Who's a Real Scot?
Reflections from the Centre for Human Ecology
The EMS process presents all Scots - especially white Scots - with the challenge to ask some fundamental questions of what 'belonging in Scotland' means today. The Centre for Human Ecology presents the following thoughts to add historical and mythological depth to these discussions.
Scotland's oldest constitutional document, the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath, states that "the chronicles and books of the ancients" show the Scots to be a migrant people of mixed ethnic background.
Our mythological roots are in the Middle East, the Ukraine (Scythia), Africa, Spain and Ireland. Whilst spending many years in Egypt, the leader of migrating Scots married Scota, daughter of Pharaoh. She was North African and would therefore have been black.
Scota gave her name to Scotland. Some sources say she brought with her the Stone of Destiny or "Stone of Knowledge" that now rests in Edinburgh Castle. Other Scots legends maintain that Europe was named after Europa, a princess of Lybia. Even the Gaelic language is said to have been created by Scota's husband out of all the world's languages. Such are the mythological roots of "Scots internationalism." It may be that these stories can still present important symbolism for us today.
The Declaration of Arbroath suggests a multicultural basis for Scots identity. It adapts Galatians 3:28 in the Bible by asserting that in the "community of the realm": "There is neither weighting nor distinction of Jew and Greek*, Scotsman or Englishman."
* Biblical reference to 'Greeks' is generally understood by scholars to imply people of other faiths ('gentiles').
The British constitution is, in theory, based upon such spiritual principles. The Latin letters DG and FD on all British coins affirm that sovereign power comes from God. This implies God's justice which includes the sacred duties of hospitality and fostership. Hospitality looks after short-term needs and fostership, long-term ones. For example: "The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself" (Leviticus 19:33-34)
The 19th century folklorist, Alexander Carmichael, pointed out that fostership 'was a peculiarly close and tender tie, more close and more tender even than blood.'
Gaelic proverbs affirming this include:
'Blood to the twentieth, fostership to the 100th degree'.
'The bonds of milk are stronger than the bonds of blood.'
Today such ethnically inclusive understandings of Scots identity invite rich reflection upon multiculturalism. It could be said that a person belongs to Scotland inasmuch as they are willing to cherish and be cherished, by this place and its peoples.
Being a 'Real Scot' then, has nothing to do with being white, or Christian, or even necessarily with being born in Scotland. It is, rather, a chosen civic identity. Racism and religious intolerance deny others the full expression of their humanity. That is why they are incompatible with any outlook based on love.
Many Scots have little connection with the mythological and historical constitutional basis for Scottish sovereignty and nationhood. The process of tapping into this and giving people a voice will open new doors in our search for a thriving, dynamic, multicultural society which has a mature perspective on Scottish identity. This process will involve, at its heart, recognising, naming and acting on racism.
| Reflections from a Real Scot |
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