A Cultural Kingdom
When I first prepared to travel to England I felt I would be able to adapt to the culture within the first week. I prepared by watching the popular British television show “Love Island” and had looked up common British foods. Along with being a history major and priding myself on knowing most of Britain’s history, I figured actually being in the country would be a dream come true and a very easy transition. However, having been in London, as well as traveling to other countries such as Scotland, I realize that even if I lived in England for a year, there would still be more to learn about the culture. By visiting new areas of the UK as well as new parts of London every day, I have been able to gain a deeper knowledge of what it means to be British.
There is no easy definition for what it means to be “British”. People from all walks of life (comprise) are involved in British society. For example, the English and Scottish regard themselves in completely different manners (ways) yet are both considered British. Exploring Edinburgh, Scotland was an amazing opportunity because it showed how differently a portion of the British community viewed London and the English as a whole. When in Scotland, for example, our tour guide mentioned the continued effort for Scottish independence from England. This want (desire) for freedom shows just how differently some people feel about being British and that overall almost half of the Scottish people still are working towards independence in what sense would independence mean freedom? In concrete terms, what do independents want? The guide guessed that even as soon as a few years down the road a referendum for Scottish independence may actually pass in an election. This call for freedom is still very much a hot topic in Scotland and an issue that would affect what it means to be British. Whether a newly independent Scotland would consider themselves (itself) as “British” would be a question many Scottish people would have to decide for themselves. Why would they? Either way, up to the present day, a part of being British has been closely identified with Scottish culture. This is especially shown by the Royal Coat of Arms which incorporates the national animal of Scotland: the unicorn. How do the Welsh and Irish fit into Britishness? Why do some English prefer to fly the red cross of St George, rather than the union jack?
Another aspect of being “British” that I had not expected was the ethnic and cultural diversity within London itself. Within the past few days particularly, the areas our group has toured during the day have been different than the typical ‘tourist’ attractions one typically correlates (associates) with London. When we first arrived, our trips to places such as Westminster Abbey, the House of Parliament, and Trafalgar Square all perfectly aligned with my initial and immediate expectations for London. However, when we began exploring parts of the town such as Brick Lane which boasts working class pubs and Indian restaurants such as the one at which we ate, and learning about forgotten or silenced parts of history such as the Battle of Cable Street, we began to explore a different part of London. My favorite part of exploring London came when we toured St. Paul’s primary school. Interacting with those children showed the extreme diversity of London which is not normally what is associated with the city by the rest of the world. By experiencing firsthand the different parts of London as a city, we are able to see the diversity and range of culture London boasts. This goes to show that being “British” and the thoughts of what “Englishness” means have no real hold on Britain as a kingdom today. But surely immigrants to Britain from all over the world think of themselves as British? And can't people have dual or multiple national/ethnic identities, thinking of themselves as British and Bangaledeshi for example. Why might someone identify as English rather than British? Britain has always been a place of diversity starting from the beginning of England as a country. when was this? Refer to waves of immigrants, Defoe's poem The True Born Englishman perhaps. Looking back in the future, this time in Britain may be categorized in a specific way by those who write history, just as was done when Britain was categorized in the past. However, to those who live in Britain or have experienced the kingdom as we have will know that deep down being “British” means more than being of a specific culture. Being British means one understands all the cultures present within Britain and finds community within all of them.
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