Can Cockneys change their image? the first Modern Cockney Festival (March 3rd to April 4th)

Wake up call to celebrate Cockney identity; or witness it be airbrushed out of history

A wake-up call to Londoners and beyond – whether you were born within the inner London Cockney heartland or part of the Cockney Diaspora – to celebrate an identity than helps people overcome adversity is being made with the first Modern Cockney Festival (March 3^rd to April 4^th).

Appealing to anyone with an affinity with the of the ‘common Londoner’, whether first, second, third generation or more, campaigners are challenging negative stereotypes of Cockneys in the media while appealing to the Mayor of London to stop the 660 year-old identity of the ‘common Londoner’ being airbrushed out of history.

For example, the Mayor of London’s Office report Cultural Strategy Report – Culture for all Londoners, which in its 180 pages, 35,000 words does not mention the word ‘Cockney’ once. Similarly in its public exhibitions, and only one passing reference on its web site (containing 560,000 words); as if Cockney never existed.

Yet a recent Google Ngram online search reveals the term ‘Cockney’ as witnessing significant growth over the last 30 years, with a slight downturn in the last five years, indicative of a substantive and widespread use of the term ‘Cockney’.

Festival organisers claim a celebration of an inclusive Cockney identity based on positive values, tackles growing social division, helps individuals and communities to stand up for themselves more, stand their ground, or stand together to overcome adversity, and builds self-confidence, self-belief and purpose.

Stereotypes

The new Puss in Boots: The Last Wish film is the latest example of negative media stereotypes of Cockneys. The criminal characters all have clearly-defined Cockney accents, with no counter-balance of Cockney characters in positive roles.

The Modern Cockney Festival is organised by Cockney Cultures, a partnership we at Grow Social Capital have established with the Bengali East End Heritage Society.

It confronts how working-class communities lack the cultural institutions to defend, celebrate, or advance their common culture. As a result, their stories are defined and told by others, and often in a negative way, such as the emergence of Cockney being seen by many as exclusively white, working-class. and by some, as racist.

Rising to this challenge, the Festival provides a space for anyone across all colours, creeds or religions with an affinity with the ‘common Londoner’ to explore, reconnect and celebrate who they are, and how they relate to the evolving Cockney identity.

The Modern Cockney Festival programme

The Festival of events, academic lectures, and family fun covers issues such as:

• Speak Cockney Day (March 3^rd) – ‘Cockney Fun Day’ and the ‘Cockney Apprentice’ at the Museum of London Docklands, West India Quay, Poplar. Meet London pearly Kings and Queens with talks on Cockney heritage and ‘How to speak Cockney rhyming slang’ and ‘Cockney Apprentice’ – discover if you fit the bill to be a Cockney and earn yourself a ‘Cockney spoon’
• Celebrating Cockney women who have changed history, yet their story remains largely untold or under-commemorated, such as Sarah Chapman of the Matchgirls Strike, or Minnie Lansbury the local councillor who died as a result of being imprisoned for standing up for her Poplar community.
• Discovering how Cockney language is evolving with the British Library delving into its sound archives, a German academic who has been recording how Londoners speak on the streets of the Capital sharing her research, and Tony White, author of ‘Foxy-T’ reading from his cult-classic novel that captures the lingo of modern London.
• Highlighting the ‘invisible discrimination’ operating in modern Britain, with speakers on antisemitism, ageism, and anti-Cockney prejudice.
• Challenging sociolinguists’ perspectives that ‘Cockney is dying’ and is instead, evolving.
• Exploring current challenges faced by Cockney communities.
• Confronting social class bias and discrimination, while also marking the positive qualities of a Cockney self-identity in overcoming adversity in a ’We ain’t victims’ event.
• Examining if the traditional Cockney cuisine of pie’n’mash is dying, surviving, or thriving.
• Enjoying family fun at the Museum of London Docklands sharing Cockney rhyming slang and heritage lessons, and with a Cockney version of ‘The Apprentice’.
• Having a laugh with an event exploring ‘Is there such a thing as Cockney humour?‘.
• A virtual exhibition, ‘The evolving story of Cockney in 50 objects’

“We don’t need a Royal Institute of Cockney, but we do need a space to come together to celebrate a proud evolving heritage of the 660 year-old identity of the ‘common Londoner’, with a dialogue to rediscover its purpose for the 21st century”, said Saif Osmani, a cofounder of the Festival

“We believe ‘Bow Bells is heard through the heart’. If you’re someone who believes you need to be born and bred within a specific postcode to be called a Cockney, or someone – whether first, second, third or more generation – part of the Cockney Diaspora, who feels an affinity with the ‘common Londoner’ – there’s something for all to embrace their inner Cockney, with a programme of events, academic talks, and family fun”. 

Further details about Speak Cockney Day, the Modern Cockney Festival, and to book tickets for its free events programme visit www.growsocialcapital.org.uk/campaigns/cockney

Media Contact for further details:

Andy Green of Cockney Cultures on 07815 884 525 email: [email protected] or Saif Osmani on 07915 234404 email: [email protected].