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Westie (person)

January 04, 2024

For the German informal demonym, see Wessi.

Westie, or Westy, is slang in Australian and New Zealand English for residents of the Greater Western Sydney, the western suburbs of Melbourne, or the western suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand.

The term originated, and is most often used, in relation to residents of the numerous western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and of Auckland, New Zealand. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, the term in Australian English now refers to people from outer suburbs and a lower socio-economic background, or to the stereotypes associated with such people.[1] It also states that the term has spread throughout Australia and may refer to people who may not live in the western part of their city.[1] With reference to its use in Sydney, the Macquarie Book of Slang says the term is applied negatively to anyone that may live west of one's own suburb.[2]

Stereotype edit

"Westie" is often stereotyped as people from the outer suburbs who are unintelligent, undereducated, unmotivated, unrefined, lacking in fashion sense, working-class or unemployed. Clothing such as flannelette shirts, Ugg boots, leopard-print fabric, Adidas outfits with stripes, and blue singlets are associated with the stereotype, as are the "uniform" of black T-shirt and ripped jeans.[3]

Auckland, New Zealand edit

See also: Jafa

In Auckland, westies are almost entirely residents of West Auckland and in particular the suburbs of Massey, Te Atatū, Henderson, Sunnyvale, Glen Eden, Green Bay, Titirangi, Ranui, and New Lynn. Until 2010, these western suburbs formed much of Waitakere City. Some people from Avondale are called by others and themselves westies although Avondale was within the territory of the former Auckland City.

To be called a Westie in Auckland is sometimes ambiguous as it can be both a pejorative or good natured, depending on intent. Many people from west Auckland will call themselves Westies with pride yet not meet the stereotypical criteria.[4] Westies are stereotypically seen as being more brash and of-the-soil than other districts of Auckland. The stereotype also incorporates black jerseys and old V8 cars.

The shift from a pejorative to a societal identifier has been abrupt and in no small part due to the 1993 single Westy Gals by Auckland singer Jan Hellriegel and local comedian Ewen Gilmour's stand-up comedy act as Ewen "Westie" Gilmour between 1995 and 2000 in the premier television programme Pulp Comedy. Both of these instances gave the term national prominence. Gilmour was "unofficially appointed cultural ambassador" for Waitakere City.[5] He was elected as councillor for the Waitakere City Council in 2004 and joins former mayor Tim Shadbolt[6] as stereotypical westies who entered local body politics. The biography of Bob Harvey, former mayor of Waitakere City, was titled Wild Westie.

The successful television series Outrageous Fortune is set in west Auckland with the main characters being the West family, a play on the word "Westie".

The persona of the standard Auckland "Westie" continues to evolve. In November 2008 Paula Bennett defeated Lynne Pillay, the long-standing Labour Member of Parliament for Waitakere under the banner "Proud to be a Westy".[7] Bennett is a solo mother and a former social service beneficiary who became Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand in the former National-led Government. Simon Bridges (an ex-Westie) served as leader of the Opposition from 2018 to 2020, during this time National was led by two "Westies".[8]

As of the 2010 amalgamation of Auckland's council boundaries into one regional greater council, Waitakere City no longer exists as a distinct entity. Yet, those living within the former boundaries remain claiming themselves as Westies essentially within the former boundaries.

Sydney, Australia edit

The term "Westie" was a creation of the 1960s and 1970s as young, working families were encouraged westward into the newly built, rather austere public and private housing subdivisions on Sydney's urban fringe. It was a term of division and derision, and became shorthand for a population considered lowbrow, coarse and lacking education and cultural refinement.[9] Immortalised in the 1977 social realist film, The FJ Holden, by Michael Thornhill, the classic Westie was a male of Anglo-Celtic origin who lived in the vast, homogenous flatlands west of the Sydney CBD. The checked flannelette shirt symbolised his attire and vandalism, cheap drink and hotted-up cars his behaviour.[9] Westie became a rhetorical device to designate the other Sydney: spatially, culturally and economically different from the more prosperous and privileged Sydneysiders of the North, East and South[9]

Some in the eastern suburbs might consider residents of Epping as Westies, others may restrict the term to areas such as Blacktown, Granville, Burwood and Berala. Westies were also a common sight in the 1980s in the south-western suburbs such as Minto and Campbelltown.[2] The term may also be used to describe someone who acts or uses the same mannerisms as a person from the western suburbs but lives somewhere else.

Coastal suburbs edit

It could be noted in this context that in Sydney, the western suburbs often have no (or less prominent) coastal access. This is often reflected in house prices and suburb "status".[citation needed] The typical commute of a resident living in the western suburbs of these cities also involves driving towards the sun each way, possibly explaining the cultural similarities across multiple cities. The commuters are commonly known as squinters due to the fact that they must squint while driving because of the rising and setting sun.

Ballarat, Australia edit

A Westie in Ballarat is a person living in the western portions of Wendouree, a suburb in the north-west of Ballarat also known for its lower socio-economic status.

See also edit

Bibliography edit

  • Powell, Diane (1993). Out west: perceptions of Sydney's western suburbs. St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86373-503-8.
  • Collins, Jock; Poynting, Scott, eds. (2000). The other Sydney: communities, identities and inequalities in Western Sydney. Altona, Vic.: Common Ground Publishing. ISBN 1-86335-017-9.
  • Harvey, Bob (2004). Westies up front out there. Auckland: Exisle. ISBN 978-0-908988-38-9.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Westie", Macquarie Dictionary Online Edition 2005.
  2. ^ a b "Westie", Macquarie Book of Slang, Macquarie Library, 2000. Subscription required.
  3. ^ Collins; Poynting (eds.). The Other Sydney: Communities, Identities and Inequalities in Western Sydney. p. 20.
  4. ^ (PDF). Auckland Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 12, 2006.
  5. ^ . Ewen Gilmour. 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-10-05.
  6. ^ Morgan, Jared (8 June 2010). "Mayor Tim joins Westie walk of fame". The Southland Times. Fairfax NZ News. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Three great westies join Waitakere Walkway of Fame" (Press release). Waitakere City. 10 June 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  8. ^ "West Aucklanders divided on having two Westies lead National". Stuff (Fairfax). 28 February 2018.
  9. ^ a b c Gwyther, Gabrielle (2008). "Once were Westies". Griffith Review (20: Cities on the Edge ed.). Griffith University.
  • SMH Radar: You are where you live

January 04, 2024
westie, person, german, informal, demonym, wessi, westie, westy, slang, australian, zealand, english, residents, greater, western, sydney, western, suburbs, melbourne, western, suburbs, auckland, zealand, term, originated, most, often, used, relation, resident. For the German informal demonym see Wessi Westie or Westy is slang in Australian and New Zealand English for residents of the Greater Western Sydney the western suburbs of Melbourne or the western suburbs of Auckland New Zealand The term originated and is most often used in relation to residents of the numerous western suburbs of Sydney Australia and of Auckland New Zealand According to the Macquarie Dictionary the term in Australian English now refers to people from outer suburbs and a lower socio economic background or to the stereotypes associated with such people 1 It also states that the term has spread throughout Australia and may refer to people who may not live in the western part of their city 1 With reference to its use in Sydney the Macquarie Book of Slang says the term is applied negatively to anyone that may live west of one s own suburb 2 Contents 1 Stereotype 1 1 Auckland New Zealand 1 2 Sydney Australia 1 2 1 Coastal suburbs 1 3 Ballarat Australia 2 See also 3 Bibliography 4 ReferencesStereotype edit Westie is often stereotyped as people from the outer suburbs who are unintelligent undereducated unmotivated unrefined lacking in fashion sense working class or unemployed Clothing such as flannelette shirts Ugg boots leopard print fabric Adidas outfits with stripes and blue singlets are associated with the stereotype as are the uniform of black T shirt and ripped jeans 3 Auckland New Zealand edit See also Jafa In Auckland westies are almost entirely residents of West Auckland and in particular the suburbs of Massey Te Atatu Henderson Sunnyvale Glen Eden Green Bay Titirangi Ranui and New Lynn Until 2010 these western suburbs formed much of Waitakere City Some people from Avondale are called by others and themselves westies although Avondale was within the territory of the former Auckland City To be called a Westie in Auckland is sometimes ambiguous as it can be both a pejorative or good natured depending on intent Many people from west Auckland will call themselves Westies with pride yet not meet the stereotypical criteria 4 Westies are stereotypically seen as being more brash and of the soil than other districts of Auckland The stereotype also incorporates black jerseys and old V8 cars The shift from a pejorative to a societal identifier has been abrupt and in no small part due to the 1993 single Westy Gals by Auckland singer Jan Hellriegel and local comedian Ewen Gilmour s stand up comedy act as Ewen Westie Gilmour between 1995 and 2000 in the premier television programme Pulp Comedy Both of these instances gave the term national prominence Gilmour was unofficially appointed cultural ambassador for Waitakere City 5 He was elected as councillor for the Waitakere City Council in 2004 and joins former mayor Tim Shadbolt 6 as stereotypical westies who entered local body politics The biography of Bob Harvey former mayor of Waitakere City was titled Wild Westie The successful television series Outrageous Fortune is set in west Auckland with the main characters being the West family a play on the word Westie The persona of the standard Auckland Westie continues to evolve In November 2008 Paula Bennett defeated Lynne Pillay the long standing Labour Member of Parliament for Waitakere under the banner Proud to be a Westy 7 Bennett is a solo mother and a former social service beneficiary who became Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand in the former National led Government Simon Bridges an ex Westie served as leader of the Opposition from 2018 to 2020 during this time National was led by two Westies 8 As of the 2010 amalgamation of Auckland s council boundaries into one regional greater council Waitakere City no longer exists as a distinct entity Yet those living within the former boundaries remain claiming themselves as Westies essentially within the former boundaries Sydney Australia edit The term Westie was a creation of the 1960s and 1970s as young working families were encouraged westward into the newly built rather austere public and private housing subdivisions on Sydney s urban fringe It was a term of division and derision and became shorthand for a population considered lowbrow coarse and lacking education and cultural refinement 9 Immortalised in the 1977 social realist film The FJ Holden by Michael Thornhill the classic Westie was a male of Anglo Celtic origin who lived in the vast homogenous flatlands west of the Sydney CBD The checked flannelette shirt symbolised his attire and vandalism cheap drink and hotted up cars his behaviour 9 Westie became a rhetorical device to designate the other Sydney spatially culturally and economically different from the more prosperous and privileged Sydneysiders of the North East and South 9 Some in the eastern suburbs might consider residents of Epping as Westies others may restrict the term to areas such as Blacktown Granville Burwood and Berala Westies were also a common sight in the 1980s in the south western suburbs such as Minto and Campbelltown 2 The term may also be used to describe someone who acts or uses the same mannerisms as a person from the western suburbs but lives somewhere else Coastal suburbs edit It could be noted in this context that in Sydney the western suburbs often have no or less prominent coastal access This is often reflected in house prices and suburb status citation needed The typical commute of a resident living in the western suburbs of these cities also involves driving towards the sun each way possibly explaining the cultural similarities across multiple cities The commuters are commonly known as squinters due to the fact that they must squint while driving because of the rising and setting sun Ballarat Australia edit A Westie in Ballarat is a person living in the western portions of Wendouree a suburb in the north west of Ballarat also known for its lower socio economic status See also editBogan Chav Elitism ClassismBibliography editPowell Diane 1993 Out west perceptions of Sydney s western suburbs St Leonards NSW Allen amp Unwin ISBN 1 86373 503 8 Collins Jock Poynting Scott eds 2000 The other Sydney communities identities and inequalities in Western Sydney Altona Vic Common Ground Publishing ISBN 1 86335 017 9 Harvey Bob 2004 Westies up front out there Auckland Exisle ISBN 978 0 908988 38 9 References edit a b Westie Macquarie Dictionary Online Edition 2005 a b Westie Macquarie Book of Slang Macquarie Library 2000 Subscription required Collins Poynting eds The Other Sydney Communities Identities and Inequalities in Western Sydney p 20 Review of Mayor Bob Harvey s book PDF Auckland Council Archived from the original PDF on January 12 2006 Biography Ewen Gilmour 2013 Archived from the original on 2014 10 05 Morgan Jared 8 June 2010 Mayor Tim joins Westie walk of fame The Southland Times Fairfax NZ News Retrieved 17 May 2013 Three great westies join Waitakere Walkway of Fame Press release Waitakere City 10 June 2008 Retrieved 12 June 2013 West Aucklanders divided on having two Westies lead National Stuff Fairfax 28 February 2018 a b c Gwyther Gabrielle 2008 Once were Westies Griffith Review 20 Cities on the Edge ed Griffith University SMH Radar You are where you live Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Westie person amp oldid 1143818363, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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