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Great Scots!

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My world travels have taught me many things, one of which is that to truly appreciate the uniqueness of a culture, one must first actively search for similarities and connections with other cultures. 

But what cultural connections exist between the Latino and Scottish cultures? Rather than focusing on the differences, I invite you to learn about the similarities between the Spanish in Galicia, Spain and the Celts in Ireland and Scotland. 

Pure stereotypes say that Spain and Scotland have nothing in common. Bull fights, sangria and paella are distinct from haggis, whiskey and kilts. In truth, it was a tribe of Celts from the Iberian Peninsula that founded Ireland, and later, Scotland. This group of people left a footprint that is seen today in the Northwestern Province of Galicia via legends, music and ruins.

First, there is the similarity with the breathtaking beauty of the coastlines. Just as in Ireland and Scotland, the coastline is full of coves, sandy beaches, high cliffs and sheltered harbors. The Galician mountains are green from the constant rain.

I learned the similarities when I was an exchange student in Spain at the University of Santiago de Compostela in 1997 and 1998. During the summer, I shared an apartment with a Scot and a German. When the three of us walked through La Alameda, my Scottish roommate would feel at home because Galician bagpipes, called gaitas, filled the air with wondrous, familiar music.

Soon after moving to Galicia, I sent a CD of gaita music to my uncle, who owned The Thistle n’ Rose on 19th Street in Bakersfield. The music played into the street, where a Bakersfield Galician heard it and had to stop inside for a hello. The Galician bagpipes had reminded of him of home. The similarity of the two cultures brought these two men together, if only for a brief moment.

That December, I witnessed an incredible collection of Galician bagpipers as they welcomed the new head of government for the Province. On the outside of the cathedral and on its balconies, filling the Plaza de Obradario, were thousands of bagpipers. Since that moment, I have witnessed such congregations of bagpipers in both the United States and in Scotland. The similarities between the cultures enhance each culture’s uniqueness. Scottish and American bagpipers wear kilts; Galician bagpipers have their own traditional garb.

In addition to the obvious cultural connection with bagpipes and landforms, other similarities do exist. Forty-five minutes from Santiago, on the shores of the pounding Atlantic Ocean, you can find the Celtic ruins of Castro de Barona. Legend says that anyone who sees the image of a lion’s head in the hill-fort rock formations will be selected to join the rebirth of the Celtic Clan of Barona.

In June 1998, I received a gift from my friend, Teresa. The gift was a ring with a traditional spiral. In both Galicia and other Celtic nations, the spiral symbolizes infinity, a friendship that never ends. This spiral is also found in the pathway that leads to the church at San Andres de Teixido, a beautiful church on the high green cliffs of the Atlantic Ocean.

I can honestly write that after having lived in Spain and having visited Scotland, I can respect each culture’s uniqueness because of their similarities. Whenever I travel, whether it is to Mexico, Morocco or Denmark, I actively search for similarities and connections between the different cultures. I invite you to do the same, and it will not require a passport and thousands of dollars. 

You and your family are cordially invited to the 13th Annual Kern County Scottish Society’s Gathering and Games at Stramler Park on Saturday, April 5. It is a family event; children 12 and under are free with a paid adult and general admission is $15. You are invited to do your own search for similarities, drink beer, listen to music, watch dancers, witness men in kilts throw telephone-size poles and maybe even participate in traditional Scottish athletics.

Search for your own similarities between your culture and ours as you enjoy yourself at the Scottish Gathering and Games. For more information, visit: www.kernscot.com or call 393-6765.

— Jennifer Scott  is the Kern County Scottish Society 2008 Co-games Marshal. She has lived in Spain and Mexico. Scott is currently an English as a Second Language teacher at Compton Junior High School in Bakersfield.