Identity in the Scottish Diaspora

[davidlpope]

As I have pointed out just recently David, maybe in this thread or the one that was closed down just before you restarted the conversation here, that I have Russian, Australian, French, English, German ancestry floating about in my genes. I am not a Russian-Scot or anything else-Scot. I am a Scot. I am not unusual in Scotland. Do I wander about with a string of onions round my neck, to celebrate my French Genes? NO. Do I wander about the place playing the didgeridoo with a boomerang tucked into my belt? No. That does not mean that I wish to forget my ancestors, far from it, but that is my families business, no one else's.

We all come from somewhere, as some one has pointed out here and the Scots are no different. If I could use you as an example, I have no idea where your ancestors hail from really and whilst these things matter to you, they matter not one bit to me. As far as I am concerned-----and most of Scotland I venture to suggest-------you are an American.

We don't care that you are a young country-----older than many-----you are a population made up from immigrants from all walks of life, from all around the world----and?----- you are from a huge country, both in landmass and population-------we know all that, we don't need telling!That is just a load of fact nothing more and from a Scots point of view, so what? All that matters to us is that you are American. Should we meet up one day I would not dream of wanting to know anything about your ancestry and I would not expect to discuss my ancestors with you either. You are an American, I am a Scot what else needs to be said?

Jock,

Thanks for your post. I think the thing that you're missing is this:

1. There is a small subset of Americans who pursue their ancestry/genealogy/family history as a hobby. This hobby matters to them in the same way that fishing matters to dyed in the wool anglers. They talk about their hobby with others who are interested in the same hobby.

2. Within that small subset are those people whose ancestry is at least part Scottish. This interest in their ancestry usually carries over into an interest in the culture and traditions of the original countries of their ancestors. For guys whose ancestors are Scottish, this often leads to an interest in kilt-wearing.

3. When those guys start looking for information on how to get/wear a kilt they come to XMarks.

4. That's why so many people here (virtually surrounded by others with the same hobby) incessantly talk about their Scottish ancestry.

If we ran into each other in Scotland, perhaps the subject would come up. It wouldn't come up because you have an interest in my ancestry or because I think that other people need to know all about my family's background. It would come up because, simply, it would be the reason that I am in Scotland for a visit- my motivation to visit Scotland is based on my ancestral connection to that country. Same with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. I want to better understand the stories of my ancestors before they were Americans.