60 CREATIVE
A bright past: A hazy future Have we lost our British tradition?
‘There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea’ wrote Henry James. Could it be that he stumbled across one of the greatest secrets of existence? Does this fine example of a British tradition, sipping tea and eating dainty cucumber sandwiches, still hold true in the 21st century or has all our work and worry rid us of our heritage?
Have we merged unanimously into continental Europe? Have we lost our identity, the identity that made Britain Great, made her glorious? Have we handed the heart of our nation to footballers to growl our anthem in solitude, now that schools have widely abandoned this practice and Closedown television, which often ended with a tribute to Her Majesty, has been replaced by twenty-four hour television served by some four hundred and eighty channels? The simple courtesies and traditions that foreigners relate to us are truly unique but with the next generation scoffing burgers at four o’clock instead of scones, should we be fighting to protect our country’s famous individuality?
From the birth of our nation, arguably when William the Conqueror invaded Britain in 1066, family traditions have been handed down the generations, slowly evolving as each century has progressed. Each era has left its mark that makes it different from the next, something to be remembered by. In centuries gone by, traditions have developed in different ways: some are founded, some are changed and others are sadly lost.
Perhaps not seeing the bride before the wedding is a prime example of a tradition which has altered. Years ago, when weddings were arranged, the bride would often not see the groom before the wedding because the unions were arranged for money or politics and if the groom saw the bride beforehand, he may be put off! Nowadays, it is just a form of superstition but a tradition which has survived to this day.
An obscure example of a folklore which has been maintained is to be found in Staffordshire, where on the first Monday after the first Sunday after the 4th March (Wackes Sunday) a dance is held where six reindeer horns are attached to hats and are carried through a village and to the surrounding hamlets by a group of dancers, six horn players, a boy carrying a bow and arrow, a jester and a hobby horse! It’s nice to know that not all our quaint customs have been wiped out and this particular tradition has been going on for more than one thousand years!
If we are losing our heritage, then where are we heading and why? With the sudden expansion of foreign awareness, through an increase in immigration, and development in transport and communications, is Britain ‘sailing’ towards the continent, and becoming less unique in its ways? One example is in the food market where once our most renowned dishes were celebrated: the trifles and pies, Toad in the Hole and of course the sandwich. Now, many of these delights are dying out. The infamous ‘Fish and Chips’ have surely only survived because of their inexpensive qualities!
In contrast, Italy is a first-class example of a country which has kept its originality in food. Its array of pastas, pizzas, sweet deserts and ice creams are internationally renowned as being Italian!
There is also the subject of fine dining. Food is often a hurried affair today. With the invention of fast food and the café, people do not enjoy the time well spent over a meal. Instead, time is of the essence and the microwave dish often dominates the home kitchen. A lump- infested gruel (yes, I’m referring to Tesco’s ‘Chicken Korma’ in which, to find a piece of chicken is a truly memorable occasion) is actually, officially, Britain’s favourite dish! Whilst a multicultural society is certainly to be celebrated in every aspect, surely it would be sad if in fifty years’ time Britain had lost almost all of its delicacies and customs?
Our national identity is also being lost, in terms of our unique personality. Being reserved, polite and having the famous ‘stiff upper lip’ are British characteristics that are fading (not unlike our summers) into the minds of the older generation, soon to be forgotten entirely! Years ago it was rude not to smile and nod a ‘Good morning’ to a fellow Brit. These manners got us through two world wars and shaped the biggest empire the world has ever seen. During World Wars One and Two the determination of the women to fill the places of men, the resilience of the Home Guard, not to mention the troops on the Western Front, carried us through two devastating eras. Now the young generation have a greater independence than ever before due to booming transport and are exposed to so many cultures that the British way of life is not as predominant. The following questions to a teenager, in a survey, meant nothing to seven out of ten: In Britain, is it customary to pay as you go or create a tab? What’s the difference between a ‘family style’ serving manner and a ‘hosted style’ dinner? If you have a table booked for seven thirty for eight o’ clock, what’s the latest time a civilized person should actually arrive?*
The old British manner is reflected significantly in the world of sport. England has a fine tradition of competitive sport and has founded many famous and now internationally played games: rugby, croquet, polo, football, tennis and badminton, to name but a few. The refined and delicate image which springs to mind when you envisage ladies playing tennis on close-cut lawns and men playing football in shorts and long yellow socks is no longer a reality. Whereas a game would be a calm affair, and a crowd would gather to enjoy a picnic and watch a match, now they come in their thousands, paying vast sums for tickets to watch twenty or so ‘celebrities’ run around a pitch. The players themselves have only recently been paid for their efforts, and maybe too much.
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