Highland - my aunt!

Sir Walter Scott said it:

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land!

Which is all very good - but consider this piece of typical marketing. The shortbread is heralded as "Highland Speciaility" - it's made in Callander which arguably is much more Central Scotland than Highlands. Shortbread was universally made throughout Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots - obviously it is suggested liked a bit of shortbread. But she was brought up in France, when in Scotland was rarely out of the Lowlands, although she made one brief foray to Easter Ross in 1564.

The poetry book shows "My love is like a red, red rose" - written, of course, by Robert Burns an Ayrshire boy. And the poem is written mainly in English, not Scots. And tartan to provide a due sense of Scottish heritage and antiquity? Now thought to have emerged in Central Europe in the Iron Age! It did appear in Scotland from the 16th century - but it took Sir Walter to rebrand it, repackage the concept, invent the notion of the family tartan, and generally turn it commercial in the 19th century.

Many influences have been used to invent Scotland - not least the Royal Family in the 19th century who introduced "Balmorality". We have re-written tradition as we go along, and as it suits us - that way the tourist dollars keep rolling in.

If that all sounds uber-cynical let me set the record straight. Scotland is the most marvellous place to live, and beautiful with it. Sometimes I just wish it was portrayed more honestly. But then - look at The Sound of Music and Austria!