Festival of BRITISH archaeology ?

[m300572]

"And I've never seen let alone tasted a deep-fried Mars bar either, oldgirl, but then there's not much call for them in my current corner of Surrey"

First place I ever saw them on sale was a chippy in Petersfield!

As for northerners and mushy peas - my wife likes mushy peas with her chips and she is from Essex! And by "northeners" do you mean "northern Englanders" - most of England is southern to most of Scotland (not all of it as the Border is NE-SW rather than E-W).

I think the point was rather lost by the CBA response to the comment - Scotland has a distinctive national identity within Britain and developed a Scottish "festival" in the shape of SAM when the north British and South British events were all on the same weekend. When the shorter Southern British events were moved it was, I assume, easier for the timetabled events in North Britain to stay in the SAM slot which was established. Had CBA South Britain decided to call it the "National Festival of Archaeology, rather than the Festival of British Archaeology, this would have been ambiguous enough that anyone wishing to hold events in North Britain under the FBA banner could have done so without engendering further feelings of cultural colonialism.

There's enough anti-English bampots in Scotland for other reasons without finding an excuse for a few more on this one!!

[oldgirl]

quote:Originally posted by m300572


There's enough anti-English bampots in Scotland for other reasons without finding an excuse for a few more on this one!!

What's a bampot?

[Windbag]

I voted yes to both devolution and tax-raising powers in 98, but I'll always vote No to an independent Scotland.
I like living in a country which looks after its pensioners (free personal care for the elderly), doesn't deter people from working-class backgrounds from going to uni (no tuition or top-up fees) and where politicians don't court the Daily Mail in order to curry favour with the electorate.
I don't want to see Scotland independent as I feel enough of a minority already. Scotland has always prided itself on being a welcoming country, but there is a strong anti-English sentiment in Scotland and I'd rather both the people and the politicians of Scotland found a way of expressing their pride in their country without spanking the English all the time.

[Oxbeast]

I could do with having a few of those policies, Windbag. No prescription charges as well, I believe, of is that just Wales. I am reminded of a discussion (argument) that I had with a colleague who was objecting to the Olympics being held in London. He said that they should be "somewhere central, like Northamptonshire". Dumfries & Galloway/Carlisle is 'central'. Sometimes a geography of the mind is more important than the physical geography.

Re: mushy peas. My mrs is a northerner and she thinks they're vile. I agree, but then I'm a monocle-and-spats wearing southerner.

[BAJR Host]

I agree with the Anti anti-English sentiments.. I became sick of Scotland defining itself as 'not England' I am glad that Scotland can define itself as itself, and English people should be proud to be English.. and not feel apologetic.

The deep rooted problem is the unfortunate definition of Britain (which is often used to define England) or where the UK = England that is somehow the main nation which graciously lets Scotland play too. its is long and complicated in the roots... with Scottish lords, kings even, preferring the London court. even Scottish MSPs would more than likely prefer to be an MP. England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland are all equal partners in the United Kingdom .. but more often than not, three are seen as junior partners under a wiser older big brother.

The solution is not to be anti English ... the solution is however in the hands of those that do make unintentional slights... for example the Britain's got talent.. or the fact that the Guardian has a Scotland correspondent, but not an English one... ? If its an english paper ... fine... i don't mind that... but it is a National Paper (ie covering the whole of the UK. but feels it can split everything into Scotland... / the rest of the UK.

so you see, it is more about education and understadning... from both scots and english to realise that acidental or unintended can often just perptrate a concept that there is a division... Either we are ALL in the UK or WE are not.. and we should recognise and celebrate our differences, without patronising each other or attempting to belittle the other.

I recently remember in the Rugby World Cup the surprise on an England Supporters face when I explained why I was supporting them after Scotland were out... "I did not think you would... I thought you supported anyone who was against us.... " Thats for people who are anti-english bampots !




"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[Windbag]

We still pay for the prescription charges in Scotland.
I agree on the geography of the mind issue - I remember watching a weather forecast on News24 when the young meteorologist referred to NW Scotland and the Hebrides as "nowheresville". It got a record number of complaints. We English really don't help ourselves sometimes!

BAMPOT, n.
prob. f. Eng. barmpot, a pot for storing yeast; fig. an idiot] Sc. form of Eng. bampot, a mad person. Also attrib.

[historic building]

The guardian does also have a northern england correspondent the excellent Martin Wainwright.

[oldgirl]

And Wales often has even more of a problem in being recognised as a nation as well as a part of Great Britain and the UK. (UK=The united Kingdon of Great Britain and Northern Ireland according to my passport)

I call myself British cos I was born and brought up in Wales but have lived all my adult life in England. My parents were both born and brought up in England but have lived all their adult life in Wales.....

Luckily, the only times I competed at international level, it was an England AND Wales team......

Back to the topic, I agree with m300572. It should be National rather than British, as this can be individual nations or Great Britain or UK. But I assume that doesn't fit in with the Council for British Archaeology as a name?

[m300572]

Bampot = see "numpty"

Numpty - see "bampot"

Mad in the sense of deep stupidity about things rather than just deranged.

[RedEarth]

Since the topic has almost entire become one regarding national identity it's perhaps worth mentioning that, being in the north of England often leaves you in a complete no-mans land (nothing changes then!). What people in Scotland (and probably Wales and Northern Ireland) don't seem to realise is that for many in England the UK or Britain only really refers to a small part of the SE of England. I constantly find it insulting that anywhere outside of the 'home counties' is considered to be some far flung province, even in reference to England. Now both Scotland and Wales have a greater say in their own government this seems like even more of a slap in the face as the North of England has vertually no identity by comparison. It's certainly notable in the Britarch coverage of news from around the country - most stories will relate to sites in the south of England with maybe a token nod to to Scotland/Wales/Ireland and very little for anywhere else.

Of course, in dealing with the North West especially, that's because there is no archaeology to speak of...