Scottish immigration to Nova Scotia in the nineteenth century is an aspect of the province's history that has been shrouded and manipulated by cultural producers and the tourism industry to project a more traditional folk culture. In an attempt to shed new light on the Scottish immigration McKay examines Nova Scotias' cultural history as he looks beyond traditional generalizations to the actual basic traits of the Scottish character. In particular, this paper will not simply recount the arrival of the Scottish immigrants, it will compare McKays outlook with other historians on the growth and development of the Nova Scotian society with the acknowledgment of a few of the key elements of their folk culture and will focus on various themes such as the Scottish emigration, the religion of the immigrants, economic factors, the language, and the arts and recreation of these people
             In order to understand the implication of their descent, we must first understand the history of the Scots Highlands. However, It is important to note that there is an apparent lack of good, objective material written on the culture of the Nova Scotian Scot, therefore this paper does not purport to be comprehensive or definitive. The Highlanders are the descendants of the Gaelic branch of Celts who entered the British Isles a few centuries before the birth of Christ. A substantial number of these Irish Gaels crossed over and occupied the western Highlands and islands of what is modern-day Scotland. They introduced to the country their own monastic system, their own clan organization and legal code, their own forms of art, and their own Gaelic language, literature, and music. 1 Up to 1746, the Highlands operated under the clan system, but after the failure of the Stewart rising on the moor at Culloden, the Lowland government undertook the systematic destruction of the clan system. 2 There were many changes within the next few years; among them, the clan chieftains ...