Bag it, bin it: Isn’t it time we stopped referring to ‘north’ and ‘south’ Wales?

Stephen Price

I have a vivid memory of being on holiday in Majorca as a child - my family playing bingo in the hotel entertainment room one evening - dressed in our finery, unlimited drinks a-flowin’ and lobser-red Celtic skin a-nursin'.

When my mum excitedly shouted, ‘house’, she was asked where she came from, and answered as we all would have back then, proudly informing the entire room that she was from ‘south Wales’.

Incidentally, a chap from Neath got on the mic to sing Guantanamera by the Sandpipers towards the end of the night with the name switched to Ystalafera.

If only my memory was as good nowadays. Anyway, where was I?

Oh, Cala d’Or.. No, wait..

Reductive and silly

Being somewhat of a dog person, with two joyful mutts attached to my side for the best part of most days, one of the many nicknames I have for Beti, a dog I inherited from my mum, is ‘The Naughtiest Dog in South Wales’.

The nickname came about because a. she’s beautifully undisciplined and b. it sounds rather silly.

And that’s what north and south Wales sound like to me too: silly.

I managed to buy tickets for an anniversary screening of Twin Town at Brynmawr Market Hall Cinema last month (yes, I cried as Myfanwy sang out) - and hung around for the Q&A afterwards.

What struck me, during the rolling credits at the end, was the fact that the film was said to have been filmed ‘on location in South Wales.'

I’m not criticising - I only have praise for that film - it’s far from alone and merely a recent example. But on a world stage, presenting our country thusly time and time again presents confusion, and more sinisterly suggests division.

To pick two countries with a clear north and south divide, 'our survey said...' (I only asked myself and Beti).. North Korea and Northern Ireland.

Welsh Government approved

Wales’ new First Minister, Vaughan Gething took little time to announce his Ministerial team following his confirmation as First Minister.

Second only to concerns around the lack of focus Jeremy Miles MS's role as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy & Welsh Language has, commentary about the position of 'Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport’ which is held by Ken Skates MS was equally ‘lively’ (i.e. scathing).

X user, Aled ap Dafydd, summed up his and many other people’s thoughts, saying: “Having a minister for north Wales (not even the north of Wales) only exposes the fact that the Labour Welsh Government doesn’t take the geographical area seriously.

Every Minister should have an eye on every part of Wales without exception."

The very fact that a south Wales minister doesn’t exist suggests that eyes and focus below the imaginary north and south Wales line are covered - it’s the Gogs that need quietening.

Pin the tail on the donkey, that’ll do!

[embed]https://twitter.com/aledapdafydd/status/1770867379783786557?s=43&t=7n5Z4QRj_JQAkwErj30QAg[/embed]

Comments beneath the post share my dismay.

"Exactly my thoughts, Aled. It’s divisive in such a small country."

"Exactly. It's a token gesture that actually reveals how low down the priority list the north is."

Adre

When I’m in any part of Wales, I feel at home, and dare I say, a shared sense of ownership.

Welshness, for me, is an inheritance of the histories and mythologies of all of Wales’ towns, villages and counties. And, indeed, their futures.

And I see why many, particularly in the counties that constitute the woolly definition of ‘north Wales’ feel forgotten.

But coming from Blaenau Gwent, one of Wales’ most economically deprived counties, believe me, lack of political clout, investment, opportunity etc. is most certainly not a south v north issue.

Even within Blaenau Gwent, you’ll often hear people say ‘Ebbw Vale gets all the money’, while communities such as Nantyglo and Tredegar look on with envy.

‘Othered'

Sadly, I do find that it’s north Wales that has to use the ‘othered’ term the most.

The south is offered the free pass to simply use ‘Wales’ - whether geographically or even when it comes to an accent. The accents of south Wales are Welsh, the north Walians? 'Oooh a bit too nuanced for us!'

Similarly, the language differences within Wales are presented as mutually unintelligible languages instead of simply being natural dialect and accent variations that any country might have.

Granted, we’ve got official bodies, such as North Wales Police, so the monikers are here to stay for the time being, and the term is so deeply ingrained in every level of Wales that it’ll keep appearing.

But it’s so easy to reframe anything that might have a north or south label. Qualify it by the county and let’s get to know and normalise our county names instead if somewhere needs a little help with geographical pinpointing for the uninitiated, it’s that simple.

A divided country we might be politically, and certainly when it comes to connectivity, but on the world stage and within, can we please stop looking so silly?

Wales is one nation, and we need to start acting, and speaking like we mean it.

Wales (or preferably Cymru) is tidy as it is.