Scottish Tradition in the U.S. By: Jamie Maclean
Every year, on January 25, family and friends gather around the table and watch as Derek Maclean recites from memory “Address to the Haggis” by Robert Burns. The table is completely covered by food, from mashed potatoes to turnips. Everyone watches as Derek reads the final lines and slices open the sheep’s stomach that encases the haggis. The celebration—Burns Day—is in memory of the Scottish poet. His poems are famous worldwide and carry many values embedded in Scottish culture, such as respect for the poor, humility, and responsibility, which are also very evident in Derek. As a Scottish immigrant, Derek finds that the poems and tradition are a way for him to stay connected to his culture, especially during the COVID pandemic, which has prevented him from making his annual visit home this Picture of Derek year. He grew up in a small town called Stornoway which is on the Isle of Lewis, an island off the coast of Scotland, only reachable by ferry or airplane. The entire island only has about 10,000 people, which has created a very tight knit community. Growing up, Derek spent a lot of time outdoors hanging out with friends doing activities such as fishing and playing soccer. Until he was 18, he had only left the island twice for family vacations. He was always very interested in science and geography and majored in chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. After he graduated, he struggled to find a good job in the U.K. and eventually decided to move to America for a better job in
Michigan. After 2 years, Derek and his wife quit their jobs and took 6 months to explore the U.S. He eventually ended up in California, where Derek currently works as a Molecular Biologist for Applied Molecular Transport in Silicon Valley. When asked why they stayed, he said,”We were only intending to be here (America) for one year. But the company offered me a second year at the end of one year and we were having a good time so we decided to stay. We really thought we were going to go back to the U.K. after that second year, but, as I started to look for the next job, it was just much easier to find good positions in research in America”. Although he never moved back, he visits his parents every year and stays connected to his heritage. Every year since Derek first moved away, he has visited friends and family in Scotland. He loves visiting the local breweries for gin and whisky as well as the world class beaches. There are many small towns scattered around the island, each one with a few shops or museums showcasing everything from centuries old lighthouses to traditional clothing that they still make in the stores. The pandemic, however, made it impossible for him to visit this year. It was especially hard for him after his father was diagnosed with COVID and was staying in urgent care for multiple days. Luckily, they had frequent video calls and texted each other often and after a few weeks, his father recovered. Every time he visits, Derek has to make the most of the time he has with his parents since they aren’t getting any younger and they only have a few weeks per year with them. As he is my dad, I have witnessed first hand Isle of Lewis on a map the video calls that he has with his parents and I am often a part of them. They usually start off with my grandparents figuring out how to use the technology, but quickly turn into conversation. Both my dad and grandparents go back and forth, updating each other about what’s going on with their life and their families lives. The conversation usually turns to the soccer games that are on that day in the U.K. But mostly, they are just catching up with each other about
what happened that week and trying to stay as in touch as they can. The summer before the pandemic was the last time he visited and he spent the time with his parents and exploring the island. The island has a very rich history and Derek said, ”I learn something new every time I travel back. The history goes so deep and it’s really interesting to learn about my heritage.” This history is one of the main reasons why Scottish people have such a strong sense of national pride. The history of Scotland begins in the 1st century while the U.S. as we know it today didn’t exist until the 1700’s. On top of that, at least 20% of the U.S. population are immigrants compared to only 9% in Scotland. Derek’s family has been in Scotland for as long as their records go and Derek is one of the few to have moved away. This history has created a population that is proud to be Scottish. They are humble and understanding people who acknowledge and grow from their mistakes which is also a major difference compared to places like the U.S. When Katherine McIntire visited Scotland, she said, ”In trying to understand this desire, I have had to consider my own national pride. Americans, including myself, have no lack of it. However, even though I love my home country, I am also often embarrassed by it. Coming to Edinburgh, I kept expecting people to judge me as the stereotypical rude American tourist based on my accent, and thus I was slightly ashamed of being American.” This sense of national pride is celebrated by many throughout Scotland and the rest of the world in traditions such as Burns night. Burns night is the celebration of Burns who has become a Scottish icon and a symbol of Scottish pride. He also had many values that are still important in scottish society today. Religion has also been a big part of Scottish culture and Burns’ poetry. “ This combination of religiosity and fraternity we have already seen in the poetry of Burns, and they regularly appear together in the ways in which he has been remembered, most notably in Burns suppers” (“What Is a Burns Supper and What Is the History of It?”). The celebration starts off with the “Address to the Haggis”, which begins the feast. The poem is about how the haggis is a poor man’s food, but full of nutrients, while the fancy food that the royalty eats will make them fat, which is an idea that is applicable to many other aspects of life. This value appears in many Scottish people including Derek, who is a very hard worker and understands that materialistic things won’t make you happy. Burns was also very forward thinking on ideas such as gender equality. He acknowledged women in his life much more than
many other poets and men at that time and because of this, there was a woman at the table for the first celebration, which was very unusual for the time. After the feast is over, the entertainment starts which is traditionally a bagpipe band. Finally, the host reads Burns’ most famous poem, “Auld Lang Syne” , to finish off the evening. The poems and celebration connect their food, culture, and values and have become a way for Scottish people to stay connected to their heritage around the world. For Derek, that is exactly what he aims to do. According to him, “Celebrating Burns night allows me to stay connected to my family history and keep the traditions alive through my friends and family.” In the future, Derek is looking forward to traveling back to Scotland and spending more time with his parents. He is excited to get back and see how everything has changed through the pandemic. In the meantime though, Derek will continue to celebrate the traditions and eventually teach them to his kids. Video calls home are also a necessity for him along with staying connected with friends and family online. There is potential for him to move back, but even though he’s lived in America for almost 30 years, he still carries many values from Painting of Robert Burns his culture and never forgets where he came from, saying, “I have lived in America for most of my life at this point and even after becoming a citizen, I wouldn’t call myself an American. I am still Scottish.”
About the Author: Jamie Maclean is a junior at Los Altos High school and freestyle academy. He has lived in silicon valley his entire life while most of his family is from scotland. He is very creative and loves to make films and other forms of art. He especially loves music which is a really big part of his life since he plays piano, saxophone, and guitar. This article is about his father who has had a very big impact on his life and his interests.
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