Comments by "Andy Monaghan" (@229andymon) on "The Scottish Clans"
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For any non Scots that may not be very aware of how modern day Scots view Clans, let me explain my POV, which I’d guess is pretty accurate.
We are unconcerned about Clans, which are considered a part of our history with no real relevance or impact to the present. Indeed you will find many Scots that are dismissive of or even hostile to the idea and history of Clans. If a MacGregor meets another MacGregor today, he will be far more interested in what football team he supports than their Clan affiliation.
Why the indifference? Well, we Scots have far more important things facing us today, both on a day to day basis (jobs, housing etc) but also the main national level issue engaging us, which is of course the struggle to re-establish an independent Scotland.
Why the antipathy? Many Scots (justifiably) blame most Clan chiefs for siding with, and even facilitating, the Brits in the “Scottish holocaust” that was The Clearances, when Scots were forced in droves off their ancestral homelands to places all over the world, including USA. The Highland glens that used to teem with people and life are still usually empty due to these horrific British policies. It gutted Scotland, and destroyed the Highland, Gaelic way of life forever. The Clan chiefs were, and always will be, blamed by ordinary Scots (regardless of which Clan they’re from) for their collusion in that.
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@ I’m not sure how to take your comments.
Firstly, Clans stopped having meaning after The Clearances, for the plain and simple fact the Clan system was anchored in the glens and the Highland Scots living in them. Once a Highlander left or was cleared (ethnically cleansed in today’s terminology) from their Glen, they very quickly forgot their Clan allegiance once in Glasgow or Inverness, or dumped it over the side on the boat to Canada. It had no meaning there and certainly retained no fondness or loyalty since it was usually their Chief that kicked them out at the point of a Brit Redcoat’s bayonet. The Clearances were horribly effective and achieved the ends the Brit Govt wanted (Highland deserts), but it came with many prices, one of them being the disappearance of Clan identity and loyalty and any Chief that still expected loyalty was as stupid as they were traitorous and cruel. Scots are very loyal people, but betray that and you won’t be getting it back in a hurry.
In my own case, some of my ancestors must have fought against the Campbells on many occasions and were often, literally, at daggers drawn. If I meet a Campbell today, which isn’t difficult since I live in Argyll, it means absolutely nothing to each of us.
However, it’s your remarks about modern Scotland that puzzle me. I’m not sure how you come to the conclusion that we have an overly utilitarian outlook, or that readopting Clan identities might “help” that. Neither idea I believe holds water.
Nowadays when you drive around our land you’ll see signs in Gaelic and there are other projects ongoing to promote or rescue aspects of our culture that were previously suppressed, forgotten or sidelined. Holyrood has reawakened Scottish politics and identity to a level unknown for generations and I see Scots (especially younger ones) becoming more and more confident in their Scottish skins. We are a welcoming people, and ethnic issues and tensions, while not unknown, aren’t a feature of our society. Anyone can wear a kilt, and often do. Our previous First Minister, ethnically Pakistani, wore a kilt to his inauguration and addressed the Parliament in Urdu. He was welcomed.
I think we’re doing fine in that regard, actually.
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