What is English Culture?

[tortoiseshell]

We stopped at a service station last week, and also in the car park was a busload of Indians going to a wedding. The ladies were all wearing beautiful saris, and the men had got some drums out and were doing some Indian dancing in the car park. This got me thinking - what is English culture (I've specified English because I think Scottish,Welsh and Irish culture is fairly clear). By culture I mean things that children grow up knowing because they're done in the family, clothes etc. Basically, if there was a 'FESTIVAL OF ENGLAND' what would be in it.

I couldn't really think of anything which I think is a real shame - the only things I eventually thought of were cricket and rowing/punting.

Ooh yes, Dandelion and Burdock.
And mushy peas.
Eccles cakes

We have a festival in May called Jack in the Green which is very pagan and has lots of morris dancers and is all about the coming of Spring and fertility rites etc.

I do think it is quintessentially English.

It always makes me think of "The Wicker Man" and is quite scary.

The space within which we interact as Englishers..

english culture is mostly defined by class. the english culture of the upper classes is not the same as the english culture of the working classes or the middle classes.

English Culture is alive and kicking here in our village. It depends very much on where you live as to whether your traditional english pastimes have survived.

Heres a tast of our cultural year:
Carnival Queen Crowning
Village Carvinval
The Annual Village Feast
Vintage Car Rallys
Cheese Rolling
Vintage Bus Pull
Silver Band Concerts once a month on the Village Green.
Cricket
Rugby
Football
Beer Festivals
Duck Racing
Easter Egg Hunts
Nativity PLay
Teddy Bears PIcnics
May Day Festival
May Pole Dancing
Artists Festival
Memorial / Rememberance Marches and services
Harvest Festival

And that just the events I can think of that happen here in our little village.

There are so many things which spell English Culture, the beautiful paintings of our great artists, plays and poems by our great playrights and poets, sarcasm day to day or in publications like Private Eye etc. OUr ability to invent the great games and sports of the world - (and sadlt our inability to play them as well as everyone else)

I love English culture, but will still be found down our local Indian takeaway for my traditional Chicken Tikka Masala - cos nowadays English Culture embraces lot sof other things too. Its makes it all the more iteresting.

Emma x