What makes someone Scottish?

[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.