(From right) Megat Mizan, Blaikie, Lim and Nicholas at the unveiling of the school tartan. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
PENANG’S St Xavier’s Institution (SXI) has made history as the only school in South-East Asia to have its own officially registered tartan as a symbol of its identity.
Its director Brother Jason Blaikie said recognition by the Scottish Tartans Authority was a prestigious honour and underscored the school’s rich heritage as tartans were traditionally associated with Scottish clans.
“Two keywords I like to associate with tartans are ‘identity’ and ‘belonging’,” he said.
With the school having its own tartan, it would enable the school’s community to connect with the institution’s heritage and mission, he said.
“It is indeed a very prestigious honour to have our own tartan designed by our former student Lim Kee Sitt, 45, from the Class of 1996,” Blaikie said after unveiling the tartan at the school’s Heritage Centre in Farquhar Street, George Town.
He added that the diaries of the school’s directors from 1887 onwards, set to be published, would also highlight the creation of the tartan as a key achievement for this year.
Also present were Malaysia-Thailand Business Council chairman Megat Mizan Nicholas Denney, Lim (the tartan designer), SXI board chairman Victor Tan, renowned artist and alumnus Reggie Lee, school board governor Trevor Sibert and other distinguished guests.
The celebration was led by Nicholas Tan Kuan Eng, a talented Form One student bagpiper, whose performance set the tone for the momentous occasion.
Megat Mizan, who sponsored the project, said he sent the tartan design to the Scottish Tartans Authority and it was approved and registered in the authority’s registry within two months.
“I first saw the school’s tartan-like design on a bagpipe and I decided to approach Blaikie about the school having its own tartan. He agreed to it and that was how the project came about.
“I am from a Lasallian school in Kuala Lumpur and will do something similar for St John’s Institution some time this year.”
Lim said the SXI tartan featured a design that reflected the school’s rich history and values.
“The white lines on green symbolise the pioneering Christian Brothers who founded SXI, while the intersecting white lines forming a grid represent unity and collaboration in the Brothers’ mission.
“White lines alongside blue lines denote the Brothers’ connection to the La Salle organisation, and the red line on green symbolises the charitable mission in education during SXI’s early years.
“Thick blue intersecting lines highlight SXI’s place within the global La Salle network while thick yellow intersecting lines symbolise hope for a brighter future for all SXI students.
“The tartan’s colour scheme draws inspiration from the SXI and La Salle logos, with white representing the Brothers’ robes, green symbolising SXI and Penang’s Pinang tree, blue signifying faith and commitment, red embodying charity and yellow reflecting hope,” he said.
With more than 7,000 tartan designs registered worldwide, SXI’s addition to this esteemed tradition is a testament to its enduring legacy.
Tartans, which can represent clans, organisations, or special events, are a powerful symbol of history and modern identity.
It is also a traditional Scottish cloth featuring a distinctive pattern of intersecting horizontal and vertical stripes in various colours, creating a chequered design.
