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When people of the old faith emigrate, certain phenomena occur. They become a time capsule with all the memories and experiences of their homeland, captured in the moment of departure. Their carefully held beliefs, customs, and philosophies are safeguards of a Scotland that was. But more than that, they carry with them their ancestors, spirit kin and magic.
On the one hand this is a natural consequence. The ancient Celts are well known for their belief that the center of the world lies wherever they set their foot, leading to the common practice for emigrants to depart with a little dirt from home inside their shoes. Thus, the culture and traditions of Scotland are wherever its people reside.
Custodians of Tradition
In some instances, the preservation of magic is the deliberate imperative for immigration. At various periods in history, individuals have been charged with the responsibility to bring their traditions abroad to a less hostile environment where they could flourish. For this reason, we find druid organizations that have quietly survived in New Zealand since the 1800s, hermetic orders persisting in Australia long after their parent organizations diminished, and fraternities in Canada that have grown in strength. So too, in America people have gathered under the protection of laws that guard their freedoms – a right that too many people do not appreciate now.
These orders protected their secrets. While there are those that have become known, there are others that still remain hidden in obscurity. Some have adopted local practices and homogenized into new paths. Others remain staunchly faithful to their history. But even so, over generations they cannot retain the full cultural context of their origins, and ultimately take on the flavor of their surroundings.
New Ways
Apart from formal organizations, there are also those families among the Scottish diaspora who brought with them hereditary practices that are called in various dialects ‘the wisdom’. These are the hallmarks of an older faith that are entwined in the customs of daily life.
Where I sit today writing this, here in the Appalachian Mountains, the presence of folk magic, remedies and beliefs are ingrained among god-fearing protestant communities. Healing sprains, removing warts, controlling weather, and warding against haints are known as gifts of the Holy Spirit and are passed on through secret means that in another time and place would have been called initiation.
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The folks who grow up with these traditions are at home on these distant shores. Their magic is a part of them and the land. Around them are the presence the of spirits and ancestors which are both familiar and enchanting, as well as powerful mountains, native forests, and entities with whom they share a respectful relationship. These people do not seem to long for the Scotland- that-once-was. She is here with them, invisibly woven into the threads of their lives and the territory around them.
My Ain Folk
There is another phenomenon I have observed among the descendants of Scottish immigrants and the generations that follow. It is a longing; a deep heart-wrenching yearning for a place that is unfamiliar and unknown. The pull of the misty isles tugs at every fiber of their being like soulmates who are drawn to each other's embrace, but somehow the very impossibility of this reunion, of finding a sense of home, recedes into a dull ache.
Often this sense of loss cannot be identified until something occurs to awaken a deep state of memory. Perhaps it is the drone of small pipes, being wrapped in a shepherd’s plaid for the first time or the realization that Border blood runs through their veins. Suddenly, their frowned-upon sense of adventure, inner-defiance and bold-faced courage begins to make sense.
Those who are on the path of Celtic spirituality may discover that nothing has been written which compares with the immediacy and the urgency of their gods calling them home. Their solitude is replaced by the comfort of discovering they are enveloped in the arms of Mother Scotia.
To the Reader
Dear people of Scotland please be patient with us, the diaspora. We are like orphans who do not understand our parents. What appears to be arrogance, may be our innocence and enthusiasm at learning that perhaps there is a home for us after all, and our sense of cultural displacement can be healed. For this healing I have my husband's family to thank for welcoming me and opening my eyes to a home that I did not know I was missing.
To those seekers who find themselves in a position like mine, I urge you to not take for granted anything you think you know about Scotland’s culture or its people. There is so little that has been penned, and so much to experience. Learn with an open heart and an open mind. Be respectful and be prepared to be tested - for although our mother can be kind and gentle, she is also harsh and we must prove ourselves to her before she lifts her veil and reveals her face to us.