The Kilbintoshey's Immigration Story - Lara & Kiara

 The Kilbintoshey Clan from Scotland

Our Family:

    The Kilbintoshey Clan originated from Scotland and goes as far back as the 1400’s. The Kilbentoshey people have always been very involved in their community and at least one man in each family have gone into politics. The Kilbintosheys are very likeable people, they are often selfless but know when to keep things for themselves and be rational. Back in Scotland the Kilbintosheys had a hard life: they were barely getting by, struggling to support their 4 children. As was said before, the Kilbintosheys love helping others, it’s in their nature, but it was difficult to help others in need when they were in need as well. Currently there are many living members of the Kilbentoshey clan but only a few are immigrating to Canada to begin a new life. Married husband and wife Lara and Kiara have two boys and two girls and they have decided to go to Canada in hopes of starting anew to continue on with the Kilbintoshey ancestry. This decision ended up being the best they could have ever made. Things started looking up for the Kilbintosheys and soon they were able to help others as well.

After our long voyage across the Atlantic we finally arrived in Montreal. The process was slow at first: everyone wanted to get off the ship to find land but the Kilbintosheys eventually found their land and it was perfect. They were right by the creek which was hard to find and they had vast land with a lot of room to grow crops, keep their animals, and have a living space. The land is a mix of hilly and flat which isn’t necessarily ideal but they make it work. There are many trees and ferns but there is a large clearing where the house can be built. The soil is perfect for growing crops and there is even an area that can be used specifically for crops. Very excellent drainage. The air smells of freshness, pine trees, and the various smells of nature. The land is very secure with a fence and gate and it is also valley-like. With the creek we have access to fresh water and we can also wash our clothes and ourselves and our animals in it. We have an area to park our carriage as well as a place for our horses that pull the carriage. There are deer and birds in the area.

On the land we've created a home on, there are many natural resources we are able to make use of; skills
include fishing, farming, hunting, building, cooking/boiling water, gardening, sewing, building fire.
Our equipment consists of our animals - cow, pig, goat, horse (and buggy) - as well as daily life items
like pots and pans, fishing gear, weapons, and farm tools. Building good relationships with those in
the community around us (Aboriginal peoples, religious people, etc.) is important because it creates a
mutualism relationship in which both parties benefit (trading, buying/selling, etc.) leading to healthier,
happier, and easier lives. However, we can also be self-sustaining; we have brought food supplies with us:
lots of seeds, our cow, pig, and goat, as well as tools that will make fishing/hunting/farming much easier
giving us access to a variety of ways of gaining all sorts of foods. In the next three months, to get by and start achieving goals, we intend to build a solid support to ensure this is an area we will be able to live as easily as possible in. The first three months will be all about bare-bone structures leading to progress; ie, planting seeds and crops that will be harvestable, hunt to provide food, build shelter and living quarters, buy/sell/trade to gain money and resources, as well as building friendships and alliances with neighbours and community members.

This is where our couch would go.

During the next two years we will face many challenges in our new home - we must think ahead and prepare for as much as we can. Survival through the first winter will be largely dependent on how our harvests do; we have found land with fertile soil so it shouldn't prove too big an issue. Harvesting the crops we grow will be done either by hand or tool (scythe, etc.) Having shelter will also be very important considering the cold could lead to pneumonia or other illness. If a family member was to become ill or injured we would use what resources are available to us: herbs and remedies, Aboriginal treatments, the guidance of a member of the church - this shows the value of building relationships with others; by having strong friendships with other groups of people we are opening ourselves to many new and different ways of life that can be very beneficial, plus we can trade, buy,  and sell with them. We can meet these people by going around and introducing ourselves and discussing possibilities with trade, etc. This means it is very crucial to co-operate with our neighbours in order to build these relationships that will further our progress in our new home. Having four children, we feel a school and church would both be very valuable additions to our area, especially the school. All members of the community should come
together to find the resources and materials to build it and work together on the project as it is something that will be of use to everyone. Transportation is not a problem; there are roads and waterways, plus we have a horse and buggy to get around. Most goods and services will be "paid" for with the trading of other goods/services, but of course sometimes money will also be used. Money can be made by helping out a farmer with their crops, working in the community, and by selling crops or other homemade items.