Today, the 25th of January, Scots and their numerous descendants come together for the annual Burns’ Supper to celebrate the life and works of our national poet. On the anniversary of his birth it is traditional for us to eat Haggis and recite the Bard’s numerous poems in a spate of mass nationalistic pride.
Although I think there are numerous poets who are considerably better than Burns, his influence and cultural importance is undeniable. In Scotland we are brought up listening to songs written around his poetry and his liberal use of the Scot’s language puts him at the centre of Scottish cultural nationalism. His influence even extends out of his home country with ‘Auld Lang Syne’ being sang across numerous countries.
I enjoy haggis and I enjoy being Scottish. Really a night like this should be something I should enjoy. However nights like Burns’ Night and days like St Andrew’s day, rather than make me proud to be Scottish make me feel incredibly localised and cut off from the real world. Although I have lived in Scotland most of my life, support the football team and have picked up customs distinct to Scotland, I feel that my true culture is a British one. The imposed cultural celebrations of nights like tonight reject British culture and focus entirely on traditional aspects of Scottish culture, which makes the entire thing feel incredibly twee.
I think our culture has changed. Our culture consists of more than just old Scottish words, short-bread and haggis. The age old Clan system of our history are completely absent from our day to day lives. We are not fighting off invading English armies (which consisted mainly of Scots) in wars of independence. Most of us can hardly speak a word of Gaelic. But when it comes to a day set out to celebrate our culture it seems to be this historic culture that we feel the need to revive.
Things I like about being Scottish may be a little quirky. I like the fact we have Irn Bru, our own sugar filled soft drink. I enjoy the nuances of our accents. I like the amount of alcohol we drink. I like our pubs, towns, cities, football stadia, health service, coffee shops, comedians, musicians, festivals and so much more. Many of these things are distinct to Scotland, many are not. To me being Scottish has nothing to do with wearing a tartan kilt, eating haggis and dancing to the Gay Gordon’s (though I have to admit at times I indulge in all three), it is so much more than that.
I want to celebrate modern Scottish culture, I am quite happy to have our heritage celebrated as well, but my fear is that all we celebrate is our heritage and this cultural nationalism which takes over might spill into irreversible political nationalism based on the history and dead culture of our past.
Enjoy your haggis tonight, I will close with my favourite Burns’ stanza.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquise, duke, an' a' that;
But an honest man's aboon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
Their dignities an' a' that,
The pith o' sense, an' pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that.
