The Scots Who Left

[luath]

"My question is,what is it that makes one decide to cleave to Scotland as some sort of ancestral mecca,when to be fair you could just as likely choose one of the other cultures from one of your forefathers that is actually much nearer in time to you than an 1850's Scot."

Maybe this kind of thing:

[Nick the DSM]

That poor dog must be freezing.

[AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH]

Luath, fantastic photo.
Without a doubt Scotland is a beautifull place.Photographers say that the play of sunlight through moist Scottish air provides a sort of beauty that is unique.

But some members state that they are equally mixed with peoples that come from parts of the world that are just as striking in thier own way.The alps of Germany,the Dolomites of eastern europe,etc.Is there a sort of extra,romantisized pull to Scotland above other just as legitimate 'lost homelands' at play?If so it is fascinating to wonder why.
What forces are at play to make a fellow who could perhaps drop in on maybe half a dozen different and equaly historic 'fatherlands',bypass these to head for Scotland and wear a kilt whilst hiking on Skye,thoughrelly enjoyable as that would be!All for a connection that in some cases may be far more tenuous than what he has with other,historicaly closer forefathers.It's just a really interesting phenomenon.

[luath]

Freezing? She was positively balmy that day.



Here she is properly embracing a Scottish winter:





(BTW, she's lying here on the floor next to me eating biscuits, in case anybody's concerned about her wellbeing.

[Gael Ridire]

What is the lure to draw me generations past more current ancestors to Scots/Irish, etc.? I've wondered on this myself. My mother-in-law has been upset with me for not stressing the culture of the Swiss with my children when they were little. I've taken them to Swiss Days festival and was very disappointed. Nobody and I mean nobody was celebrating anything Swiss! No national dress, no food, no music or singing, just booth after booth of trinkets that had nothing to do with Switzerland. Same thing exits in another part of the state where Scandinavian Days are celebrated. But the Scottish games are celebrated in three different locations in the state. Yes it is a melting of traditions celebrated as such by the diaspora, but it is celebrated. It may be nothing like a festival in Scotland, but it is what has evolved here. And it is remembered.

One son got married nearly a year ago to a beautiful girl who is descended from five Scottish clans including her surname. She didn't even know she was of Scots descent, but is half Samoan and Hawian. But felt a tug at her heart when attending one of the local festivals. My other son is engaged to a girl who is of Germanic Jewish descent, who's mother is a Baillie who's great-grandfather was from Aberdeen, Scotland, and has a photo of him in kilt playing the pipes somewhere in storage. She attended the same festival and was moved that this was part of her heritage. Now my daughter's husband's great-grandfather was from Slovakia, and he champs at the bit to wear a kilt, even went out and obtained one, and wore it to work where he promptly got chewed out for inappropriate dress to work.(This is another story.) For me I'm a mutt. I'm Irish, Welsh, Scottish, French, Dutch, English, Flemish, German, German/Polish, & Cezch. My wife adds Cornish, Swiss, and Danish. So add that these three will bring Jewish, South Sea Islander, and Slovakian blood into the family. Wow, my grandkids will really by mutts! But I have told each of them that those unique heritages need to be experienced by their children too. Not a single one of them has any interest in doing so. The Irish/Scot heritage is fine with them, for it stresses family/extended family!

For me, my surname is Irish, my mother's maiden name is Ulster Scot. My most closest lines but ones that I feel a connection with. I feel nothing for the Germanic, etc., and a great deal has to do with they have no celebrations in my state. As I've stated before, strapping on the kilt makes me feel connected to my forefathers, no mater how distant the relationship.

[AN COIGREACH ALBANNACH]

Thank you Gael Ridire.I think it's good that all of those differing family cultural 'offshoots',or 'inputs' can still be listed.That to me shows respect for,as you say,all of them.A clourfull and rich tapestry indeed.

Interesting that the Scottish influenced festivities in your part of the world appear to be far stronger in character and support than others of similar ilk.From what you post,that is the reason why you and family find yourselves bending toward the displays of things inspired by ideas of Scotland that you find there?
I climbed and cut down some trees for an old Swiss gentleman recently.After, he took us to his cellar and showed us his Alphorn,pictures of him officiating at 'Swiss day' wrestling bouts,and gave us a bottle of his home made apple cider.Inside also was the replica of a Swiss chalet that he had made to be pulled behind a cart with huge cow bells hanging off the cattle that towed it for national 'Swiss day'.The stories of the fondue and other delicacies available at these Swiss culture days was mouth watering!
He truly is an old school craftsman,and it was good to see such a rich snapshot of Switzerland still beating strong 'down under'It would be a shame to see these sort of cultures falter and die for want of support.As someone with Scottish family influence still strong and current,it is a compliment to my background that families like yours want to re-boot,shall we say? lost Scottish attatchments.Though it does seem a shame of sorts to feel you appear to miss out on the same strength of feeling for your even closer Swiss, and other,cultural resources.

Surely there is more to it for you than the principle of the loudest brass band attracts the biggest crowd?The attraction of digging up and bringing back into vogue various activities seen as a celebration of Scottish forebears appears to be very powerfull for some ,and I find it really interesting to find what is at the bottom of the motivations for this.There must be different 'triggers' for different folk?

[The Monk]

Or does Scotland just sort of bowl the others over like ninepins?

Why yes, now that you mention it.

Although in my case the 7 boil down to Scots, Irish, and English as far back as I can go with the odd German thrown in at the great-great-great level. The first of them came to America in the 1620's.

I won't wear lederhosen and I guess I'd have a go at the handkerchiefs around the knees but I don't know of any local English festivals. But I do play the pipes so the kilt becomes obligatory.

[ctbuchanan]

There are festivals of many cultures where I live: Italian, Albanian, Greek etc all over our area. The Irish of course have St. Pat's but do go beyond that. Irish Step dancing is very big in the USA with a feis practically every weekend. And there are hundreds of Irish pubs with music weekly. But that doesn't mean, of course, that any of these cultures go around celebrating their heritage every day or every weekend; once or twice a year perhaps. But there are Polish Catholic Churches, Portuguese American Heritage Clubs, The Italian Pontelandolfo Society etc where they gather socially on a regular basis.

I believe the Scottish phenomenon in the USA to be unique because of the Clan aspect. But there is a very very small number of us who because of our affiliation with a clan society attend more than perhaps one or two highland games a year. Athletes, pipers, dancers etc would be the others that we see at four or five games a year.

And the number who attend the games, if put in perspective, is small. Here in New England there are around 10 highland games in a season that lasts from May to October. The biggest is New Hampshire which draws 35-40,000 people over 3 days. But that may account for 5 or 10% of those with Scottish heritage within say a three hours drive so even though we think of it as large it, in fact, attracts only a small percentage. The vast majority have probably never attended a games.

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".

[Lyle1]

Lyle1 the community which you speak of sounds a real joy!That sort of mixed festival of differing cultures,particularly the foods,must be so much fun!The variety is great to imagine.

It is interesting though, that the two communities that I mentioned are quite different. Where I grew up, ethnic heritage was expressed and recognized daily. The neighborhood was quite mixed, so it became a bit of a stew. To this day, I have to think before I can remember the English word for some foods, particularly produce and spices, and I still remember impolite words in several languages. Where I live now, recognition of ethnic heritage is mostly reserved for special observances, such as International Day. I avoid ordering ethnic foods in most local restaurants, because most of the distinctive seasonings are left out to please the local palate.

[Joshua]

Frankly for me its possibly a case of lacking an ethnic identity, and being envious of those that did. That, and among my amazingly diverse lineage, the kilt is the only ethnic garb in my lineage that is culturally relevant in these moden times (unless Welsh stovepipe hats or leiderhosen from Germany come back in a strong way). America has no "ethnic" group, so even if there was a national dress and it was as exciting as the kilt, I would still wear the kilt.

My attachment to Scotland is more a love affair than a direct lineage anyway, and I hold similar love towards the Viking countries of Iceland, Finland, Norway, etc... (even though I have NO recorded descendents there at all). This has to do with my love of physical strength, the classic feats of manhood, that were at one time very much a part of those ancient cultures (the manhood stones of Ireland, the McGlashen stones of Scotland, the Husefel stone of Iceland, the games, etc...).

In short...
I got hooked onto this oft-romanticized culture and found justification to call it my own.