“Did you see Dolly?” That is usually the first question I am asked when I admit that I went to the Glastonbury Festival 2014. My audience is then disappointed to learn that I went to watch Michael Rosen instead of the first lady of Country Music.
What I did see at Glastonbury were flags. Hundreds of flags. These flags came in all shapes and sizes, carrying the colours of foreign lands and regional territories, the emblems of sports teams and companies and the messages of the people (“Will you Play at our Wedding Dolly?”). The flag bearer and their tribe are usually fairly ordinary, muddy people. You won’t necessarily find a costume or a philosophy at the other end of a flagpole and therefore the flag is not necessarily a symbol of counter culture. A flag will help you find a tent or a friend. It might get you on television and will generally serve as a safe way to help you stand out in a crowd of 200,000 people.
Another arena where people fall behind flags are sport’s events. This summer we have had a plethora of international competitions, opening and closing ceremonies, with all their pomp and circumstance. Integral to these pageants have been the anthems and flags and the manner in which these standards have set the tone. Who can forget the raw passion of Brazilian fans, bedecked in their bright yellow shirts as they sang their anthem a cappella. Compare this to in 2008, when Boris Johnson got the Union Flag caught in his belt during the Olympic Closing Ceremony. What did these moments say about two nations?
The ideas of what a flag might mean in relation to personal and national identity is very interesting particularly in the year that Scotland decides whether to remain part of the union with England. Of course there are many important considerations but if the Scots voted with heart rather than head then how a person feels might lead Scotland to the Saltire.
In my capacity as a storyteller and drama facilitator I encourage self expression and the discovery of identity. Through heritage projects (Hackney Museum and the Guilden Morden Fire) I help young people to discover their local history and to consider their legacy whilst promoting tolerance and diversity. In drama workshops I initiate games and activities in which participants explore ideas and issues and challenge the way in which groups articulate themselves and their opinions through vocal and physical technique. Many of my successes are defined as soft outcomes but often it won’t feel that way to the individual. The ability to speak confidently in a group and have your opinion listened to can be life changing for some people.
Like the anthem or the flag much of my work can be linked to pride, confidence and self esteem and expressing identity whilst understanding place within a wider community. My view is that unlike the Glastonbury crowd or the Commonwealth athletes, most people’s flags will be purely figurative. You don’t need to march behind a banner to be you but if you’re going to wave a flag at least wave it properly!