Imitation, sincerest form of flattery?

[Jock Scot]

Here's something I have been wondering, more for our kindred over the pond, but experience counts so throw in!

Many, if not most, of us are of Celtic descent, not that that needs to matter, and see our love of all things Scottish, Irish and Welsh as celebrating, and enjoying our heritage, in all the various ways. This isn't about trad or contentious, I mean contmeporary!

What is the attitude towards our inclination from those who are natives, be they Irish, Scots, or Welsh? Are we seen as posers, Renn Faire escapees, nutters, or, is it seen a flattery and admiration for a people and land we have a deep connectin to, real or otherwise.

I can only speak as a Scot. Baring in mind that most of us are getting on with our daily lives, I would say they(me certainly) hardly give our heritage, traditions and culture a thought.I do tend to have to think about it, when I am on this website though. Other than my own family's history, Scotland's past, just occasionally might cross my mind. It is usually when a earnest wide eyed visitor, often looking through rose tinted glasses, tries to tell me some cock and bull story about our history, that I do. In the past I used to let them go on and on and on with a fixed smile on my face and that would be that. I was wrong to do that! Nowadays I tell them, courteously, the truth, if I happen to know it. So in all honesty, I view the visitors as Americans, Canadians, Australians, or wherever, as just that; with an interest in my country.In truth, I regard anything other than "normal kilt attire" as theatrical nonsense.

[Dall_Piobaire]

Right to the bottom line! Thanks for your opinion Jock!

I was interested in the heritage of both sides of my family. I was surrounded by it on both sides. My Grand father on my mom's side, and of course my aunt's and uncles on my dad's side.

Though my dad's side carries a ton of American history with it, it was always my mom's side that struck me really deeply. I wouldn't say I wear rose colored glasses, it is the uniqueness of the thing!

[skauwt]

i find it flattering that so many folk from other countries have such a fondness for my wee home country
i know alot of members on here have ancestors from the celtic lands but then so do i ..ive a fair few ancestors from Ireland ( and plenty from Scotland)but other than gathering data about them and when they lived ..there isn't much else i do about it ...traditional attire and there customs they had are a different world from me one of my great great great granddads might be from Ennis in southern Ireland but Ive never had the urge to "be Irish "( i just leave that to the misses) but then another my great great grandfathers came from thurso doesn't mean i embrace everything to do with the Gaels
with my view on the clothing aspects of the celtic side of things again i find it flattering that folk like all things celtic and like to dress in period clothes and so on but then i have no issue with that i find it humbling in some way that people from all over the world like to wear kilts at the end of the day folk can wear what they want,
id imagine some folk see my dress sense( my avatar image for example) as somewhat "theatrical to a extent" 30 -40 years the clothing i wear would be deemed as normal every day items now its 2009 they prob think I'm off to a 60s theme fancy dress these days

the old saying goes "wear what you want and be dammed what others think"

[Dall_Piobaire]

i find it flattering that so many folk from other countries have such a fondness for my wee home country
i know alot of members on here have ancestors from the celtic lands but then so do i ..ive a fair few ancestors from Ireland ( and plenty from Scotland)but other than gathering data about them and when they lived ..there isn't much else i do about it ...traditional attire and there customs they had are a different world from me one of my great great great granddads might be from Ennis in southern Ireland but Ive never had the urge to "be Irish "( i just leave that to the misses) but then another my great great grandfathers came from thurso doesn't mean i embrace everything to do with the Gaels
with my view on the clothing aspects of the celtic side of things again i find it flattering that folk like all things celtic and like to dress in period clothes and so on but then i have no issue with that i find it humbling in some way that people from all over the world like to wear kilts at the end of the day folk can wear what they want,
id imagine some folk see my dress sense( my avatar image for example) as somewhat "theatrical to a extent" 30 -40 years the clothing i wear would be deemed as normal every day items now its 2009 they prob think I'm off to a 60s theme fancy dress these days

the old saying goes "wear what you want and be dammed what others think"

I am a little older than you, but I will tell you this, some of that sixties stuff is making a comeback. Though, and interstingly related, the connotations of the clothing, very rebelious at the time, is lost. But then everything in some way means something different to everyone.