Lowland/Scotch-Irish/American Colonists vs. Highlanders.

[davidlpope]

People want to belong to a tribe, its just something hardwired in our brain.

It's what drives people, myself included, to fixate, over emphasize, pick any synonym you wish on our connection to a tribe.

With a large push by the Native Tribes of North America to take back their history, to drive out any an all who have not been living within the culture their entire lives, other tribal connections that Americans have come to the forefront. Celts of all types, not just those from Scotland are a "Safe" place where people can exercise their desire to be part of a tribe, normally without any nasty accusations of cultural appropriation.

Luke,

Very good points. I'm still left wondering why the tribe that I (we?) pick to be associated with is that of Highland Scotland. My hypothesis is that the kilt, tartan, and bagpipes, are just to appealing to pass up. Perhaps not unlike the trend(now reversing?) of Native American tribes throughout the US to adopt Plains Indian culture (coup bonnets, etc.) and lay aside their own. The irony is that my Lowland Scots/Borders/Scotch-Irish ancestors (my tribe) were the very folks who were fighting the Highlanders (sometimes outfitted...) in their kilts and plaids.

Yet, the first of next month I will gather with other North Carolinians, many of whom are descended only from Lowland/Borders/Scotch-Irish ancestors, for our annual St. Andrew's Day Dinner. We'll all be decked out in our kilts and (fly!) plaids.

It does cause me to ponder if I/we haven't traded our natural "birthright" for an identity that our ancestors would be indignant over. Just musings...