In an earlier article I spoke of the need to help children in settings where most of them are not White British to understand something of the majority culture here.
One way that predominantly white settings attempt to reflect cultural diversity is to celebrate festivals. The same approach could be used to explore the majority culture. Burns Night, for example, can provide a starting point for looking at Scottish culture. It is comparatively easy (even outside Scotland itself) to find a piper who can come in traditional costume, play the bagpipes and talk about Burns Night.
There is nothing wrong with this. It can be great fun. However, it gets more difficult when we look specifically at English culture. Many English 'traditions', such as Morris dancing, were artificially resurrected at the beginning of the last century and have never really established themselves as true expressions of the community. In addition, the growth of urban living and the decline of Christianity mean that few festivals are celebrated very publicly in England. They tend to be more family affairs.
It is possible to reflect English identity in a setting through traditional foods and decorations, but there is not the same feeling to it that there is to festivals from other cultures.
The best starting point is the experience of the children themselves. Be alert to aspects of the majority culture that, judging by comments children make, appear to fascinate, puzzle, attract or even frighten them. This should tell you what needs explanation and exploration. Ask White British colleagues to describe what happens in relation to such things in their communities and families. Look for parallels with the cultures of the families using your setting. Don't expect much help from the usual sources, since this is a new area of work for them. Your initiatives could pave the way for future work.
