10- THE BRITISH, by Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah

The British 

(serves 60 million)

Take some Picts, Celts and Silures
And let them settle,
Then overrun them with Roman conquerors.
Remove the Romans after approximately 400 years
Add lots of Norman French to some
Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Vikings, then stir vigorously.

Mix some hot Chileans, cool Jamaicans, Dominicans,
Trinidadians and Bajans with some Ethiopians, Chinese,
Vietnamese and Sudanese.
Then take a blend of Somalians, Sri Lankans, Nigerians
And Pakistanis,
Combine with some Guyanese
And turn up the heat.
Sprinkle some fresh Indians, Malaysians, Bosnians,
Iraqis and Bangladeshis together with some
Afghans, Spanish, Turkish, Kurdish, Japanese
And Palestinians
Then add to the melting pot.
Leave the ingredients to simmer.
As they mix and blend allow their languages to flourish
Binding them together with English.
Allow time to be cool.
Add some unity, understanding, and respect for the future,
Serve with justice
And enjoy.  

Note: All the ingredients are equally important. Treating one ingredient better than another will leave a bitter unpleasant taste.

Warning: An unequal spread of justice will damage the people and cause pain. Give justice and equality to all.


The poem we read and analysed in class belongs to the book

 

Click here if you want to learn more about Benjamin´s life and work.

A)  Look at the statements below. Tick the ones which match your understanding of what the poet is saying in The British. Try to find lines from the poem to support the statements.

1. All people deserve to be treated with respect.
2. It takes time for people to live in harmony.
3. We have to work at getting along with all kinds of people.
4. Everyone is equal.
5. It´s exciting to live in a multicultural society.
6. Benjamin Zephaniah is passionate about justice and equality.
   

B)  The Romans, Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Normans all came to Britain hundered of years ago. What point do you think Benjamin Zephaniah is making by including them in the poem?

C)  The poem is written like a recipe. 

1. What words/phrases and other features in "The British" make the poem look like a recipe? To your list of cooking verbs, add at least five or six extra ones. You may also find a picture to illustrate their meanings !
2. Why has Zephaniah chosen to write this poem like this?

 

Benjamin Zephaniah recites his poem with a group of students.

WATCH the video and then practise reading it aloud! 

Don´t forget to include a copy of the poem in your PORTFOLIO!

Feel free to LEAVE A PERSONAL COMMENT on the poem! 

Grace

9- THE BRITISH CROWN

To truly understand somebody´s culture, we should first go back to their origins and roots and understand how their identity was shaped  along time.

How much do you know about Britain and its people? What is exactly Britain? And who are the British?


WHAT IS WHAT? WHICH IS WHICH? 

England?

United Kingdom?

Great Britain?

Commonwealth Realm?

Crown Dependencies?

British Overseas Territories?

Watch the video . Don't worry if you cannot understand every single word! Pay attention to the pictures and, only if necessary, activate the subtitles.

 














So..., as you may have noticed there are many different terms...

1- Which are political terms?
2- Which are geographical terms?

• ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.  
  

  The answers will be corrected and shared in class!

1. Is the UK a single country? What is it?
2. Which is the biggest island? And the most populated one?
3. Which is the second biggest island?
4. Which is the complete name for the UK?
5. Is Great Britain a geographical or political term?
6. Mention the islands that are NOT part of Great Britain.
7. Is the Republic of Ireland also part of the UK?
8. What do the UK and the Republic of Ireland have in common?
9. How many countries are there in Great Britain? And in Ireland?
10. Mention at least 5 countries that used to be part of the Empire.
11.  According to British tradition, who did God give power to?
12. Which are the independent nations that , in spite of beingindependent, still recognize the Crown as their Head of State. Make a list of these nations.
13. Name the Crown Dependencies.
14. Are the British on good terms with the Spanish government concerning Gibraltar? (Are they friends? Is there any conflict between them?)
15. What is the situation like in regards to our Malvinas Islands? Why does Argentina claim the soverreighnty? (Mind you! You won´t find the answer to this question on the video!!)
16. Draw a list with the British overseas Territories. Are they independent? What does the Crown give them?
 

 

 

In your PORTFOLIO,  draw the chart describing THE CROWN. Add any piece of information / drawing / images you want to complete your entrance or just to enliven it!

Special thanks to  Stella for sharing the activity!!  😊😊