A powerful aspect of Belonging is in the symbols that represent identity.
Not only the formal symbols of flags, heraldry and iconic buildings. For organisations and nations, culture is revealed most in the informal symbols: What we eat, how we behave, how we greet each other.
This is one of the parameters we use at The BelongingSpace to assess Belonging and culture. We identify the way symbols are used by people and organisations to represent Belonging.
So it was interesting to see what
was included, to sum up Wales and Welshness, in the goody-bag, given last Friday to world leaders going home from the NATO summit hosted in Newport, Wales.
A tough challenge. Can any list of
national symbols avoid being dry and caricatured?
David Cameron said he wanted to "promote Welsh businesses and culture".
But does this modest list of items really sum
up the character of Wales?
A humble basket of gifts in a willow
basket, held out from the tiny Principality to the noble world leaders.
(See full list at the end of this article.)
The rugby ball and the selection of
Dylan Thomas were unavoidable. The natty Corgi socks are apparently The Prince of
Wales’ favourite. The whisky from Penderyn - the only Welsh distillery - will
chase away any maudlin tendencies.
The digital art is a modern take on ancient
landscapes. The willow, slate and gold showcase natural resources and crafts.
Newport’s famous Transporter Bridge represents engineering.
And great to see UK technology in
the marvellous RaspberryPi, built in Wales.
Maybe the Welshcakes hold a symbol
of the Welsh psyche - pragmatic, straightforward, warm hearted: plain
ingredients giving a surprisingly delicious treat.
But overall it’s a bit disappointing. Despite
real commitment from craftspeople and businesses, the goody bags have undersold
Welsh industry and impact.
David Cameron spoke about
“Wales’ strong defence and aerospace sectors… fine examples of its strong heritage in craftsmanship and food too.”
But he’s made Wales look parochial.
It’s as if Myfanwy Price has pottered along her sweetshop
shelves and Mrs Organ Morgan has grabbed a few things from the back of her store.
(For full Welsh flavour, hear these
characters in Dylan Thomas’ poem ‘Under Milk Wood’ read by Richard Burton)
No mention, in the going-home bag,
of the scale of Welsh industry and invention.
No reference to the global
contribution from the other (beyond Thomas) great Welsh heroes:
the actors, writers, scientists, the social reformers, Nye Bevan the pioneer of the NHS.
No sharing, in the scrumptious foods,
of the diversity held within Wales strong communities.
No hint, in the presentation, of the
Welsh hewn-from-granite spirit or so-straight-it’s-more-unbearably-funny sense
of humour. What would Rob Brydon make of it all?
And, hang on - Welshness in a bag,
and NO MUSIC?!!
Happily, the Prince
of Wales treated the leaders to live performances
by musicians from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the
Welsh National Opera Brass Consort, and his very own Official Harpist Hannah Stone.
But they needed a reminder to take
back home.
You have not experienced Welshness
(or music) till you've been engulfed in the full power of a Welsh choir singing
'Cwm Rhonda’.
(sung here heartily by Morriston
Orpheus Choir)
A cliché, maybe: and a symbol worth having.
Unique singing unmatched even by the
great Russian sound (stick that, Putin) or the high intellect of German
conductors (sorry Mrs Merckel) or the refinement of Italian opera (mi dispiace,
but it’s hard to keep up with Italian Prime Ministers).
Human voices, in richest harmony, the
resonance bouncing off your heart: the essence of humanity.
Exactly what this NATO meeting -
depressingly on the edge of conflict rather than unity - needed.
Sadly, one symbol of NATO's
challenges at the summit was upfront on its web page in the four languages listed:
English, French, Russian, Ukrainian
An irony of language betrays the
old Wales-England tension: in Cymraeg, “Cymru”means “land of fellow countrymen”; in English, “Wales” means “land of foreigners”.
Belonging and not belonging
Belonging and not belonging
So does the basket of goodies sum up
what the people of Wales see in themselves?
Who better to ask for comment than a
Welsh identity expert: Rebecca Price, MD of Frank Bright and Abel.
“What ultimately defines Welsh identity is the people. From Neil Kinnock
to Tom Jones, from Rhys Ifans to my mum’s 'pillar of the local chapel' next
door neighbour, we’re people with heart, gently self mocking, who never take
ourselves too seriously. I am who I am,
because I’m Welsh.
It means I’m direct, with
no varnish or gloss and laugh to the toes of my shoes.”
(I was looking for a couple of lines:
Rebecca, mentioning a love of language, sent me an eloquent essay on her national identity which I have published fully on
the next blog)
The formal symbol, the red Welsh dragon, sat proudly opposite the US stars and stripes on Obama's car on a visit to a Newport primary school.
And yet - for anyone proud of the interdependence of
nations in the United Kingdom - while we face the possibility of losing the
blue of the Scottish Saltire from the Union flag, there is no symbol of Wales
represented in it.
Will we have to replace the blue with the black and yellow of the St David's flag?
Symbols in action?
The Newport summit gave
a great global profile to Wales.
Will these symbols have a lasting
impact?
I wonder if the leaders will wear their Welsh gold cuff links and bracelets, or keep their bathroom items in the little willow basket, or whether President Obama will throw his rugby ball across the White House lawn?
Our symbols of heritage can
hold us together and stand us apart: choose them carefully.
How can organisations select symbols that really represent them?
A few tips to avoid the predictability of the Newport baskets:
-
Remember it’s in the informal
symbols that culture is truly revealed
-
Look deeper than the obvious
literal symbols, to richer experience
-
Look broader at both heritage
and ambition, diverse perspectives
-
The simpler the better
-
Listen to the phrases used in
everyday exchange
-
Bring home the senses: the
simple tastes, sounds, touch, sights and smells, of every day
-
Pin down what people share,
and take for granted, in their community
-
Find what makes people laugh
-
Ask people what they are most
proud of
Or capture the fleeting moments - as with Welsh singing – in which we share common heritage and make stronger connections.
What are the symbols - formal and informal - that sum up your country?
Talk to us about how to create a sense of Belonging.
isabel@belongingspace.com
www.belongingspace.com
Here's the full list of the NATO
goody bag from WalesOnline
- Willow baskets, handcrafted using
willow grown in South Wales by Caerphilly based Hatton Willow, Cardiff maker
Seren Willow and Out to Learn Willow from Ogmore;
- Personalised Nato coasters made
from Welsh slate made by Valley Mill;
- A commemorative piece crafted by
the Royal Mint, designed by engraver Jody Clark and produced at Llantrisant;
- Locally produced Welsh cakes
supplied by Celtic Manor resort;
- Cufflinks and bracelets produced
using Welsh gold by Clogau jewellers;
- Honey made by Hilltop Honey in
Caersws;
- Whisky bottled by the Penderyn
Distillery;
- Welsh rugby balls, representing
Wales’s national sport, presented by the Welsh Rugby Union;
- A book of “Selected Poems by Dylan
Thomas” presented by Orion Publishing;
- Woollen journals woven by Jane
Beck and Nia Hobbs in Ceredigion;
- Woollen socks produced by
family-run Corgi Hosiery, based in Carmarthenshire;
- Prints of a photograph of Newport
Transporter Bridge taken by Pradip Kotecha, which won the Iconic Newport
photography competition presented by the competition’s organisers, University
of South Wales;
- Framed prints of iPad paintings of
“400 iconic views of Newport” by artist Joseph Anthony Connor;
- A Sony Raspberry Pi credit-card
sized computer, built at Pencoed, near Bridgend;
- Taylors Welsh Crisps, made from
potatoes ‘born and raised in Wales’;
- Fudge created by Eboni ac eifori
in Pwllheli, and the Fudge Fairy sweet shop in Caldicot;
- Chocolates and sweets handmade by
Michelin trained pastry chef Beverly Reed, from Creative Food in Newport;
- Ties from Port Talbot based First
Corporate Clothing; and
- Bags from Red Hat Printing in
Newport, produced by Ralawise in North Wales and Weston Mill.
A message from the Prime Minister
inside the gift basket reads: “During this summit you will see many examples of
Wales’ strong defence and aerospace sectors. Here are some fine examples of its
strong heritage in craftsmanship and food too.
“From the poems of Dylan Thomas and
the craftsmanship of the Royal Mint to produce being made today in Wales, I
hope you will enjoy each of these gifts and be inspired by them to find out
about all that Wales has to offer.”
Find more on our work on Belonging at www.belongingspace.com
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