The dreaded question: where are you from? This can be difficult to answer for some, is it based on where you were born, where your parents were born, or where you spent the majority of your childhood? I’ve always admired the patriotism in Scotland, I love our slang, the words you’d never hear anywhere else in the UK, I love deep-fried Mars Bars, and I love the vigour with which we buoy our history and our lost language. But there’s a part of me that has always questioned whether I am Scottish enough.
From a strictly legal perspective, there is a staunchly straight forward way in which we can determine nationality. You are British if you were born here, and you can request to be British if you’ve lived here for over five years. But in Scotland, a country which pushes harder each day for independence, the difference between being Scottish and being British is an entire world.
From a strictly legal perspective, there is a staunchly straight forward way in which we can determine nationality.
These days so much of nationality is based on popular culture. Often the only difference between a Scottish person and an English person is that one knows what “peely-wally” means.
Being born into an immigrant family, my mother and grandparents sound very different to most people we know. I have ended up with an incredibly mixed accent; vowels from England and South Africa, only the ends of my sentences sounding distinctly Scottish. Often, I’ll reference my great-grandmother, born in Motherwell, as proof that I am Scottish, that I should be viewed and accepted as such, but my devotion to Scotland should be enough evidence in itself. If we judge nationality on birthplace and accent, on parents’ birthplace even, I will never be Scottish enough, and I wonder how much else of this country would also be revoked of our Scottishness.
Often the only difference between a Scottish person and an English person is that one knows what “peely-wally” means.
Tolerance for immigrants, even asylum seekers, is on the decrease in Scotland, as protests break out over asylum hotels. Recently in Perth, protestors stood outside the Raddison Blu holding signs saying, “Get Them Out!!”. Historically, Scotland, although constricted to the same immigration laws as the rest of the UK, has appeared to have more tolerance for immigrants. Scotland had the lowest percentage of “leave” voters for Brexit in 2016, at only 38%. The counter-protests in Perth, showing support for asylum seekers, greatly outnumbered those protesting against the housing of immigrants. This suggests that although the political and social climate is worsening for immigrants and asylum seekers, Scotland may be a safer and more accepting country for foreigners than England, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Inclusivity and the acceptance and incorporation of different cultures has always been integral to Scotland, Glasgow is said to be the friendliest city in the world, but I fear that each day independence is not granted is a step closer to the constrictions of a nationalism that demands “pure” Scottishness.
Ultimately, different accents and different birthplaces are irrelevant. A Scottish person is someone who wants to be Scottish, who loves this country and feels loyalty to it- by this logic we are all eligible.
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