Guidelines
For the Establishment, Constitution and Operation
of Clan Cameron Association North America


Revised May 2000

 

Clan Cameron Association North America shall be comprised of all those of Scottish descent who bear the name of Cameron, or one of the septs, and those who are interested in the study of and celebration of their heritage.  The Clan Cameron Association North America shall be collective to be used hereinafter to encompass all interested Cameron Clansfolk; it does not signify the existence of a structured central organization.

The aims of the Association shall be cultural and educational, promoting friendship among the North Americans who enjoy a distant kinship, encouraging, through education, the perpetuation in North America of the history, music and folklore of their forebears.

The Association shall be non-political and non-profit. Clan members owe their political allegiance solely to their own Nation and shall not, using the name of the Association, take part in any political activity involving the internal affairs of any Nation.

The Commissioner for the Association shall be appointed by The Cameron of Lochiel and shall serve at his pleasure as his representative in North America in all matters pertaining to the Clan Cameron Association North America.

 

I. ORGANIZATION

The organizations which serve The Clan Cameron Association North America shall consist of regional Clan Cameron Associations established on the authority of The Cameron of Lochiel, hereditary Chief and Captain of Clan Cameron.  These Regional Associations shall be named:

Clan Cameron Association Canada

Clan Cameron Association South-Central U.S.

Clan Cameron Association Western U.S.

Clan Cameron Association Rocky Mountain U.S.

Clan Cameron Association Midwestern U.S.

Clan Cameron Association Northeastern U.S.

Clan Cameron Association Southeastern U.S.

Additional regional Associations may be established, as required, on the authority of The Cameron of Lochiel.

The President for each of the regional Associations shall be appointed by The Cameron of Lochiel and shall be responsible to him for the supervision of the Branches/Chapters which comprise his Association; they shall hold office at the pleasure of The Cameron of Lochiel.  Day to day administration decisions regarding the Association shall be the prerogative of the President who shall report on a regular basis to the Commissioner of Clan Cameron Association North America.

Each Regional Clan Cameron Association shall consist of such Branches as are approved, from time to time, by the Chief of the Clan on the advice of his Commissioner.  The Branches of the Association shall operate independently, being responsible for their own legal and financial integrity, in keeping with their own Nation's laws including State and Local laws.  Regional and Branch Presidents shall have the right to appoint a small number of Clan Association members to help, from time to time, with the work of the Branch/Chapter. Reasonable expenses incurred in Branch/Chapter business may be reimbursed on a mutually agreeable basis.

Before a group may apply for Branch status, it must previously have been a Chapter.  Presidents of Branches, with the consent of their Regional President, shall have the authority to establish Chapters in areas within his/her jurisdiction.  They may, at their discretion, appoint a Convenor who will oversee the formation and organization of a group of interested individuals.  The Convenor's position will expire when the new Chapter achieves Branch status.  The chapter must then satisfy the following criteria before applying for Branch status:

* Must be in existence for two years or more
* Have twenty-five dues paying and active members
* Proof of a published newsletter at least three times each year
* Be financially sound and independent
* Have established approved by-laws

The Branch President, in conjunction with the Regional President, shall appoint the Chapter's President, Secretary and Treasurer.  These officers shall be elected upon receiving Branch status.

Upon satisfying the above criteria, the Chapter shall prepare a petition to The Cameron of Lochiel which shall be forwarded to the Regional President who will, in turn, forward it to the Commissioner.  The Commissioner shall forward it to The Cameron of Lochiel with his recommendation for approval.  After receiving the Chief's approval, the Chapter shall be granted full Branch status with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto.

Each Branch shall hold an annual meeting at which time the financial and other pertinent reports shall be presented and executive officers elected for the ensuing year.

Each Branch shall report to its Regional President, as of January 1, the full name, street addresses, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of all officers.  It shall also forward the same information for Chapters under their jurisdiction.  This report shall also contain the number of active and dues paying families. The Regional President shall forward this same information to the Commissioner.

 

II. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be two categories of membership: (1) General, and (2) Honorary.  The following policy statement of the Lochiel family shall govern General Membership:

We (the Lochiel family) favour a liberal policy towards membership of the Clan as those who are "tenuous" but keen are often the most proactive and productive and if they have chosen Clan Cameron then we would be happy to accept them.  In days gone past people took the name Cameron for all sorts of reasons - protection for example - so we would not be changing from that original ethos.

Honorary Membership may, from time to time, be conferred upon a person who has furthered the interests of the Branch/Chapter with his or her presence.  Such honorary members shall not pay dues and shall not be eligible to vote or hold office.  Honorary Membership may also be conferred ex-officio upon the Presidents of other Branches/Chapters of Clan Associations.  The Commissioner of Clan Cameron Association North America shall be an honorary member of all Branches and Chapters.

 

III. HERALDRY

A coat of arms is granted by The Lord Lyon King of Arms on behalf of the Sovereign.  Sir Donald Cameron of Lochiel, Chief of Clan Cameron, was granted his armorial bearings during the reign of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.  The coat of arms is a pictorial representation of the achievement of Lochiel and his forebears using ancient traditional symbolism.  It is, in fact, a heraldic signature.

The coat of arms, or any part thereof, can be used only by the bearer to whom it was granted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.  It may not be used by Clan Associations or individual Clan members. In whole or in part, it belongs to Lochiel.

The authorized insignia for Clan Associations and for Clan members is the crest from the Chief's coat of arms, but it must be encircled by the symbolic belt and buckle which denotes a follower of the Chief.  This crest consists of a sheaf of five arrows, encircled by the belt and buckle, on which is printed the motto "Unite" usually in the Gaelic "Aonaibh Ri Chéile."  The arrows shall be colored light brown with grey tips and white fletches; the ribbons (tying the arrows together) shall be colored red and the torse (horizontal base) shall be alternately red and yellow.

An alternative crest is the one depicting an arm and dagger, also encircled by belt and buckle on which the motto "For King and Country" is printed, sometimes in Latin, sometimes in Gaelic.  This is an ancient Clan symbol, not registered with the Lord Lyon, but Lochiel has given permission for its use.

Letterheads: Clan Associations and Branches should use the five-arrow crest encircled and, immediately below or adjacent, they must print their name. For example:

Grandfather Mountain Branch
Clan Cameron Association Southern U.S.

Individual Clan members may use the same encircled crest on letterhead with the words "Member of Clan Cameron" printed immediately below the crest.  This is a ruling of the Lord Lyon King of Arms.  If notepaper is purchased which does not have these words printed, its use is quite in order (in view of the circumstances); however, if the letterhead is being custom printed, adherence to this rule is appreciated in keeping with the Association's concern for the preservation of traditional customs.

Personal Logos: No part of the Lochiel coat of arms may be incorporated in a personally designed "logo."  This includes the commonly seem escutcheon (shield).  This shield is the central and probably the most significant part of the Lochiel arms, dating back to the 14th century; it consists of a shield, three bars gold on red.

In summary, the only official crests for Clan use are the five arrow crest and the arm and dagger crest, each encircled by belt and buckle and bearing the appropriate motto.

 


The preceding Guidelines were approved at Clan Cameron Association North America's Regional Presidents Meeting, on May 19, 2000 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and modified to note two additional regions on May 14, 2005. This document supersedes the earlier Guidelines approved at a meeting of Clan Cameron Association North America's Branch Presidents in Atlanta, Georgia on October 18, 1980.