What makes someone Scottish?

[Jeremiah]

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

[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.

[laotou]

I've heard it said that,"There are only two types of people;
Scots, and those that wish they were."

[GMan]

Well I consider myself an American, made with Celtic (read Scottish) parts.

Stops them every time.

[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

[majdan]

"I am an American by Citizenship, a Virginian by Birth, a Male by Gender, a Christian by Profession of Faith, but of Scottish Descent by the Grace of God!"


I think that just about gets it.

I beleive that as Americans we all long to connect with our pre-diaspora heritage. While I will never be Scottish I can still be proud of my Scot forefathers. My grandfather, who was not 1st generation would often say, " Damn it all, I'm a Scot!"

Wearing the clan tartan for me represents my identifaction with my mother's side of the family. I am a member of the clan Montgomery, it has nothing to do with my nationality. If the Chief says you're a member your a member and you could come from the moon. The ruling from the Montgomerys is as long as there is a single drop of Montgomery in ya, your a Montgomery.

My brothers are both saddly Morris with no great feeling of connection to the Montgomerys. I wear the tartan and they don't.

To answer the original question, grab onto your heritage man and Hold Fast.