What is identity of place?
Where we live can have a big effect on our Someone's identity is who they are.. We are shaped by many different things such as culture, history, language and sport.
The identity of places are also shaped by the people who live there.
Wales is a small country but it has produced many stars. Footballers like Jess Fishlock and Gareth Bale, singers Dame Shirley Bassey and Cerys Matthews, athletes Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Colin Jackson, and actors such as Michael Sheen and Eve Myles are famous all over the world in their fields.
For such a small place Wales is often associated with some of the world鈥檚 most talented and popular figures.
Video - Identity of place
Where we live has a huge effect on our identity - it helps make us who we are. But it also works the other way. Places have their own identity too, created by - you guessed it - the people who live there. Culture, language, religion and sport all contribute to an area鈥檚 鈥減ersonality鈥. There was once a unique community here in Wales, and its story started with coal.
Wales boomed during the Industrial Revolution, with coal from the south Wales valleys exported to all corners of the world. It all had to be loaded on to ships somewhere. That place was the docks in Cardiff, and a new community quickly grew around them. Welcome to Tiger Bay.
Merchants, builders and sailors from dozens of different countries made their home here in the mid-19th century. It became famous around the world as a multicultural melting pot - a place where people of different creeds and backgrounds all lived and worked side by side.
As the 20th century rolled on, coal exports from Cardiff Docks slowed, finally stopping altogether in 1964. The old Tiger Bay eventually disappeared, and many of the people who lived there were moved to other parts of the city. At the end of the century, a barrage was built to turn the docks into a huge freshwater lake. The whole area was transformed and filled with flats, bars, restaurants, parliaments - that sort of thing. It鈥檚 no longer a working dock, but a leisure attraction called Cardiff Bay.
Now, think about what makes your area unique. What gives it its own special character, and how has it changed?
Tiger Bay
Tiger Bay was a community that grew around the docks in Cardiff when it was one of the busiest coal ports in the world.
It was a very diverse place - the people who lived there came from dozens of different countries.
Sailors from Somalia that arrived on ships looking for work, stayed and settled in the area, marrying local women and making Cardiff their home. People came from the Caribbean, the Arabian Peninsula, West Africa and all over Europe to make Tiger Bay a unique part of the city.
It was famous for being a place where people of different backgrounds, nationalities and religions all lived and worked side by side.
The export of coal from the docks eventually came to a stop. The Tiger Bay that was such a lively and vibrant community gradually disappeared.
In 1999, the Cardiff barrage opened which turned the old docks into a large lake. A new, modern community grew around it called Cardiff Bay. It is filled with new flats, bars, restaurants and even government buildings.
People now enjoy the Bay as a leisure destination - somewhere to go to enjoy and relax. But for some, it will always be remembered as a unique community where people from all over the world called home.
Aberfan
The identity of a place can also be affected by things that happen, some of them unfortunate.
The identity of the village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil has been shaped by a disaster that happened in 1966. On the morning of 21 October, coal waste above the village slid down a steep hill and on to part of the village.
It hit Pantglas School and a number of houses and 144 people were killed.
Today in Aberfan, a memorial garden where Pantglas School once stood reminds the community of their loss, something that they will never forget.
The Anglesey bridges
Landmarks can also help form the identity of a place. Anglesey is an island which is connected to the mainland by two famous bridges. They have been a feature of the area since they were built in the 19th century.
The Menai Suspension Bridge, designed by Thomas Telford was completed in 1826. At the time it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Britannia Bridge was designed and built by Robert Stephenson. It carried two train tracks, and when it opened in 1850 it connected Anglesey to the railway network for the first time.
They were built so that people could travel more easily from Ireland to London. These days they are used by thousands of locals and tourists every day, and are a part of the rich history of the island.
Activities
1. Written task
'Where I live is a special place鈥︹
Write about the area where you live, and explain why it is important to you and your community. You should start and finish your work with the same sentence 鈥 鈥榃here I live is a special place鈥︹
Here are some things you should include in your work.
- A description of the area - Is it a busy city or a quiet village, are there mountains and rivers nearby, or lots of buildings?
- Famous landmarks - Write about any special or important attractions where you live.
- Are you proud of where you are from? - Describe why you are proud of the area you are from.
- What is unique or special about your community?
- What has happened in your community?
2. Create a pamphlet
Create a pamphlet advertising your local community as an area that other people should visit. Add some photos or draw your own pictures of any famous landmarks in your area. You should ensure that your work is presented in an organised and creative manner.
Your pamphlet should include:
- a catchy title - this should be name of where you live, but with a positive adjective to make it even more appealing, for example 鈥楢mazing Aberystwyth鈥
- facts and information - present interesting facts about your community, such as things to do in the area, the population or even the success of the local football team.
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