Thoughts on Welsh identity.
I’ve recently finished reading “Welsh Plural: Essays on the Future of Wales“. The book consists of a series of short essays, each one written by a different author with a unique perspective of Wales, the future of Wales and Welsh Identity.
As someone who has thought a lot about their Welsh Identity over the years, I found it fascinating to hear other people’s viewpoints – some of which I had, quite naively and ignorantly, not thought about in much detail before.
The book discussed Welsh identity in a way I had not seen presented before and led to many thoughts and discussions around the topic.
My Welsh identity has evolved over time, becoming stronger after leaving home. Growing up in Wales, Welsh identity was obvious. So obvious, that it almost didn’t need to be thought about or mentioned. Whilst there was diversity, generally, the majority of people within my circles were Welsh. Differences between people were rarely based on their “Welshness“. There was therefore no need to single out that aspect of my own identity. Growing up is inevitably a period of change and finding identity. With so many changes occurring, “Welshness” was not one that I added to the mix.
I left Wales at 18 to go to university in England. I started to realise that my “Welshness” did indeed set me apart. Simple words and phrases were the first to be picked up. But over time, more entrenched differences became obvious. The separation of class and wealth between myself and my childhood cohort, compared to certain members of my new English university peers was more stark than I could have imagined.
However, I found, like many do, that in leaving home and realising that I possessed a quality of “otherness“, my pride for being Welsh strengthened. The longer I spend away from Wales, the stronger the feeling grows. This is a fairly well-documented phenomenon, with it referenced multiple times In the book, but most clearly by Andy Welch’s: Rhyl Talk.
Hiraeth it turns out, was a true phenomenon.
Hiraeth: “Deep longing for something, especially one’s home (Especially in the context of Wales or Welsh culture)”
Although my Welsh identity was strengthening, it was contrasted by the new and regular questions I would receive from my new Non-Welsh friends “Oh you are from Wales are you? You don’t sound that Welsh“. As someone who was born and raised in Wales, and felt proud of their Welsh identity, this would become, and continues to be, a constant stab of annoyance of meeting new people.
The follow-up question would always then be, “Oh, so… do you speak Welsh then?” to which I would try to string together some distant memories of broken sentences learnt from school or the standard phrases which are known and used across Swansea. However, inevitably ending the sentence with “But no. Not really“.
Interestingly, I have never received any of the above comments from a Welsh person- who I suspect are far more aware of the range of people, backgrounds and accents found in the country.
Whilst the accent aspect remains to be a source of grievance, the language element, I took upon myself to remedy. Having started Welsh lessons in London Welsh Centre last year, I have loved my journey and exploration into the language, but also the culture and community that comes along with the place.
The irony is, when I left Wales and moved to England for university, I noticed that I was different – from a cultural and economic point of view. However, when I returned back to Wales to visit, I also found that I wasn’t quite fitting in. I had different experiences from those of my friends who had stayed in Wales, with our lives taking different routes. Whilst their knowledge of the area, local social circles and accents grew and strengthened, my accent was slowly becoming even more neutral and English than it was before. To add to this, my knowledge of the area was beginning to fade away as I kept out of touch with changes in the region. I was becoming a visitor in my home town.
I found that in work meetings in London, I unconsciously diluted and underemphasised my (already minor) Welsh accent. Whilst, when I returned home, I would naturally and unconsciously, over-emphasise my Welsh accent. I ended up becoming a chameleon, living in no man’s land. Not from the same background as my English peers, yet seemingly not quite as “Welsh” as my childhood group. This is something I expect is common across the globe to anyone who leaves home and begins to feel slightly lost.
However, reading Welsh Plural: Essays on the Future of Wales taught me that I was not alone in finding Welsh identity confusing. I was able to see that everyone is on their own journey and path with Welsh identity. Whilst I had certain aspects that made me feel “less Welsh”, many people experienced their own battle with either feeling or being told, they were not Welsh. The stories in the book covered a range of perspectives from people who had had their Welsh identity questioned for a huge amount of reasons. From where they were born, to the language they spoke and even their cultural or ethnic background. This notion was strengthened by people I had met in the London Welsh Centre, who felt a strong connection to Wales for myriad reasons, however, sadly, so often this Welshness had been questioned by others.
This situation of Welsh people around the world pointing the finger at each other and playing a game of who is more Welsh is ridiculous. Instead of allowing our pride and love for our country, land and culture to unite us, we are so often separating ourselves from each other in an attempt to pull rank in an imaginary hierarchy of Welshness.
It was both reassuring and empowering to hear these stories of others who had undergone the same thought process as I had in trying to understand their Welsh identity, and in many cases to a greater degree. I found that this deliberation over Welsh identity often correlated with people who had left Wales, which, as mentioned above, often results in a stronger connection to home through experiencing feeling different.
From my own personal experience, I strongly agree that those who leave Wales often seem to consider it a lot more than those who stay. Leaving home helps you learn more about yourself and find your identity and your place in the world. Whilst you lose the title of a “born, bred and lived here all my life” purist, I would argue that what you lose in that respect, you gain in experiences, and understanding of the world around you by witnessing other people, places and cultures. And often, this distance is exactly what leads to a strong sense of identity and so I do not regret it.
To repeat one of the key lessons I took from the book; Welsh identity is an incredibly personal journey. Whilst we should remain patriotic and proud of Cymru, the only Welsh identity you can personally speak for, is your own.
If you are trying to understand your own Welsh identity and that of others, I highlighy recommend this book.
Book Club Score
Overall score: 6.5/10
- Enjoyability: 6.5/10
- Profoundness/Significance: 8/10
- Readability: 5/10
- Recommendation: 8/10
- Buy here.
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