The 2019 "Chieftain of the Day" is Heather Jolley
Heather Jolley
Born in Victoria, Heather Jolley has been immersed in Scottish Culture from a very young age. Her father, Ian Duncan was Pipe Major of the Canadian Scottish Regiment, her mother, Adeline Duncan was an Honourary Member of the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing and her aunt, Lillian Grant Davis, was Pipe Major of the Canadian Women’s Army Corp Pipe Band during World War II. With this background, it was inevitable that Heather would become involved too. She chose Highland dancing, and has competed, taught, judged and administrated for more than 70-years.
In 2006, Heather was awarded the Atholl Clasp by the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing of Edinburgh, Scotland. The beautiful brooch accompanying this award signifies outstanding service to highland dancing worldwide.
Her pupils, including two world champions, number in the hundreds, many of whom have gone on to teach and judge themselves. She is the president of the well-known Scottish outfitters, Tartantown Ltd. in Coquitlam. For more than 40-years, the business has supplied dancers, pipers, drummers and pipe bands in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Russia, Argentina and many more.
She has enjoyed a close association with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and has supported the band for many years. She has played a key role in promoting highland dancing and piping for decades. In 2018, Heather celebrated her 80th birthday with 125 guests coming from the US and Canada.
Our Chieftain officially opens the Games, and the massed pipes and drums will recognize her again during massed pipe bands.
We are honoured to have Heather Jolley as our 88th Chieftain of the Day, at the BC Highland Games & Scottish Festival
