Bethan Jenkins (Neath, Plaid AM): "Now, please tell me on a scale of 1 to 5, how British are you? To explain, the closer to 5 in your definition, the more British you feel.""1."
"Sorry, do you mean 5? Did you understand correctly...?"
I start to interrupt her.
"Yes, I'm a 1. In fact, I don't define myself as British at all."
She stares at me, her eyes screwed up.<!--more-->
This is a conversation that I had recently with an interviewer from a company conducting a survey of Assembly Members and their political opinions. When I gave her my answer matter of factly, I don't think that the interviewer quite believed what I was saying. Having travelled to Cardiff from London, the concept of a person failing to define themselves as ‘British' was explicitly alien to her, and this was evident in her confused expression.
I have never defined myself as ‘British.' This isn't a form of protest, of finding a way to be different from others, it just never represented what I was, and am, as a person. Every time I went on holiday abroad as a child, I always told the locals firmly that I was ‘Welsh not British,' even though many thought that Wales was in Switzerland, or a part of Germany. The British flag does not fill me with pride like the Welsh Dragon. It means nothing to me emotionally.
I am not British because it represents a political establishment which has undermined my country for centuries. I am not British because it represents an artificial creation of a ‘Union' that Wales did not agree to. I am not British because I am Welsh- I was born in Wales, I grew up in Wales, I feel hiraeth for Wales every time I leave and return. I am Welsh, and even though the place where I live is not recognised as a formal nation- state, Wales is a place I will someday call an Independent Wales- a country free from all the negatives that I associate with ‘Britishness.'
Roger Owen, a lecturer in Theatre studies at Aberystwyth University wrote a superb article in 2001 regarding Welsh identity, and likened it to an improvised performance. He emphasises that Welsh identity is ‘driven by internal conflict, but kept intact by a (constantly updated) sense of historical tradition.' We are a people who change and vary who we believe we are over the ages, and highlight differing reasons for being Welsh.
Some people may talk about how the Nonconformists of the 19th Century spurred the growth of Welsh identity by encouraging a new sense of community and culture; others may turn back to the traditions of Llywelyn Fawr and Owain Glyndwr. The Merthyr riots of 1831, the Miners strike of the 80's, the rise of Welsh Rock bands in the 90's - if you speak to people on a different street in different parts of Wales, they will surely give you a varying reason as to what makes them Welsh. Not one answer will ever be the same.
Roger Owen also believes that due to the fact that Welsh identity is not acknowledged by the political system, it is therefore a ‘performance'. It is not a nation-state and so that which happens in Wales is merely an ‘act'. Having written the article in 2001, it is interesting that he should define Wales in this way - two years after devolution and the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales. It seems that regardless of the fact that we have a degree of political autonomy, that politics has become much closer to the people, and that we have the beginnings of a civic society, the ‘performance' will not end until we are an Independent Nation.
More people in Wales now define themselves as Welsh, not British since devolution, and I feel that this is in large a reaction to the development of the National Assembly for Wales, but we still have a long way to go in engraining the importance of the work of the Assembly in the minds of those who live and work in Wales.
The next step in the political and National journey for Wales will be empowering the National Assembly to pass primary laws. An All Wales Convention will be set up by the end of the year to begin this discussion and to build the consensus for a successful referendum before the end of the current Assembly cycle. As Wales grows politically, I hope that these new powers will become our ‘historical tradition', the important element that binds us as people.
A nation to me would mean independence within the EU, and for that to be viewed as a positive step, not one that undermines other elements of the once British state. It would be about cooperation and the development of inter-relationships. So many people see nationalism in these isles as a negative force, in large part to justify the continuation of ' Britain'. Gwyn Alf Williams, a radical Welsh Historian once said "Wales has always been now...it is an artefact which the Welsh produce...It requires an act of choice." I hope that our choice will be to make Wales a Nation, and that Welsh identity will change and vary in accordance with our new found and developing Nationhood.
Comments
It's very interesting to read all theses comments about welsh identity.
I hope we can get down to such debates in Brittany very soon. But the french state is really worst than the british one, because Wales and Scotland get devolution and Brittany is still waiting for democracy.
In France the "country of freedom and human rights", there is no place for bretons, basques or corsicans.
And with Sarkozy as president, we could wait for a long time.
Nota : Brittany against Sarkozy, 53 % vote for Segolene and only 47 % for the feverish crazy dwarf.
I firmly agree with you there Bethan. Devolution in Wales has brought a more nationalist feel in Wales and in Scotland. I think that England (the English) need to demand devolution for themselves so that they too can feel pride and feel English rather than British. It seems that unfortunately the English is the only people holding on to the British identity; which is probably why people around the world see the Union flag and say it's England's flag. They need to promote their country more to show people that they themselves are a seperate nation and that they are proud of who they are. In regards to them gaining a Parliament for themselves I see this as a great way forward and our relationships will be stronger as at the moment some people feel resentment toward the Celtic nations for what they have. I strongly agree that Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish MPs should not have a say in English matters, the same way that I believe that English politicians should not have a say on our matters; even if that does mean issues such as tax and defence.
An independent Wales within the EU doesn't sound like independence, but we will have alot more control over ourselves than we do now and it may be a good idea that once we gain self-control that we have a referendum on the EU and it's powers, just as Ireland did and still does. We are not forced to stay within the EU so it will be our choice in the future what would best suit Wales; but if you do look over the water, Ireland has grown considerably as a nation and it is a rich nation at that within the EU. It is also one of the best places to live for health, wealth, etc. You can also look at the Scandinavian states and you will see the same results, if not better. Ireland only has a population 1 million more than us; Iceland has the population the size of Cardiff (around 300,00); Luxembourg nearly 500,000 and Norway just under 2million more people than Wales and that is only a few countries that I have chosen; there is alot more out there of similar size or less that are doing alot better than Wales after they have gained their independence. Are we really wanting to keep Wales as the poorest nation on these isles and one of the poorest nations in Western and even some countries in Eastern Europe? I think not, it's time for a change, but we can't rush into it. It needs to be thought out and we need to be able to do it in steps; as much as I'd love to leave the Union now. Wales needs to have a party like the SNP and work out the pros and cons of being in the Union, show people that we can become this successful independent state. I believe Plaid can show us the way as long as people give them a chance. We have all suffered under the Conservatives and we are suffering under Labour. It's time for a change and that time is getting closer; use your votes wisely...wow that sounds like an advert for Plaid, but honestly look at what the other parties have done for us. Those other parties are not even based in Wales, they have never been a party for the people of Wales; and please don't believe what the scaremongerers are saying, Plaid is not just for the Welsh and the people that speak Welsh; there are so many members of Plaid that do not speak Welsh and the language is not thrust down our throats. They are also not a racist party either, lets leave that to the BNP; they support all the people that make Wales their home. Let's do it, let's move our great little nation forward...
Bethan - "Independence within the EU" is an oxymoron.
You need to chose your Union and masters as Wales is a sub-economic entity that will require hand outs for the foreseeable future - especially if it continues to vote for Luddite socialist parties.
The comparison is really with Wallonia, which may become part of France but can't stand by itself.
All that is being offered is a choice between masters, not independence.
Frankly I think you'll get a better deal in the United Kingdom with the English, but its up to you.
However be careful as the English may yet choose independence form the UK and EU and we are able to do it.
Nicely put Bethan and I look forward to working with you in the future, lol! I'll drop you a line soon.
The EU is not a scary issue and I hope that when we get independence, whenever that will be, the people of Wales will make their own mind up about the establishment and what we as a nation wishes to do to better our future. I just pray that the Scots make the right decision in leaving the Union in 2011 so that the people of Cymru will look at them and think, 'if they can do it, so can we'.
Independence within the EU to me means that we will be able to make our own decisions as Welsh people- as a fully fledged nation-state. At the moment, our voices are not heard on a European level, and this is unacceptable. It should be our right to sit alongside other European countries, and make our own decisions.
Of course, the European Union needs reforming, but for far too long, Wales has been undermined by the British establishment. Like those who aspire to Scottish and Irish reunification, it is a matter of us as Welsh people being able to express ourselves freely without being labelled as having the same opinions as the British establishment.
Demat Deoc'h, me eo Fulup dues Kerne veur.
Gwen we in Cornwall are very aware of the stuggle of the national minorities within France and it is one of my roles to make sure the Cornish don't forget.
In Cornwall we have a similar struggle for democracy and recognition.
Until New Labour I've said no way we need England, but after Blair and Brown bring it on. Wales might not be a big country we do have social leanings, sadly Blair Brown and New labour do not know socialism from privatism.
Very good comment from Iago ap Steffan.
Britain has been and is promoted as a nation. In fact it is a state, and has no relevance wiyhin Europe which is an organisation of independent nations, each of which has a voice in its own and European affairs.
The demise of Britain as a vestige of the past will be one of the significant historical events of 21st Century.
Europe will emerge as a super-state which does not suffocate the cultures or languages of its constituent nations. Only the currency will be the same, We look forward to that day in Wales.
If your allegiance is to Wales and not to Britain you are truly Welsh.
I take it then Simon that you're still holding on to your British identity and where do you reside and where are you from originally? What I meant to say was majority, obviously not all and I don't think the intellects would have read it that way either.
As a Scot and European I find this 'Brussels or London, either way you'll never have independence' attitude absolutely ridiculous. Are you suggesting Latvia and Germany aren't independent?
One of the above took the Royal Regiment of Scotland to war, continually assaults my identity, tries to force another on me, dumps weapons of mass destruction in my rivers, lied and continues to do so about my nations potential, cynically eroded my language, grossly mismanages our wealth of natural resources and stifled our economic growth- and it certainly isn't Brussels.
The term Brits in modern times was first used by
Irish Nationalists,take it up with them.
The establishment have got some catching up to do on this, Bethan. In truth "Britishness", if it ever really existed, has been on the wane for a century and would probably have ceased to exist as a "national" identity long ago were it not for its last great hurrah, World war 2. It was very much a by-product of empire and as that has declined so too has the national identity that it created. The British establishment and those who support its institutions need to come to terms with the fact that those days are over and are never coming back.
What we are is an island of three distinct nations which may have much in common but are quite distinct from each other and we need our political institutions to reflect this. Yours is a wonderful country that deserves its place amongst the nations of Europe and the World to be recognised, just as mine demands and needs recognition in her own right too. Whilst in some ways it is easier to be recognised as English than it is to be Welsh, in many others England has been drowned in a sea of Britishness far more than our neighbours have and for many people on this island and abroad it is hard to define one without confusing it with the other.
The path towards the goal of sovereignty of the English, Scottish and Welsh people is likely to be a rocky one as the cards are heavily stacked in favour of the self-serving British establishment who will cling to what they see as their right to absolute sovereignty over us (whilst preaching to the rest of the world about democracy, of course!) until they have to let go. I wish you well.
Of course the irony is that the Welsh are really the Britons.
The only country not properly represented in the UK is England which has been repressed by Welsh and Scots Socialists for far too long.
PS There is no independence within the EU - that's the point of the EU. The Welsh will make up an insignificant part of such a Union and will just have to do what they are told or else the methadone of state subsidy won't get handed out.
Arthur fought for the Britons against the Saxons to put it simply. The Welsh have always been British,I don't like this 'Brits,' it's historically anti-Welsh, not anti-English; the English were the invaders to 'Britain' ('Welsh' is the Germanic name given to us), which soon became Great Britain when the Britons emigrated to Armorica, which in turn became 'Lesser or Little Britain.For the Act of Union they just fell back on the older term for want of a new name.It was the Tudors who were responsible for the assimilation that gave rise to the false witness.I have a1688 dictionary the title of which is 'The British language in all it's lustre translated into English': in fact our proper title is Cambro-British. Far too many people confuse Britishness with Englishness,There is an English establishment with Scottish and Welsh members.
I'm with you apart from "Independence with in the EU". I don't see how this would function - there would be less independence being governed from Brussells than London, surely?
There has been a similar shift seen in Québec with francophone residents mostly prefering the term «québécois» rather than the antiquated term, canadien français.
"English is the only people holding on to the British identity"
I don't see how anybody could say such a thing unless they hadn't read a newspaper, or watched television, for about ten years. Have you just emerged from a coma?
I have been reading several of these independance websites over the past few weeks. I find it interesting the number of writers who talk of the Celtic nations and how they are Celtic and England is not. I suggest you take a good look at those around you. There are Celtic descendents in England, and these are not only from the immigrants from the "Celtic Nations". European tribes invaded England, as they did Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Celtic peoples of England did not diappear, they just got on with it. Recent Genetic testing has shown that there are similar levels of Celtic anecestry in the South East of England as Scotland. This ancestry is made up from English Celts, as well as probably European celts. If you look at Ireland, Scoltand and Wales they have had waves of immigration from Scandinavian tribes, Germanic tribes, Norman French, England, Europe, Africa, Asia, West Indies and every where else you can to think of.
The notion England is Germanic and Ireland, Scotland and Wales are Celtic was an idea primarily promoted by the Victorians. It is not historically correct.
So, any arguments of seperation based on Celtic heritage and differect ancestry are rubbish.
Having said that, I am all for the disolving of the UK and each country going it on their own. I do not think any country is doomed to more failure than the others, there will aways be ups and downs in economics. I do wish people would stop using insults and critisims to justify their position.
"The notion England is Germanic and Ireland, Scotland and Wales are Celtic was an idea primarily promoted by the Victorians. It is not historically correct. "
And like you, they believed in a genetic identity.
However, modern Celtic nationalists don't buy into that. Read "Land of Our Fathers" by Gwynfor Evans, the late leader of Plaid Cymru, in which he states QUITE CLEARLY that the English are descended mostly from the pre-Anglo-Saxon population of the country.
Wales and Scotland have a number of decent arguments for independence, and none of them involve genetics.
Englishmen Anglo Saxon & the Jutes Gauls the celts took over from the Iron age settlers Bryrthons Goidels Ivernians there is no true genetic races if that is a question/statement with the romans & normans gets even more invovled & strange to think the normans are originators of scandinavia & the mixing pot continues.....
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