Whats in a name vs. Blood?

[Jock Scot]

Adoption always makes you a full member of the family. With that come rights and responsibilities so you are a MacLean whether you like it or not

Wear the tartan with pride

Well yes, but there are a few things to remember.

Firstly whilst the laws on adoption are as clear cut as any law can be, but there are family sensibilities, from many directions and often tricky ones to consider that no law can cater for.

Secondly,I think many of you are attaching far too much importance and significance to this clan thing. Now some Clans may have strict rules about who can, or can't these days be a Clan member, but generally Clan membership is very lax. Hasn't it always been that way? Modern day Clans are in reality a club and like any club they are a meeting of common interests ------such as culture, history and having a good time. Now I can understand full well, that we all want to belong to a group------a Clan even-----it seems that humans have this need and the modern day Clan fills that need easily---- and how! In truth clan history is only really important to the Clan Chief, if he cares at all and to be fair most do, as he has the wellbeing of the Clan in the loosest sense, is in trust for his lifetime and one must not forget the most important thing of all, the Chief's primary concern, is the future of his his heirs. Every one else is really tagging along for the ride. That is fine if you are happy to do so.

Thirdly, just because your name is "MacCarrott" ,it in reality, may actually have nothing whatsoever to do with the Clan MacCarrott of Wester Ross at all. Further more when you delve into the lists of Sept names, well, it would be unwise to put too much credence to the accuracy of much of it.

Now, in spite of what I have said above, Clan tartans, kilts and Highland attire mean a lot to the Scots and to others outwith Scotland but, on the whole, we in Scotland wear our one Clan tartan whatever it maybe, we don't don't go in for all this justification stuff , we don't ask any one else why they are wearing a particular Clan tartan and we get on with life. Choose your Clan tartan and yes indeed, "wear it with pride"!

Good luck to you.

[Peter Crowe]

Well yes, but there are a few things to remember.

Firstly whilst the laws on adoption are as clear cut as any law can be, but there are family sensibilities, from many directions and often tricky ones to consider that no law can cater for.

Secondly,I think many of you are attaching far too much importance and significance to this clan thing. Now some Clans may have strict rules about who can, or can't these days be a Clan member, but generally Clan membership is very lax. Hasn't it always been that way? Modern day Clans are in reality a club and like any club they are a meeting of common interests ------such as culture, history and having a good time. Now I can understand full well, that we all want to belong to a group------a Clan even-----it seems that humans have this need and the modern day Clan fills that need easily---- and how! In truth clan history is only really important to the Clan Chief, if he cares at all and to be fair most do, as he has the wellbeing of the Clan in the loosest sense, is in trust for his lifetime and one must not forget the most important thing of all, the Chief's primary concern, is the future of his his heirs. Every one else is really tagging along for the ride. That is fine if you are happy to do so.

Thirdly, just because your name is "MacCarrott" ,it in reality, may actually have nothing whatsoever to do with the Clan MacCarrott of Wester Ross at all. Further more when you delve into the lists of Sept names, well, it would be unwise to put too much credence to the accuracy of much of it.

Now, in spite of what I have said above, Clan tartans, kilts and Highland attire mean a lot to the Scots and to others outwith Scotland but, on the whole, we in Scotland wear our one Clan tartan whatever it maybe, we don't don't go in for all this justification stuff , we don't ask any one else why they are wearing a particular Clan tartan and we get on with life. Choose your Clan tartan and yes indeed, "wear it with pride"!

Good luck to you.

I agree with what you state here about Clan identity and 'member-ship' Jock, and would also add that there is (perhaps paradoxically) a strong strain in the culture of the Scots (Highland and Lowland alike) that we are ultimately 'all Jock Tamson's bairns' (we are all G-d's children), and moreover that 'a man's a man for a' that' (Burns).

[Dale Seago]

Well yes, but there are a few things to remember.

Excellent summation, Jock.

. . .In truth clan history is only really important to the Clan Chief, if he cares at all and to be fair most do, as he has the wellbeing of the Clan in the loosest sense, is in trust for his lifetime and one must not forget the most important thing of all, the Chief's primary concern, is the future of his his heirs. Every one else is really tagging along for the ride. That is fine if you are happy to do so.

That part really stood out to me, as it's a pretty exact parallel between a Scottish clan chief and the Soke of old (mostly pre-1860s) Japanese martial traditions.