What makes someone Scottish?

[Clockwork John]

Here's my two cents... I come from a long line of poor white trash, of Scotish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Cherokee decent. My Scottish heritage can only be traced back as far as a poor, unaccomapnied eight-year-old boy who arrived in New Orleans with a Scottish surname and Scotland listed as his country of origin on a passenger manifest. That was over 200 years ago.

Although I am American-born, "my people" have been on the wrong side of almost every war, class struggle, and racial discrimination, exclusion, and extermination attempt in this country's history.

My country of birth has never welcomed or accepted me or "my kind." I am an American only because I was born here. My whole life (or at least from my teen years on) I have wished I could identify myself as something other than an American.

I was recently married, and we included several "celtic" elements in our wedding ceremony. Had my wife chosen a more formal dress, I would have worn a kilt.

For our honeymoon we went to London, Dublin, and Edinburg. The trip changed me. In Edinburgh, I sat on the Royal Mile and cried... I felt like I had come home after a long absence. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere. Walking down the streets, listening to pipers play in the greens and on the corners, eating in the pubs... it just felt right, like nothing has ever felt right before. If you've never had an experience like that, you won't understand.

So, do I consider myself a Scot?
With all my heart.

Was I born in Scotland, or do I reside there?
No.

If my country of origin went to war with Scotland, which side would I fight for?
Scotland.

When people ask if I'm Scottish, I say I was born in the U.S. but yes, I am a Scot.

A Scottish surname... Scottish blood... Scottish pride... a kilt...

What more does on need to call himself (or herself) a Scot?

- Sean Campbell
Ne Obliviscaris

[Raptor]

Here's my 2 bob's worth: I consider myself a Scot. I was born in Aberdeen, but emigrated to Australia when I was two. Everything I've formally learned, earned, or aquired came from Australia, right down to the accent (unless I've had a tad too much speyside!). I've fought & bled for Australia & celebrate her national days with pride. I consider myself to be an Aussie patriot, & am proud to be considered Australian by others. I would lay down my life for Australia without hesitation as both the country & it's people have been good to me, so to a large amount I also consider myself an Aussie. At the same time however:

I was born a Scot. I was raised a Scot at home. Although I tried to hide it for a long time (imagine how traumatic it was being made to wear a kilt on your first day of school!), ultimately the blood will out. Both my Great-grandfather & my Grandfather fought in the same Highland Regiment. Culturally at home we lived as Scots. I have no wish to appear rude or insensitive here, but this example seems a reasonable comparison for those born elsewhere of Scots descent: Does a Jew feel less Jewish because they dont live or originate from Israel? The Diaspora happened, & as a result Jews may be found all over the world, proud & united in their culture & heritage. Likewise, the Clearances happened, & the Scots too have found their way all over the world, where they have made significant cultural impact in their adopted lands. Are their descendents less of a Scot? I personally dont believe so.

[Clockwork John]

...Does a Jew feel less Jewish because they dont live or originate from Israel? The Diaspora happened, & as a result Jews may be found all over the world, proud & united in their culture & heritage. Likewise, the Clearances happened, & the Scots too have found their way all over the world, where they have made significant cultural impact in their adopted lands. Are their descendents less of a Scot? I personally dont believe so.

Very well said, Raptor!

[Cawdorian]

From another Campbell descendant.

The sound of the bagpipes send chills up and down my spine, I feel like I belong in my kilt. The people I associate with at the many Scottish functions I attend are my kind of people, I feel right at home with them. The blood of many clans flows in my veins. I know "My Heart is in the Highlands."

The Scottish diaspora are scattered throughout the world and have assimilated themselves into many countries and have made many notable contributions to our society. I'm quite comfortable with and am proud of my Scottish ancestry.

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit,

I say I am partly of Scottish descent. I am Irish (by citizenship and birth), Canadian by citizenship, and 1/4 Scottish by virtue of my paternal grandmother who was born there.

Even if I didn't have any Scottish ancestry, I would still feel a connection to Highland culture in particular by virtue of being Irish. We are, after all, extraordinarily similar peoples. This has often been glossed over by some in the past. In many ways, the Irish and the Scottish Highlanders have more in common than the Highlanders and Lowlanders!

It's interesting that some brought up the Ulster-Scots/Scots-Irish (whatever you want to call them) connection. Ulster has a special connection will Scotland in more ways than people think. Ulster (Dal Riada) was where the Gaels emigrated to Scotland from. Ulster is also frequently where the gallowglasses served, and it is where the Plantation of the 17th Century occurred (by those of mainly Lowlander descent). It is a strange irony that many people of Ulster-Scots descent often used Highland Scottish culture to display their differences with the native Irish while the Highlander Scots who arrived in Ulster earlier as gallowglasses were assimilated and absorbed into the Irish system. Food for thought!

P.S. It's also funny that people refer to only Northern Ireland as Ulster. Technically it is only 2/3 of Ulster. I was born in Co. Donegal and can certainly lay claim to being an Ulsterman!

[LK-13]

my genetic stock and family really confuses everything,
i am the result of a girl from Newfoundland getting raped in 1965
i was born in the following March of 1966.
and Adopted as a week old infant by my parents.

so by blood i'm half Italian and half Scott.

my family is half Scott decent and half Irish decent.
but all born second generation in Canada.

we take pride in our Scottish roots so we are embracing that.
if anyone has a problem with that,
we owe you nothing so your feelings are worth as much as we have paid for them.

[majdan]

Here's my two cents... I come from a long line of poor white trash, of Scotish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Cherokee decent. My Scottish heritage can only be traced back as far as a poor, unaccomapnied eight-year-old boy who arrived in New Orleans with a Scottish surname and Scotland listed as his country of origin on a passenger manifest. That was over 200 years ago.

Although I am American-born, "my people" have been on the wrong side of almost every war, class struggle, and racial discrimination, exclusion, and extermination attempt in this country's history.

My country of birth has never welcomed or accepted me or "my kind." I am an American only because I was born here. My whole life (or at least from my teen years on) I have wished I could identify myself as something other than an American.

I was recently married, and we included several "celtic" elements in our wedding ceremony. Had my wife chosen a more formal dress, I would have worn a kilt.

For our honeymoon we went to London, Dublin, and Edinburg. The trip changed me. In Edinburgh, I sat on the Royal Mile and cried... I felt like I had come home after a long absence. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere. Walking down the streets, listening to pipers play in the greens and on the corners, eating in the pubs... it just felt right, like nothing has ever felt right before. If you've never had an experience like that, you won't understand.

So, do I consider myself a Scot?
With all my heart.

Was I born in Scotland, or do I reside there?
No.

If my country of origin went to war with Scotland, which side would I fight for?
Scotland.

When people ask if I'm Scottish, I say I was born in the U.S. but yes, I am a Scot.

A Scottish surname... Scottish blood... Scottish pride... a kilt...

What more does on need to call himself (or herself) a Scot?

- Sean Campbell
Ne Obliviscaris

Well said. I'll drink to that any time.

[Phil]

A very interesting thread and what is coming through very strongly is a wish to identify with the Scottish nation and culture. Scottish people for centuries have had to emigrate to escape the oppressive yoke of England first to the northern Irish counties where, for a while, they were able to have religious freedom and then to America to escape similar persecution introduced in Ireland. Later many were transported to Australia some for such trivial reasons as vagrancy (a "hobo" in America). What is very evident, however, is that once in America they quickly assimilated into the culture there and, like Davy Crockett an Ulsterman with Scottish roots, became pioneers opening up the country as they had done in the Scottish borders and Ireland before. What I have seen in my lifetime has been a remarkable rise, in Americans in particular, of a recognition at last of the true nature of their heritage and roots and this is reflected very strongly here. I truly believe you are what your heart tells you and if that is Scottish then that is what you are wherever you happen to live.

[macwilkin]

A very interesting thread and what is coming through very strongly is a wish to identify with the Scottish nation and culture. Scottish people for centuries have had to emigrate to escape the oppressive yoke of England first to the northern Irish counties where, for a while, they were able to have religious freedom and then to America to escape similar persecution introduced in Ireland. Later many were transported to Australia some for such trivial reasons as vagrancy (a "hobo" in America). What is very evident, however, is that once in America they quickly assimilated into the culture there and, like Davy Crockett an Ulsterman with Scottish roots, became pioneers opening up the country as they had done in the Scottish borders and Ireland before. What I have seen in my lifetime has been a remarkable rise, in Americans in particular, of a recognition at last of the true nature of their heritage and roots and this is reflected very strongly here. I truly believe you are what your heart tells you and if that is Scottish then that is what you are wherever you happen to live.

While David Crockett's ancestors did immigrate from Northern Ireland, they were of French Huguenots whose name was originally De Crocketagne. Many French & German Protestants settled in Ireland after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, and intermarried with their Lowland Scots Protestant neighbours.

Regards,

Todd

[LK-13]

Here's my two cents... I come from a long line of poor white trash, of Scotish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Cherokee decent. My Scottish heritage can only be traced back as far as a poor, unaccomapnied eight-year-old boy who arrived in New Orleans with a Scottish surname and Scotland listed as his country of origin on a passenger manifest. That was over 200 years ago.

Although I am American-born, "my people" have been on the wrong side of almost every war, class struggle, and racial discrimination, exclusion, and extermination attempt in this country's history.

My country of birth has never welcomed or accepted me or "my kind." I am an American only because I was born here. My whole life (or at least from my teen years on) I have wished I could identify myself as something other than an American.

I was recently married, and we included several "celtic" elements in our wedding ceremony. Had my wife chosen a more formal dress, I would have worn a kilt.

For our honeymoon we went to London, Dublin, and Edinburg. The trip changed me. In Edinburgh, I sat on the Royal Mile and cried... I felt like I had come home after a long absence. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere. Walking down the streets, listening to pipers play in the greens and on the corners, eating in the pubs... it just felt right, like nothing has ever felt right before. If you've never had an experience like that, you won't understand.

So, do I consider myself a Scot?
With all my heart.

Was I born in Scotland, or do I reside there?
No.

If my country of origin went to war with Scotland, which side would I fight for?
Scotland.

When people ask if I'm Scottish, I say I was born in the U.S. but yes, I am a Scot.

A Scottish surname... Scottish blood... Scottish pride... a kilt...

What more does on need to call himself (or herself) a Scot?

- Sean Campbell
Ne Obliviscaris

well said!!
here here!!
have a Dram of Pinch on me!