Are You A Clansman?

[Streetcar]

Can I trace a "Scottish Clan" relationship? Yes. McDonald septs to Clanranald and Keppoch.
Do I pay the someone so I can claim membership in a group, who in return, grant me a newsletter, and notice of a few dinners? No.

HOWEVER...Do I belong to a clan in the sense of a group of friends/family who I know I can rely on in a crisis, and in return they can rely on me in a crisis?

Yes. Clan Kizzier and The "Auld Blue Clan" (police officers). And by extention, my cousins - The "Auld Red Clan" (Firefighters).

Otherwise, Steve said it best:

I signed up here, I post here. This is my Clan. This is my family.

[BoldHighlander]

This is probably going to be almost as contentious as the What Is A Scot wars of a few weks ago... I hope not, but ya never know....

Is it your name, your ancestry, or a membership card that gives you bragging rights as a Clan MacX clansman?

Let me step out of the line of fire and ask:

YOUR OPINIONS, PLEASE?

Well MacMillan, you've might've opened a real can of worms with this one

This is one of those subjects thats purely subjective. What maybe "correct" for one individual, or clan / clan society, maynot be for another.

Why even within my own Clan Mackay (USA / Canada / & Scotland) we have had one or two individuals voice the opinion that one must bear the surname to be a "true" clansman. An opinion thankfully not shared by the Chief or the rest of the membership.

I consider it by my DNA and surname. My clan assocations request a genealogy, but other clan associations do not.

I agree with what Jack wrote (for myself), though when you mention surname I do not know if you mean you bear the surname or you come from a linage connected to that surname?
In my case it is the later. My paternal grandmother was a Scobee, and we can trace our linage at least as far as my 6th great-grandfather, John Scoby b. 1720 in Scotland.

If someone today, as the afore mentioned Mackay, believes you must bear the surname to be a member, I say nonsense! After all many of our ancestors belonged to the clans either through marriage, swearing allegience to the chief, etc, without ever taking the chief's name, mine included.

Again, using Clan Mackay as an example, we also have members who have no relation at all to the Mackays or their septs. These are honorary members who have shown great interest & done service for the clan, its society, etc.
Really again no different than in ancient times.

As with Jack, in my associations some require genealogy, some do not.
Mackays do not, however we have been in the (long overdue) process of developing a genealogical data base. In everyone of my memberships I have provided a genealogy for each one going back to Scotland, or Ireland (required or not).

And while I honor my ancestors with memberships in their clans (the ones I can positively trace anyways), I feel most bound to the Mackays thru my pride in my Scobee kith & kin and their accomplishments (including my cousin Dick Scobee, late commander of the ill-fated space shuttle Challenger), thru my friendships & kinships with Clan Mackay worldwide, and by being a state commissioner for the society (a position which was approved by the Lord Reay, Chief of the Mackays himself.).

In the end, am I a clansman? Yes, like Jack so well said "its in my DNA".

[BoldHighlander]

Can I trace a "Scottish Clan" relationship? Yes. McDonald septs to Clanranald and Keppoch.
Do I pay the someone so I can claim membership in a group, who in return, grant me a newsletter, and notice of a few dinners? No.

Sadly true for some, but not for all. There are some groups that are very active in hosting various activities through out the year.


Okay, what drives me nuts however, is when someone asks me "what am I going to get out of joining"? It seems like everyone expects something for (almost) nothing.
I turn it around & say to them "as much as you give".

As state commissioner I am one person, an unpaid volunteer! I am not a millionaire, and have limited funds. I have ideas, and wish to provide more for my kinsmen in my area, but some of them need to step up to the plate & become involved, then "I/we" can do more as a clan society.

So if you choose to join a clan society, don't just sit back & wait for your monthly newsletter. Contact your area or nat'l rep and ask them what can I do to help? Or if you have an idea for an event, contact them, organize it, make it happen. The results might surprise you.
And that too is being a "Clansman"



(...oh, and Streetcar, I don't want you to think this was directed at you, it wasn't.
I was speaking in generalized terms )

[SFCRick]

I am a member of my Clan, had to prove Geneology to be a card carrying member

[rickmac15]

I carry the clan sur name and have had my geneology traced . I belong to support our Musem in newtonmore Scotland.

Rick

[Sketraw]

Okay, what drives me nuts however, is when someone asks me "what am I going to get out of joining"? It seems like everyone expects something for (almost) nothing.
I turn it around & say to them "as much as you give".

As state commissioner I am one person, an unpaid volunteer! I am not a millionaire, and have limited funds. I have ideas, and wish to provide more for my kinsmen in my area, but some of them need to step up to the plate & become involved, then "I/we" can do more as a clan society.

So if you choose to join a clan society, don't just sit back & wait for your monthly newsletter. Contact your area or nat'l rep and ask them what can I do to help? Or if you have an idea for an event, contact them, organize it, make it happen. The results might surprise you.
And that too is being a "Clansman"

I think Terry has hit the nail on the head here. In many respects you only get out what you put in. Being a member of a Clan/Clan Society is more than saying simply 'I am a member' it is all about participation and it doesn't matter how small the contribution is, just....participate

[andyfg]

[FONT="Georgia"][COLOR="DarkGreen"][B] That's pretty funny....but not exactly true.

The Irish do have clans, some which have gone back as long as the Scots clans in history (at least). Here's the ones I know of:

Fitzgibbon Clan

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fitzgibbonclan/

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Heraldically speaking, when you wear your chief's badge, you are showing your loyalty to the cheif. At the heart of it, this is what it means to be a member of the clan. Are you loyal to your clan cheif? Even if one could not prove through geneaology that they were related to the clan, if you were loyal to the cheif, you'd most likely be considered a member.

[Sketraw]

Heraldically speaking, when you wear your chief's badge, you are showing your loyalty to the cheif. At the heart of it, this is what it means to be a member of the clan. Are you loyal to your clan cheif? Even if one could not prove through geneaology that they were related to the clan, if you were loyal to the cheif, you'd most likely be considered a member.

I know what you are referring to here as the 'Chiefs Badge' (Clansmans Badge, Chiefs Crest in a Strap & Buckle) however the 'Chiefs Badge' may well be different to his crest the 'Plant Badge' for example. No Clans person can wear the 'Chiefs Badge' only the Chief's crest in a strap & buckle. The 'Chiefs Cap Badge' again this is different to the Clansman's Cap Badge.

[Jack Daw]

Me mither was nee O'More.