My culture By Aidan McNabb

Intro My name is Aidan McNabb. Today I’m going to give you a little history about my family. Both my mother and father were from Scottish descent. My report today will be about my culture compared 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 or Racial 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.

Family History My family on my mother’s side are of Scottish and English descent. There are some interesting facts about my family. One is that my great-great-great-grandfather, Paul Elliott, was a doctor in Oklahoma. My great-grandfather, L.P. Elliott, was a retired Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force. My great-great- grandmother, Lela Elliott, and her family appeared on the television show “This is Your Life.” She was honored for having five sons all serving in the armed services at the same time. She even received a Ford Edsel on the show. Another interesting fact is that my grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother were all three generations of florists who owned their own flower shops.

Family Traditions Some of the traditions my family follow are the White Elephant game we play at Christmas time. We also have huge family get-togethers at certain times during the year such as July 4th. Every summer we go on a family vacation. We have many family traditions.

Holidays The major holidays I celebrate are Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, July 4th, and New Years. Holidays are a very exciting time in my culture.

Government My government is a representative democracy. This means the people elect representatives to make and enforce laws. When you turn 18 years old, you are then able to vote during elections.

Daily Life/Routine I wake up, eat breakfast, and get ready and dressed for the day. On Monday through Friday, I attend school. After school, I come home and do my homework. I like to relax a little bit after that and play outside. I eat dinner with my family and then take a shower. On Tuesday’s, Thursday’s, and Saturday’s, I go to Jiu-Jitsu practice. In my free time, I play with friends and my dog or watch T.V.