MY CULTURE By Aidan McNabb

 I am going to be comparing my culture to my Scottish ancestors.

Language  The three major languages of the Scottish people are English, Lowland Scots, and Gaelic. Of these three, English is the most common form as a first language. I have always spoken English since I was born in the United States.

Religion The main religions of the Scottish people are Catholic and Protestant. My religion is Baptist. As a Christian, I believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and I believe that he died on the cross for our sins.

Food  The Scottish people ate game, dairy, fruit, fish, and vegetables. There was a lack of spices because spices from abroad were very expensive. I eat mostly American food, but I enjoy Mexican, Chinese, and Italian foods as well.

Clothing  The Scottish wore kilts. Kilts are knee length pleated skirts in which each plaid represented a different clan.  I on the other hand DON’T wear kilts. I wear American style clothing. I wear blue jeans the most.

Housing  The most popular form of housing in Scotland were tenements, and still are today. They are known for their large rooms and high ceilings. There are also many castles there that belonged to royalty.  I live in a brick house in a neighborhood right in town. We live on a corner lot and we have a large fenced in backyard.

Ethnic Background  Scotland had several different ethnic groups. The Picts, the Gaels, the Britons, and the Angles. Culturally, these peoples are grouped according to language.  There are many different ethnic groups in the United States. My ethnic group is white, American. In my country, my ethnic group is considered to be a majority group.

Music  Scotland is known for its traditional Scottish folk music, which included the bagpipe.  The music I listen to is American music such as Christian, blues, alternative, and hip hop.

Art  Scottish art is similar to British and European art. It began with early carvings and artifacts, particularly, ornamental objects and religious carvings.  There are many different forms of art in my culture, everything from drawings and paintings to digital graphics and pictures. My favorite art is landscape art.

Literature  Some of the earliest literature known to have been composed in Scotland includes Brythonic (old Welsh), Gaelic, Latin, and Old English.  I study American literature in my ELA class. This includes short fiction, poetry, and contemporary American literature. My favorite book series is Leven Thumps.

Family History  My family on my mothers side are of Scottish and English descent. There are some interesting facts about my family.