In this place we all call home (Northern Ireland is an integral part of the UK to me, perhaps something else to likely readers of this paper), whether it is recognised by the nationalist community as legitimate or not, there is a genuinely held feeling across large sections of the unionist and loyalist community that expressions of our cultural identity have been under somewhat of a siege over the last two decades.
We can debate whether that is accurate, and I firmly believe it is, but at the very least it must be acknowledged that the perception is real and that therefore plays into the nature of the relationships between the two largest community identities in Northern Ireland.
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It may not be understood, or may even be derided by those outside of the unionist/loyalist community, but parading, bonfires and flags are an important manifestation of our cultural identity.
It is not all that we are, and indeed a disproportionate focus on those issues may give the impression that expression of our culture is, in itself, the sum total of unionism/loyalism. That is not so, and equally there is much more to those cultural expressions than may appear from superficial analysis.
The parading tradition is a coming together in community to share a cultural history and identity. The marching bands are a display of discipline, skill, practice and endeavour.
The bonfire tradition is a time of coming together, of young people embarking on a shared project. It may not be the type of project the middle classes view as having any merit, but it carries with it the characteristics of hard work, team work and achieving a shared objective.
Those are the skills which underpin what is sometimes seen through the prism of the minority of problems or anti-social behaviour which attaches itself to some, but not all, bonfires.
It may not be understood, or may even be derided by those outside of the unionist/loyalist community, but parading, bonfires and flags are an important manifestation of our cultural identity
— Jamie Bryson
And, as with many other countries, the flying of legal flags is a display of pride in our national identity for those of us who identify as British.
This is not an identity shared by all in this part of the UK, and therefore flags become more contentious than those erecting them intend them to be. That is not to say that flags are not, by both communities, sometimes deployed for improper and more malign purposes, but that is the exception, notwithstanding the often disproportionate coverage to such minority and isolated incidents.
There is a job of work to do for the unionist/loyalist community who value the aforementioned aspects of our culture to firstly ensure it is expressed in the best possible manner; secondly to ensure that the manifestation of our culture does not cause harm to others (and in this, I mean real harm rather than contrived ‘feelings’ thereof rooted more in a political agenda); and thirdly, to ensure our culture remains community focused and relevant.
The route to achieving all three of the above objectives is via the development of voluntary regulation principles, which has internal unionist/loyalist community support.
The imposition of restrictions on cultural expression – on any community – doesn’t solve the problem, it only more deeply embeds it. In equal terms the strategy of identifying what the establishment like to term ‘gatekeepers’ and funding such individuals/groups in exchange for ‘policing’ of cultural expression is foolhardy and counter-productive.
The traditional expression of our culture is not currency or leverage to be traded for funding.
There is a lesson from the yearly Wolfe Tones event at Féile. In my community that is seen as grossly offensive and abhorrent. But, to a large section of the nationalist community, what transpires is seen as part of their tradition (objectionable though that is to people like me) and given the attendance, clearly has at least a significant measure of support.
It is something I have reflected on with interest that the more unionism (in my view, legitimately) raises objections, some of them I maintain well founded, the more people from the nationalist community appear determined to rally behind the event.
It strikes me that proper understanding, respect and co-existing within a vibrant Northern Ireland is not going to be best achieved from a deeply dug trench on either side.
Jamie Bryson,
Donaghadee,
Co Down
