The Scots Who Left

[AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH]

These posts are really a good read.Honest and interesting answers.
I grew up with Scots in the family,and due to the close family connection recognized on the official level I actually went back to live in Scotland.Same as a resident but unable to access financial social benefits.(though I was admitted to N.H.S)
As you see,not a born Scot but even so I do share a degree of the wonderment that Scots feel at seeing this oft seen desire to find and celebrate Scottish roots,at times so far removed.Particularly in America there almost seems to be another "Walter Scott inspired highland revival" take two occuring,and I thank those contributing posts because it does help me get your perspectives.

[Jock Scot]

My family (first generation USA) think of ourselves as American first - Scots and English second (my Dad was a Yorkshireman). We wear our kilts to family weddings, Christmas and the occasional reunion but not as everyday wear. We aren't immersed in Scottish culture, we ARE immersed in American culture. Our everyday life is like that of any other American family, that is, until we get to the Games. Then we are Scots for a day or three before we go back to the "Good old USA".

Now this I can fully understand and totally respect, as do, I am sure, many in Scotland. I ask this, not to pour petrol onto the fire, but as an attempt to understand and clear the air.

So this rather descriptive "playing at being a Scot" that seems to make so many of you squirm so, is not as far out as we may think?

[ctbuchanan]

Hmmm - I think I can see the confusion. When I say we "are Scots" for a day I don't mean to imply that we pretend to actually be so. I don't put on an accent (although some do on occasion that I've heard) or mimic other Scottish mannerisms.

More accurately what I do (and I can't speak for others) is wear my kilt and host a Clan Tent for the Clan Buchanan. We are there ready to introduce people to our heritage and history with displays and printed material. We show off the tartan, we provide hospitality to those who stop by with refreshments, baked treats etc. I don't "go into character" of any kind and pretend to actually be a Scot.

There are re-enactors who immerse themselves as such. But to say we do the same would not be accurate. Here are some photos of our clan tent inside and out. There really isn't anyone here playing at being a Scot although I can understand the misconception. As I think I've said in other posts; for me and most of the Clan Society reps that I know it is more a social endeavor.

[Joshua]

So this rather descriptive "playing at being a Scot" that seems to make so many of you squirm so, is not as far out as we may think?

Maybe it's the delivery that's lacking?

I can't speak for my other fellow Americans, but I will say that with the exception of Native Americans, America lacks a universal ethnic identity. Many of us cleave to our ancestor's identities as a way of standing out from the homogenization of ethnicities prevalent in our American Culture (the "white/black/other" boxes we have to check on official documents, etc).

This isn't uncommon among other Euro-American cultures, visit a large city and you are likely to see bumperstickers in Polish, German, Welsh, etc... and during International sporting events, you are likely to see Americans with some sort of ethnic tie to a particular country cheering for a country they are hundreds of years removed from. In large cities, you are likely to find just about anyone with a "ski" at the end of their name celebrating their Slavic heritage with food, clothing, and decor within their homes... even if they are several generations removed. My mother-in-law still swears in Italian and cooks FANTASTIC Italian food on occasion, although she is a Vietnam veteran and was born in this country to Immigrant parents.

In short, it is a blatant attempt to reconnect with an Ethnic culture. In urban areas, it is not surprising to see Mexican Americans wearing cowboy clothing (and in cases of weddings, Central American Indian garb),even in my urban area where cows won't be found for at least an hour's drive. It isn't uncommon to see American citizens who are Indians, Orthodox Jews, and Muslim Arabs/Asians wearing ethnic garb.

It is not so much "playing" (as that insinuates something not taken seriously), as it is reconnecting with a long-forgotten past to define an intimate, personal identity. And therein lies the perceived insult when we are accused of "playing" at building our personal identity.

For those of you native Scots not born into this culture, it may seem odd, and we may seem not genuine, but you do not have this background of missing your ethnic identity, it's been there for you, forever.

[kilted scholar]

Joshua: Maybe it's the delivery that's lacking?

I can't speak for my other fellow Americans, but I will say that with the exception of Native Americans, America lacks a universal ethnic identity. Many of us cleave to our ancestor's identities as a way of standing out from the homogenization of ethnicities prevalent in our American Culture (the "white/black/other" boxes we have to check on official documents, etc).

This isn't uncommon among other Euro-American cultures, visit a large city and you are likely to see bumperstickers in Polish, German, Welsh, etc... and during International sporting events, you are likely to see Americans with some sort of ethnic tie to a particular country cheering for a country they are hundreds of years removed from. In large cities, you are likely to find just about anyone with a "ski" at the end of their name celebrating their Slavic heritage with food, clothing, and decor within their homes... even if they are several generations removed. My mother-in-law still swears in Italian and cooks FANTASTIC Italian food on occasion, although she is a Vietnam veteran and was born in this country to Immigrant parents.

In short, it is a blatant attempt to reconnect with an Ethnic culture. In urban areas, it is not surprising to see Mexican Americans wearing cowboy clothing (and in cases of weddings, Central American Indian garb),even in my urban area where cows won't be found for at least an hour's drive. It isn't uncommon to see American citizens who are Indians, Orthodox Jews, and Muslim Arabs/Asians wearing ethnic garb.

It is not so much "playing" (as that insinuates something not taken seriously), as it is reconnecting with a long-forgotten past to define an intimate, personal identity. And therein lies the perceived insult when we are accused of "playing" at building our personal identity.

For those of you native Scots not born into this culture, it may seem odd, and we may seem not genuine, but you do not have this background of missing your ethnic identity, it's been there for you, forever.

As one who lived in the USA for nearly thirty years, who is married to an American, whose children are both British and American, and who was immersed in the life of the area we were in - with no contact with expatriates, although frequent visits to the UK - I strongly resonate to these sentiments insofar as I recognize that this is what drives large sections of the populace there.

Our local Greek Orthodox church, for example, consisted of a congregation of a couple of hundred, all of whom were instantly recognizable as of Greek extraction. They ate Greek food, held an annual Greek festival, and so on ...

It is true that many in the USA may not properly grasp the nature of the countries of origin of their forebears from the recent or distant past. It seems to me that it is equally true that many in the old country, who may not themselves live in multi-cultural areas of Britain, find it equally difficult to comprehend these perspectives.

[Bugbear]

Very interesting observations and points, kilted scholar.

I consider what you describe to be an US American identity in itself, especially when garbs are mixed.

[kilted hillbilly]

Part three interests me since it says here in the south not many Scots immigrants settled. I was reading something that Jimmie Driftwood, who penned the song "The battle of New Orleans" and later became a folklorist of the mountain folk in Arkansas said. Accorrding to him many Scots setteled in the hills here.He said something like, "When they saw those hills when they got to Batesville and beyond, it reminded them of Scotland so much they thanked God that they were finally home". I'm para-phrasing, but that was the gist of it. Now we hold the annual Scottish festival at Lyon College in Batesville. I think there is a pretty strong link between Scotland and this part of the south, IMHO. One that as a native Arkansan of Scottish desent I am proud to take part in.

[ctbuchanan]

Part three interests me since it says here in the south not many Scots immigrants settled. I was reading something that Jimmie Driftwood, who penned the song "The battle of New Orleans" and later became a folklorist of the mountain folk in Arkansas said. Accorrding to him many Scots setteled in the hills here.He said something like, "When they saw those hills when they got to Batesville and beyond, it reminded them of Scotland so much they thanked God that they were finally home". I'm para-phrasing, but that was the gist of it. Now we hold the annual Scottish festival at Lyon College in Batesville. I think there is a pretty strong link between Scotland and this part of the south, IMHO. One that as a native Arkansan of Scottish desent I am proud to take part in.

I must have missed the 'part three' you are referring to. For anyone to say that not many Scots immigrants settled in the south is a gross error. HUGE numbers of Scots and Scots-Irish settled in the south. There are more people in North Carolina with Scots surnames than in all of Scotland. The Scots were a major part of southern and hill country history and were responsible for settling the areas of Tenn, W. Va, Ark, Miss and on into the west. I'm sorry I missed that one or I would have set the record straight right away. Just a quick scan of the officers of the Confederacy would correct that misconception right away.

[Gael Ridire]

Ctbuchanan and Joshua have described my motive and thinking of choosing my Irish/Scot lineage. I'm trying to make the Irish/Scot heritage more then just one or two days a year. In my family Halloween is specially celebrated as the beginning of the Celtic New Year. I'll post about this when the season approaches. And my children and spouses have all agreed to where the kilt/tartan at family events, weddings, etc. When a kilt isn't appropriate (don't know when that is) then a tartan tie will be worn.

For ten years I hosted a clan tent but strangely it bothered me in time for not having the surname. Next year at one of the festivals/games my family plans on hosting a tent for the Irish diaspora. Since my surname is Irish I feel almost a calling to help disseminate data on one's Irish heritage. Years ago at a game where I hosted my Scottish clan, a young woman surnamed McCarthy asked to see her clan tartan. I decided then that there needed to be some education and this Celtic festival is one where nobody represents the Irish, even though it is labeled as a Celtic festival.

Re-en-actors are fine, but those who pretend to be Scots or that it is 1745, these bother me for "they" are playing at being Scots. I usually wear a polo shirt/golf shirt with my kilt. I am first and foremost an American, second a Gael/Celt, third a mutt.

From attending games for several years my children associated tartan/plaid with being Scots. Driving down the street one day my children spied a man in a plaid shirt and yelled out, "Look he's Scottish!" I don't know if he was or not, it was a moment to educate them, but what was important was recognizing a part of their heritage.

What I find sad is Americans who forget where they come from. My mother's family is surnamed Alcorn. A very distinct name. For three generations it was said in the family and passed down the generations that the origin was French. When I researched the lineage and found they came from Glenveagh, County Donegal, Ireland in 1804 on the ship 'Duncan' they had a very hard time accepting it! Since I've connected with the brother who stayed behind descendants in Donegal. Originally the family were Robertson from Scotland, who were planters in 1600s. Thus for me my family wears the Irish National Tartan for our Irish origin, and the kilt to honor our Scottish heritage, to honor and remember from whence we came.

[Jock Scot]

I quite accept that unless you have experience of a situation it is very difficult, on occasion, to understand another point of view and I think sensible discussion, such as we are having here, does highlight the problem to all, makes us aware of it and hopefully makes us ask ourselves what is really being said. Inevitably we are bound to misunderstand all too often.

This "playing at being a Scot" is just a turn of phrase that the Scots use and should be regarded as nothing more. Although, as we now know, it does seem to rankle with some outwith Scotland.

It highlights a problem that I have seen on this website more than a few times and I think having a couple of UK mods to interpret has helped here. I think that on the whole the use of words (not including expletives) is far more robust in the UK and even more so in Scotland and whilst that is not even noticed here in the UK, it most obviously is when others(apart from Australians!!!!) outwith the UK, read what we say, the misunderstandings then start to appear. It is a same words different emphasis of meaning situation.

I have found that on this website that has mainly a North American membership that I really have to choose my words extremely carefully to avoid misunderstandings, the ire of the readers and the wrath of the mods. Hence my oft seen editing of my posts. Fair enough, but if I was writing to someone in the UK I would use half the words and different ones that I use here and cause no offence whatsoever.

Also added to that, on this site, there does seem to be an almost a slavish wish to spilt hairs over such minute details that rightly or wrongly I put it down to trying to grasp at straws in justifying whatever it is you are trying to do. Take the dreaded "white hose" discussion. I have almost given up trying to dress up what I say for the international community on this subject, but new members do deserve a reasonable answer to their reasonable question. My honest and natural answer to anyone in the UK would be: "if they are all you have, wear them, if you like them then wear them, if you don't like them then don't wear them". If I answered like that here I would be accused of being blunt etc.etc.etc.etc................well alright, I am accused of that anyway!

So I am not saying I am(we are) right, you are wrong by any means, but likewise you outwith the UK need to understand that more often than not no offence is intended, we just phrase and understand things differently, that is all and do not necessarily mean what you think it means! It is a worldwide problem that the Internet highlights perfectly, I suggest.