Identity in the Scottish Diaspora

[tripleblessed]

I am a person who wants to hear the opinions of others, and I both respect and value them. That does not translate
to feeling bound by them. I hear, respect, and value the views above in this now long thread, and for the most part can understand the hows and whys of their formation, and against better judgment, join in. Those within the borders of
Scotland have frequently (often with clear justification) bemoaned the ignorance of Scottish history exhibited by those
"outwith" those borders. This overlooks the reality that what is known is not always what is taught by a government
funded education system. A person educated in the northern US will almost never have a comprehensive understanding
of the experience of those in the south between 1855 and 1875. Japanese children have a very different understanding
of the events in China between 1935 and 1945 than do Chinese. Those who live in Scotland today often have a less
than complete understanding of how the diaspora came to be the diaspora. Somewhere between many and most of our
folk who came to the colonies came not of their own choice or will, but because they were sold, shipped, or forced off
land they had defended for centuries. They came in to find a wilderness, and mostly desperate circumstances, and they flourished. On the back of hard labor and ingenuity. I have read through letters written to family back in Scotland which said, if you are forced to come here, fear not. Life is hard here, it was there. At least here there is food and here we can
actually own land that is ours, not to be taken away by the Crown.

Some above have apologized for speaking plainly; no need. The facts need no apology, and our opinions are our own, needing no justification or apology. For myself, if I am in need of further education or have a misapprehension of the
facts (yes, astoundingly enough, that has happened on understandably rare occasions ), I enjoy the opportunity
to learn something. May or may not change my opinion, but more knowledge is a good thing. I am not attempting to
persuade anyone to agree, or to challenge one's right to a thought process.

The facts are that Scots did not invent tartan, or the wearing of it. They did not invent pleated garments. While the kilt
we wear today did evolve in Scotland, it was not confiscated when folk left. Those in the military, often not by choice,
were often demobilized on foreign soil by a Crown unconcerned with the welfare or survival of those who had served
their purpose and were no longer needed or wanted on the soil of the British Isles. Or, simply, cost too much to ship home. These men had often served in kilts, which were not confiscated. If we, their descendants, feel an affection for the garment and for the land that was home, it may just be how we were raised. Or that we hear their voices in our blood and in our hearts. I know I do; I don't pretend to speak for others. I know I received welcome in Scotland, and that it felt familiar. I'm not sure I could ask for more. The diaspora was created by the Crown, the government, the peers, and the chiefs. Their policies, the success and failures thereof, have led to our being here today and feeling the way we do. I genuinely believe it is not our intent to offend. Or pretend.

[ThistleDown]

Just a few quick corrective notes here and then I’m away from this sadly contentious thread. My friend Richard McBain told me today that he is disappointed his remarks in a casual games conversation have been misunderstood. What he recalls saying is that he is not yet comfortable in his role on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, not that the Council made him uncomfortable. His Dad, the hereditary Macbean chief, is 88 now and in looking towards the future is involving his son and heir in the traditions and obligations of clan chiefship. He said he was sorry, too, if his remark about aging was misunderstood. What he meant to get across was that if any younger generation takes umbrage with an older one’s opinion all it has to do is wait for the inevitable passing on and then it can become the older and take its turn trying to explain its firm opinions to the new younger.

I’d say Richard is settling in very nicely because that’s certainly how traditions of hereditary chiefship work.

If anyone here wants to read about all this diaspora stuff from an academic and not a one-sided perspective, there's nothing finer that Tom Devine's 'To the Ends of the Earth'.

[Reiver]

Just a few quick corrective notes here and then I’m away from this sadly contentious thread. My friend Richard McBain told me today that he is disappointed his remarks in a casual games conversation have been misunderstood. What he recalls saying is that he is not yet comfortable in his role on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, not that the Council made him uncomfortable. His Dad, the hereditary Macbean chief, is 88 now and in looking towards the future is involving his son and heir in the traditions and obligations of clan chiefship. He said he was sorry, too, if his remark about aging was misunderstood. What he meant to get across was that if any younger generation takes umbrage with an older one’s opinion all it has to do is wait for the inevitable passing on and then it can become the older and take its turn trying to explain its firm opinions to the new younger.

I’d say Richard is settling in very nicely because that’s certainly how traditions of hereditary chiefship work.

If anyone here wants to read about all this diaspora stuff from an academic and not a one-sided perspective, there's nothing finer that Tom Devine's 'To the Ends of the Earth'.

Thanks for the correction....I may have mis understood his 'old boys club' comment but didn't mean it in a negative fashion.
I suspect I got a bit of it correctly and part of his learning curve in speaking about these subjects is to say exactly what you mean or do not say it at all. When you have a certain authority in subjects casual comments might lead to a response one does not intend or one would rather keep private.
I think he'll do very well in that role and have always thought so as I've seen him partake, rep the trad of hereditary Chieftains as Tanist about 5 times now.