernity press in on their ancient custom, the stubborn Brochers are determined to continue their traditions unchanged.