What makes someone Scottish?

[Jerry]

My father immigrated here in the late 1920s from Northern Ireland. My mother's family has Scottish ancestry, so I always considered myself to be Scot Irish with possibly a stronger connection to Ireland. Then while asking the Irish American society about ways to trace my father's family, I found out that we are considered by them to be Scots, so I guess my connections to Scotland are stronger than I ever realized.

[Jeremiah]

We can trace ours to the MacKenzies in a straight direct decendency, but my family has never acted scottish, so I feel like a pretender.

[furrycelt]

It only takes one tiny drop of Scottish blood to infect the rest.

-ian

[Iolaus]

Interesting response Ioulas. My only concern is really encroaching on the territory of others so to speak.

Your really not clarifying the question much here. Whose toes are you trying to avoid, the Scottish ex-pat? ...or some American with a Scottish name, who was born and raised here in the states?

I think, if it's the latter, that you have as much right to be a hyphenated American as they do.

but my family has never acted scottish, so I feel like a pretender.

You still have to define, for yourself, what you mean when you say "Scottish", decide if you fit that definition, and then be willing to defend your definition if challanged on it.

[Jeremiah]

Your really not clarifying the question much here. Whose toes are you trying to avoid, the Scottish ex-pat? ...or some American with a Scottish name, who was born and raised here in the states?

I think, if it's the latter, that you have as much right to be a hyphenated American as they do.

You still have to define, for yourself, what you mean when you say "Scottish", decide if you fit that definition, and then be willing to defend your definition if challanged on it.

My family never even talked about it's Scottishness. We didn't celebrte the holidays or eat the food or tell the stories, or go to highland games or anything like that. My Dad had no clue about his heritage, his aunt (my great aunt) did all the research to prove it, but it simply wasn't talked about.

[Iolaus]

My family never even talked about it's Scottishness. We didn't celebrte the holidays or eat the food or tell the stories, or go to highland games or anything like that. My Dad had no clue about his heritage, his aunt (my great aunt) did all the research to prove it, but it simply wasn't talked about.

If it's really something you want to do, then it sounds like you'll have to do it for yourself. There are a lot of familys that left the old traditions back in the old country; you're not alone.

You asked at the very beginning, "Is rediscovering one's heritage a farse?" It's only a farce if it has no meaning. If you want to learn about the old traditions and reintroduce some of them in your own family, then learn about the meanings of those traditions and pass those meanings along as well; don't let traditions be empty gestures - that's how they die in the first place.

[toadinakilt]

What makes a person a Texan, a Mexican, or a Canadian ?...

After spending 5 weeks in Acapulco, my friends down there decided to make me an honorary Mexican...that is why I have a sweet poncho...

[Beery]

In my opinion people can only claim to be 'from' where they're born or where they've lived a fair proportion of their lives. Here in Boston we get folks who claim to be Irish who've never set foot in Ireland in their lives and whose living relatives are similarly unconnected. In my book, if you weren't born there, if you weren't raised by someone from there, you aren't of that nationality, period. In order to be a certain nationality you have to have some real active connection to the place - a long-term and meaningful connection that moulds your character first-hand. Having a relative from there who you never met doesn't cut it, and having a name that ties you to the country matters even less.

So I'm English - definitely not a Scot, definitely not a Belgian (although 1/8th Belgian by blood), definitely not Welsh (although 1/8th Welsh by blood). I'm a Yorkshireman born and bred, and I can claim to be half-Geordie - though I never lived in County Durham I was raised by a Geordie. I'm not Austrian even though I lived in Austria for three years, because I didn't live there long enough to be moulded by the experience. Although my name is Cooper I've never made a barrel in my life, so my surname is nothing more than a label.

Anything I claim more than what actively moulded my life would be a lie. I've also lived in the US for nearly half my life, but the reasons I don't claim to be American (I could get citizenship if I wanted) are different - I don't really like it here and I only live here because my wife prefers it. So in my opinion if you don't like the country you live in you can renounce being 'from' there despite having a legitimate claim to be 'from' there, but you can't claim nationality from somewhere unless you actually know the country or its people first-hand.

So be proud of where you're actually from, don't pretend to be from somewhere that's as alien to you as the surface of the moon, but if you want to wear the kilt, play the digeridoo, wear a stetson or do a Maori haka, in the words of the Nike ad, just do it. A New Zealander once asked me how I, as an Englishman, could support the All-Blacks. I replied that I didn't know New Zealand citizenship was a prerequisite for supporting that great rugby team. Showing respect and support for a country's heritage doesn't require anything more than respect for that heritage, but considering oneself 'from' there requires more substantial connections.

[macwilkin]

If it's really something you want to do, then it sounds like you'll have to do it for yourself. There are a lot of familys that left the old traditions back in the old country; you're not alone.

You asked at the very beginning, "Is rediscovering one's heritage a farse?" It's only a farce if it has no meaning. If you want to learn about the old traditions and reintroduce some of them in your own family, then learn about the meanings of those traditions and pass those meanings along as well; don't let traditions be empty gestures - that's how they die in the first place.

Good on ya, Iolaus! That was an absolutely brilliant answer! A tip o' the bonnet tae ye -- and a wee dram of the Macallan! :mrgreen:

Slainte!

Todd

[porrick]

Showing respect and support for a country's heritage doesn't require anything more than respect for that heritage, but considering oneself 'from' there requires more substantial connections.

Now this is a really interesting thread! It is at times strange what feelings and emotions can do to one's sense of belonging. I am a British citizen raised bilingually and biculturally English/Norwegian in Norway (father's Irish/English, mother's Norwegian/Swedish). My passport is merely a piece of paper that says I am British, whereas my schooling, work friends etc are Norwegian. Still, of all my heart I am British - and will never be anything else. Sure, it would be just as practical turning in one passport for another, and my life would for all practical purposes be the same. No, not so.

On the other hand, I was raised on the south coast of Norway, and I now live up north. There is quite a cultural difference between the north and the south, and after having married a northerner and lived here for more than 8 years now, I am here to stay and feel I belong here (Norwegian)culturally - and not where I was born and raised. I can not truly claim I'm norhterner (my birth and dialect betrays me), but I am fully accepted here by treasuring the values of the north in my heart. Yes, it is a matter of genuine respect and acceptance.

PS
On the lighter side: no, I don't believe you need to justify being Scottish to proudly wear a (tartan) kilt. I don't have to justify that I am of American descent to wear my Levi's... :mrgreen: