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1st February 07, 12:29 AM
#1
Dia Dhuit!
What Gilmore says is accurate. Fostering was very common in the clan system, both Irish and Scottish. Furthermore, to be Celtic (especially Gaelic) was a cultural badge, not a racial badge, which is why the Gaels were so successful at assimilating invaders for a time. This, too, is an adoption of sorts.
Modernists tend to concentrate too much on the nuclear family and the all-important descent of father-to-eldest-son. This is more characteristic of feudal western Europe, while the clan system usually employed tanistry.
Adoption is probably more prevalent in everybody's background than they realise. It just wasn't often documented.
[B][COLOR="DarkGreen"]John Hart[/COLOR]
Owner/Kiltmaker - Keltoi
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1st February 07, 04:04 AM
#2
I may not be adopted, but I can sympathize with not having much in the way of heritage. No one in my family has a clue as to where our ancestors came from. And because of my hair color, I’m frequently asked (whether or not I’m kilted) if I’m either Irish or Scottish. But in my opinion, if you know your heritage, take pride in it. If you don’t, no big deal. In either case, you should wear whichever tartan you like best. And to quote a fellow xmarker (I’m sorry, but I can’t remember who),” If they don’t like it, they can go sit on a thistle!”
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1st February 07, 09:32 PM
#3
Both my parent were Scots, I was started there but born here. No clan on dads side at all, so I wear Buchanan from mums. I did have a Royal Stewart as a 4YO though.
Re: losing your heritage; I have a very unusual last name, every now and then I'll get an email from someone with the same name somewhere on this planet simply cause they've never met another one either. Quite a few months back I got an email from a guy in British Columbia who shares my surname, they'd been in Canada for 4 generations and didn't know whether the name was Scots or English. With a couple of names supplied by him, my wife handed him the whole family tree for the last 100 years+, confirming exactly where his family came from(Midlothian) etc. He is a distant cousin. I think we scared him though as he hasn't sent me an email since. For me he did solve the existance of a family link in New Zealand though.
Al
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1st February 07, 04:46 AM
#4
clans...
I would tend to agree with gilmore; the clan system was very fluid in terms of membership. One only need look at the example of the "Boll o' Meal" Frasers:
http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/item/it...?item_id=38930
We have to remember that at that time clan was a more nebulous term than some think of it today, or rather, was nebulous in different ways. Clan is from the Gaelic for "children," but usually included a a group of people related in all sorts of ways. There also must have also been adoptees (such as orphans) and wards back in those days.
This is a pretty good summation -- I would only add "broken men", members from smaller clans who sought protection from a larger one. Also there were those employed as servants, ghillies, pipers, champions, henchmen, factors, etc. of the Chief -- the Laird of Grant's Piper, so famously portrayed in the painting of the same name -- was one William Cumming. In more popular culture, there is Golly Mackenzie, ghillie of the Glenbogle MacDonalds. 
Regards,
Todd
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1st February 07, 09:05 PM
#5
If your adoptive family has Scottish roots, I would start there. Most, if not all, clan societies allow adoptees to join their ranks. As stated earlier, clan ties go beyond blood.
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1st February 07, 07:14 AM
#6
I am a Skene by birth. I am a Gunn & Shepherd through adoption. Dirka can claim Skene & Shepherd by birth & Gunn by adoption. Our family is
I think that is why she & I are so close. We are the only sane ones
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1st February 07, 08:22 AM
#7
Ron -you're right. Reprehensible was too strong. I'll send you a PM to better explain my position.
I'm really loving the responses on this thread. For many of you, they seem to be completely different from the experiences I had in recent years when I was trying to choose a tartan and learn about what I "should" do. I was told on more than one occasion (obviously by folks less learned than yourselves) that blood is what mattered most traditionally. This always gave me the feeling that I had to somehow be a second class kilt-wearer. But then I realized that what mattered was what I felt and chose...not some "tartan police".
Thanks for the oodles of info. That's why I love the forum!
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