If you're a listener of 63 Percent Scottish then I have to imagine you have *some* interest in Scotland, Scottish things or the like. If you don't live in Scotland - and most people with Scottish heritage don't! - and even if you don't have Scottish genetic heritage, you may be interested in joining a Scottish Community. Scottish Societies and St. Andrew's Societies can be found all over Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and they provide unique opportunities to connect with Scottish culture, as well as connecting with other people who love everything Scotland.To tell us more about Scottish communities, we're talking to John Sawyer - the President of the St. Andrew's Society of Toronto. We discuss: The relative unimportance of Scottish geneticsHis own entry-point to Scottish cultureWhat a St. Andrew's Society is and how he found himself leading oneThe benefits of joining a St. Andrew's SocietyWant to join a Scottish community? Here are some groups you could check out:St. Andrew's Society of TorontoScottish Society of OttawaSt. Andrew's Society of WinnipegSt. Andrew's Society of Los AngelesSingapore St. Andrew's SocietySt. Andrew's Society of the State of New YorkChicago ScotsClans and Scottish Societies of CanadaHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked educator, researcher and Instagrammer Océane Lopez five questions and challenged her to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:What is the greatest similarity between Scotland and France?What is the greatest difference between Scotland and France?If you had to have coffee, beer, whisky or wine with one person from Scottish history, who would it be?What is your absolute favourite place in all of Scotland?What is one book about Scottish history that you'd recommend?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

The simple story of Mary, Queen of Scots, is that she was born royal, killed her husband, was driven from Scotland and died after spending half her life in prison. But, if that story was the whole story, we wouldn't be talking about her - or making glitzy Holywood movies about her - 400+ years later. Why has Mary's story endured? We decided to ask Océane Lopez.Océane is a teacher and a researchers who has spent considerable time studying Mary, as well as the concepts of religion and gender in Scottish history. She's also a well-known on Instagram for sharing a fun mix of history and books. We cover:Mary's biographyThe reasons we remember Mary centuries laterA few things people might not know about MaryOcéane's thoughts on the recent film starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot RobbieA few books about Mary that you might want to check outHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked Garry Stevenson, the creative mind behind Being Scottish, five questions and challenged him to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:Which portrayal of Scottish characters is most offensive - Groundskeeper Willie, Fat Bastard or Shrek?Which of Irn Bru, Haggis, Deep Fried Mars Bar and Bagpipes are actually enjoyed by Scottish people?What's the deal with Scottish people and cows?How do you pronounce "Avnosatdoonawday"?What is table and is this something non-Scots should try to consume next time we're in Scotland?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

How many words do the Scottish have for "drunk?" What exactly is a Kerbie Legend? What other cultural references or in-jokes should non-Scots know? We asked the man, the myth, the legend: Garry Stevenson. Garry is the creator behind all of your favourite content on Being Scottish, the social media-based celebration of, well, being Scottish. We cover:The origin story for Being ScottishHis aversion to stereotypes when sharing new contentThe definitions of numerous VERY SCOTTISH WORDSExplanations for a few Scottish jokes that most non-Scots wouldn't get.Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked Rosalind Erskine, the Food and Drink Editor at The Scotsman, five questions and challenged her to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:How long ago did you last have a haggis?Do you have Robbie Burns' poem "Address to a Haggis" memorized?What drink is the perfect accompaniment to haggis? Whisky, Irn Bru, beer or something else?If haggis wasn't Scotland's national dish, what would be? Deep fried Mars bar?What is one thing that non-Scots might not know about the culinary industry in Scotland?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

Do Scottish people actually like haggis? Or is it just another Deep Fried Mars Bar - a sort of tourism trick to get attention?We asked an expert, Rosalind Erskine. She's the Food and Drink Editor at the Scotsman, one of Scotland's national newspapers, and the host of Scran, a podcast all about Scottish food. We covered:The prevalence of haggis consumption in ScotlandThe various types of haggis availableThe occasion necessary to consume haggisThen we moved on to a quiz - asking Rosalind the five quickfire questions she asks her guests. But, before all that, Eamon provided a quick 101 on Burns Suppers.Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We've already done a Five Fast Questions with Owen Innes so we had to get creative with our questions for round two. This time we cover: What's one Scottish historical event or person that more people should know?We talked about highland culture on our episode our Culloden. Do you own a kilt? How often do you wear a kilt?What book about Scottish history would you recommend to our listeners?An enemy army is approaching Scotland. Do you settle in for a siege at Edinburgh Castle - which has never been taken - or do you head for the highlands?What is the northernmost point in Scotland that you've visited?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.Tags: scottishscotlandfilm

With characters like Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald, key moments like Prestonpans and Culloden, and dire consequences for highland culture, it’s no mystery that people are still engrossed by the stories of the 1745 Jacobite Uprising.  We've asked Owen Innes from the Scottish History Podcast to give us a rundown of the battle itself, but also its ultimate consequences. In this episode we cover:The lead-up to the battle of CullodenWhether Bonnie Prince Charlie really deserves our respectThe highland clearances following CullodenSome historical speculation about the Scots winning at CullodenHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We've asked author and journalist Jonathan Melville - a man who *literally* wrote the book on Local Hero - five fast questions about Scottish film. Here's what we cover:Local Hero is a great standard-bearer for Scottish film, but if you had to pick one other film to represent Scotland on the global stage, what would it be?The role of James Bond is currently vacant - which Scottish actor would be your pick to fill it?What is the most iconic Scottish film performance of all time?Where should a tourist visit in Scotland to get a better appreciation of Scottish film history and culture?Is there a definitive book on Scottish film?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We've talked about everything from baking to whiskey to history, but 63 Percent Scottish explores a new frontier in our newest episode: film. We've chosen the film "Local Hero" which has been called the "definitive" Scottish film to discuss. Why is it a definitive representation of Scottish culture?To answer, we have journalist and author Jonathan Melville on the show. He's the author of "Local Hero: Making a Scottish Classic" - the definitive account of how this film was made, which is available in the USA and Canada. We cover:What makes "Local Hero" the definitive Scottish film?The non-stereotypical depiction of rural Scottish lifeThe message Bill Forsyth was trying to communicate with the filmThe soundtrack contributions of Glaswegian Mark KnopflerHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We've already asked The Hebridean Baker - Coinneach MacLeod - five fast questions, so could we come up with five more? Of course! Here's what we cover:You’ve traveled the world to promote your book. When you return from your globe-trotting what’s the first baked treat that you crave?Your cookbooks include a huge number of recipes, but if you had to pick just one bake to represent the Isle of Lewis forever, what would it be?You made a fantastic Christmas commercial with BBC Alba last year – we’ll post it on social media so everyone can see – where you help a young girl with some holiday baking. The big question: what did you make? It looks fantastic.On a scale of 1-10, how important is whisky to baking?Last time, I asked you to help the listeners learn how to say “Hello” in Gaelic. This time, can you tell us how to say “That tastes great” or the equivalent?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

Experiencing food is an important part of experiencing culture. Just think about it - how do you tell the culture of Detroit, New York and Chicago apart? The pizza (among other things). But seriously, food and food traditions can tell you a lot about the past and present of a culture, and Scotland is no different. We've asked Coinneach MacLeod, famous the world over as the Hebridean Baker, to tell us a bit about Scottish baking. We cover:How he got into bakingThe cultural norms that guide the Scottish style of bakingKey Scottish bakesWhether baking/food is the perfect ambassador for a cultureHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked Instagram historian Beth Reid five questions and challenged her to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:If you could meet one person from the Scottish Wars of Independence, who would it be?What's your second favourite era of Scottish history?If you had to recommend one place in Scotland for our listeners to visit, what would it be?You have to recommend one book about Scottish history for our listeners to read - what is it?Forgetting about history for a second, what's the most beautiful place you've ever visited in Scotland?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

Think about your top-ten Scottish historical figures. How many are women? For most people, Scottish history is simplified to William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Bonnie Prince Charlie, etc. But women are 50% of the population and they *were* there - playing a central role - for everything from the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 to the Scottish Enlightenment.We've asked Beth Reid, a historian who has become very well known on Instagram as historywithbeth, to talk to us about the many women who played history-making roles in the Scottish Wars of Independence. We cover:The basics of the Scottish Wars of IndependenceThe reasons we should study women in historyThe story of Isabella MacDuffThe influential Queens Consort during the Scottish Wars of IndependenceWomen in combat rolesHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked Scottish Sun journalist Lewis McKenzie five questions and challenged him to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:You’re a political reporter but you’ve worked in a few areas – including sports and comedy. All of these sound like a blast to cover. Which is the most engaging/enjoyable as a journalist?Comedy can get pretty subversive, but so can politics. Which beat has had the darkest humour?If I was to tell people “X is the heart of independence in Scotland” where would X be?For tourism-centric listeners, what’s a place in Scotland that everyone should visit at least once?Finally, as someone who covers a hot button issue, I’d bet you get a bit of abuse from readers on both sides of the discussion. How do you cope?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

If anything in Scotland gets big international headlines, it's independence. While it seems simple on the surface - is Scotland part of the United Kingdom or not? - it's an incredibly complex and emotionally-charged debate. If you don't live in Scotland, you can be forgiven for not knowing the details. But if you have an interest, this is the show for you!We've asked Lewis McKenzie, a journalist at The Scottish Sun, to give us a run-down of independence movement - where it has come from, its current state and where it's going. We cover:The challenges of talking about Scottish independenceThe history of the modern Scottish independence movementThe national shift to pro-independence partiesThe potential "versions" of independence and whether it can workThe proposed benefits of independenceHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked Steven Mill, the host of The Big Scottish Football Podcast, five questions and challenged him to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:Hypothetical: you move to Canada and you have to become a superfan of one major sport, do you pick baseball, hockey, American football or basketball?Please pick a team for me. This will be the team I support from now on. Why’d you pick that team?Where is the best place in Scotland to watch a football match?In Canada, you might grab a beer and nachos for a snack at a hockey game. A hot dog is the clear favourite in baseball. What’s your go-to food and drink when attending a football match?What would you prefer: to be a fan of a football team that never wins or to be a player on your team’s rival club and win a bunch?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

It's *the* big sport in Scotland, but our host - Eamon O'Flynn - doesn't know anything about it! Where do you start with Scottish football? It stretches all the way back to the very origins of professional football and is intimately intertwined with Scottish culture. Could we get a Scottish Football 101? It turns out the answer is yes, thanks to Steven Mill. Steven Mill is a national radio broadcaster who can be heard every Saturday afternoon on The Big Saturday Football Show, which airs across Scotland. He's also the host of The Big Scottish Football Podcast, which publishes episodes each Monday. We cover:The basics of Scottish Football - leagues, levels, etc.The various trophies, cups and championshipsThe reason there isn't a "British Football League"Famous Scottish Football rivalriesScottish Football cultureHave thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.

We asked Rosalind Erskine, the Food and Drink Editor at The Scotsman, five questions and challenged her to answer each in one minute or less. Here are the questions:In the battle between whisky and Irn-Bru, which is Scotland’s *real* national drink?Scotland has five whisky regions – if you could only choose one region to drink from for the rest of your life, which would you choose?What is your favourite whisky-based drink for the deepest darkest part of winter?The names of whisky distilleries are notoriously difficult for Canadians and Americans to say – are there any that you have trouble with?In your opinion, what is THE whisky that every aspiring whisky connoisseur needs to have in their collection?Have thoughts? Connect with 63 Percent Scottish on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or contact us at 63percentscottish.com.Music by RomanSenykMusic from Pixabay.