25 February 2016

Tattoo gifts ‘cherished’ sword to the Capital

In the wake of the record-breaking performances by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Wellington City has been presented a ceremonial broadsword.

At the full meeting of the Wellington City Council last night, Mayor Celia Wade-Brown presented a ceremonial Scottish Officer broadsword bearing the Royal cipher, which was given to Wellington City by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Rt Hon Donald Wilson, on the eve of Sunday’s final Royal Edinburgh Tattoo performance at Westpac Stadium.

“The exquisite broadsword is a marvellous permanent reminder of the 2016 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the Capital,” says the Mayor.

The 2016 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo made history as the biggest crowd puller of any show staged in the Capital, with 82,000 tickets sold across the four nights.

Edinburgh Tattoo Chief Executive and producer Brigadier David Allfrey says Wellington was warm and generous in its support of the Tattoo.

“The people of Wellington have been welcoming and considerate at every turn – it has been the talk of our whole team.

“The sound of 21,000 people humming Pokarekare Ana in tune with Maori vocalists and the Bands will be the abiding memory of the tour,” he says.

Each year at the Tattoo in Edinburgh a Scottish Officer’s Broadsword is awarded to the contingent to have contributed the most to the Tattoo experience, as voted by the performers.

The sword is much coveted and the winner is announced in front of Edinburgh Castle before the March Off at the close of the last performance of the summer.

The Edinburgh Tattoo had Pooley Swords produce two special broadswords with their origins in the traditional weaponry of Highland Clansmen, one each for Melbourne and Wellington, in recognition of their tour down under.

ENDS

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