On a sunny March morning in Bunhill Fields, central London, broadcaster Zakia Sewell ponders whether folk traditions can counter far-right nationalism. The 32-year-old writer and BBC Radio 6 DJ explores this question in her debut book, Finding Albion: Myth, Folklore and the Quest for a Hidden Britain, longlisted for the Women’s Prize for non-fiction.
Sewell describes Britain as in a 'folk frenzy' post-pandemic, with new pagan festivals and growing interest in folk music, dancing, and magazines like Weird Walk. 'People are searching for alternative visions of Britishness that are more eccentric and fun,' she says. Her book follows the Pagan calendar, attending eight annual festivals including a druid ritual on Glastonbury Tor and May Day with Morris dancers.
Alongside this resurgence, 'flag fever' emerged last year with far-right-linked movements like Operation Raise the Colours. Sewell argues that national symbols are often not rooted in England: St George never set foot in England, and his cross originated as the flag of Genoa, for which England paid a tax. The book aims to undermine far-right co-option of such symbols.
Sewell is not alone. The LGBTQ+ Morris dancing troupe Boss Morris reimagines English folk dance, performing at festivals and the Brit awards. As a person of British and Caribbean heritage, Sewell notes that 'Britain of the past is not as white as we think,' citing the dark-skinned Cheddar Man and North African Roman ruler Septimius Severus.
