Everything about Scottish National Identity totally explained
Scottish national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity and common
culture of
Scottish people and is shared by a considerable majority of the people of
Scotland.
Scottish national identity is largely free from
ethnic distinction, and it has been noted (Sunday Herald
4 September 2005) that many of "immigrant" descent see themselves (and are seen as), for example,
Pakistani and Scottish: Asian-Scots. This contrasts with a tendency in England for such families to be called "
British" but not "English". Identification of others as Scottish is generally a matter of accent, and though the various dialects of the
Scots language and
Scottish English (or the accents of
Gaelic speakers) are distinctive, people associate them all together as Scottish with a shared identity, as well as a
regional or
local identity. Some parts of Scotland, like
Glasgow, the
Outer Hebrides and the north east of Scotland retain a strong sense of regional identity, alongside the idea of a Scottish national identity.
Some residents of
Orkney and
Shetland also express a distinct regional identity, influenced by their
Norse heritage.
History of Scottish identity
The
history of Scotland as a
nation state starts in the later period of the so-called
Dark Age. Scotland by the 12th century contained what
Goidelic "Scots" kingdom of
Dál Riata, Galloway, the
Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde, the
Anglo Saxon kingdom of
Bernicia and the
Pictish Kingdom, the latter's origin being highly contentious. The disparate cultures of Scotland were cemented together firstly by the
Viking threat, and latterly in the
High Middle Ages by aggression from the neighbouring
Kingdom of England. Even though the countries have shared monarchs since the
1603 Union of the Crowns and Parliaments since the
Act of Union 1707 the Scottish
identity remains strong, though many residents of Scotland will also, or alternatively, identify with
Great Britain, the
United Kingdom or
Europe. Furthermore, Scotland has a large English minority, some of whom continue to identify themselves with
England.
Cultural icons
Cultural icons in Scotland have changed over the centuries, for example the first national instrument was the
Clarsach or Celtic
harp until it was replaced by the Highland pipes in the 15th century. Symbols like the
tartan, the
kilt and
bagpipes are widely but not universally liked (or flaunted) by Scots, their establishment as symbols for the whole of Scotland, especially in the
Lowlands, dates back to the early
19th century. This was the age of pseudo-pageantry: the
visit of King George IV to Scotland organised by Sir
Walter Scott. Scott, very much a Unionist and
Tory, was at the same time a great populariser of Scottish mythology through his writings.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Scottish National Identity'.
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