If at the macro- cultural level described above the frame traditions of the immigrant people are just an addition to the host country’s cultural heritage, without changing it in any way, at the micro- social level the common life of the native British involves an interaction with people from different backgrounds and a mixing with their habits, views, way of dressing, music, sport and so on. In such a fluctuating context, it’s almost impossible for the native British individuality to remain the same, emphasize R. Baulock, A. Heller and A. Zollberg in the study “The Challenge of Diversity Integration and Pluralism in Societies of Immigration”. Yes, it “shelters” its primary and traditional “moderation”, “politeness”, “stiffness”, but at the same time combines them with modern and distinguished Indian, American, Chinese or Asian “flavors”. Certain old inside-British stereotypes have been eroded by the new fluid identities and every field of modern British life stands as a living proof to testify this.
However, there’s no recipe to indicate us what exactly will the notion of “Britishness” comprise if so many cultures become integrate parts of a long and famed British structure. Indeed the result may be unknown, but the “cooking” stages are obvious for anyone who walks on the streets of Britain nowadays.
Cut into slices and attentively viewed, the traditional British life is increasingly spread with stereotypical immigrants ‘ traits and practices “such as vegetarianism, meditation or yoga”, explain Mike Storry and Peter Childs in “British Cultural Identities”. The same authors agree that the list could endless go on, from the new sports adopted to various forms of entertainment, fashion styles and even to food or drink. If these are just a few of the foreign “whip creams” to adorn the British life, than a further distinctive “relish” of it is given by festivals and significant dates. These are in my perspective the most clear example of culture link between the uprooted people and the native ones. They settle perhaps the most democratic arena where expression and change can take place and where tradition embraces modernity in one and unique combination wrapped in a British manner. The Chinese New Year or Halloween are just a few celebrations that show traces of foreign influence, but that acquire British dimensions because the land, the fireworks, and most important the people that take part at it are British. Sharing a common joy, being together for the same holiday borrowed or not, unit people and set up the groundwork for a transfer of cultural identity pieces. Some of them remain pure British, others emerge as a mixture of cultures. If the first category embodies British traditions, the second deals with modern British life.
A newborn child in Britain nowadays will be marked by both of them and will mould its personality from traditional British “dough” but with small modern “drops” of American flexibility, Chinese perseverance, Asian patience, European innovation, Australian cheerfulness. Perhaps in this inner mixture will the notion of “being British” truly see its future.
Ðåôåðàò îïóáëèêîâàí: 26/07/2006