NEW ways to overcome social division and prejudice in modern Britain by harnessing the power of Cockney identity, humour, and sense of togetherness are called for in a new report.
The Modern Cockney Manifesto calls for urgent action to tackle declining British regional identities ahead of the launch of the month-long Modern Cockney Festival (March 1st-31st) that celebrates the culture, heritage, and future on ‘non-posh Londoners’.
Experts believe by connecting to traditional British regional identities, based on positive inclusive values, can boost people’s self-esteem, confidence, and purpose.
Unless urgent action is taken however, evidence reveals the UK faces the danger of becoming Engbland with growing polarisation in post-Brexit Britain. The report reveals a decline in British regional identities, growing marginalisation of common peoples’ cultures, and increasing use of negative stereotypes in popular culture.
The Manifesto report is produced by Modern Cockney, a community partnership between the Bengali East End Heritage Society and social enterprise Grow Social Capital following three years of research and community engagement work, including collaboration with the University of Warwick.
It points to examples like David Beckham deciding to queue for twelve hours to pay his respects to the late Queen inspired by his East End grandparents as what they would have wanted him to do, while he takes his family to enjoy traditional Cockney food of Pie’n’Mash to connect with their culture and heritage. All empowering a greater sense of self-worth and pride.
In an era of social identities being more complex, fluid, and multi-layered, where people now have a larger wardrobe of choice to connect with, the report encourages people to celebrate a more multi-faceted self-description such as ‘Bengali Cockney’, ‘Black Cockney’, ‘Old School Cockney’, ‘New School Cockney’, ‘Cockney Diaspora’, or ‘Ancestral Cockney’ whatever is authentic and inspiring for themselves.
“Across the UK, once powerful assets for ordinary people, their cultures and shared sense of identity, such as Cockney, now sit under-used or untapped.” said Saif Osmani of Modern Cockney. “We don’t need a Royal Institute of Cockney but by providing a space like the Modern Cockney Festival enables anyone to explore, discover, and celebrate their shared sense of who they are, while respecting the rights of others to be who they want to be, makes our world a richer, more connected place.British regional identities can tackle 21st century problems.”
Examples the report highlights of the need for urgent action include:
- Although use of the term ‘Cockney’ increased by 40% over the last 50 years, there is now evidence of a decline in usage, while other regional identities, such as Geordie, Manc, Scouse, and Weegie show sharp declines in use.
- The most recent Mayor of London Cultural Strategy report, entitled ‘Culture for all Londoners’ in its 180 pages containing around 35,000 words, does not use the term ‘Cockney’ once, seemingly airbrushing it out of history.
- In major children’s movies, such as ‘Matilda the Musical’, ‘Puss in Boots 3’, ‘101 Dalmations’ and many more, all feature bad characters defined by having Cockney accents. Even though Dick van Dyke in ‘Mary Poppins’ is regarded as having the worst Cockney accent ever, at least his character Bert was at least a good guy.
The Modern Cockney Festival features live and online events including musician Joe Jackson celebrating traditional music hall culture, the inspirational stories of Cockney women – such as Nellie Cressall the Poplar councillor who, in 1921 was sent to prison despite being six months pregnant, how the Capital provided the ultimate cultural cocktail for a Black London sound, launch of a poetry for togetherness competition event, family fun days at the Museum of London Docklands and the Museum of the Home, and the second National Pie’n’Mash Week with its campaign to secure Protected Food status for its traditional dish.
Copies of the Modern Cockney Manifesto and further details of the Festival can be found at www.moderncockneyfestival.org.uk
