LL-L "Culture" 2008.06.29 (04) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  - 29 June 2008 - Volume 04
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From: Marcus Buck <list at marcusbuck.org>
Subject: LL-L "Culture" 2008.06.27 (02) [E]

In my last messages I theoretized about the Northern German identity and its
aspects and effects. It seems, I am not the only one feeling so. Today I
found an article in the online edition of the renowned German newspaper Die
Welt (<
http://www.welt.de/wams_print/article2158260/Sie_machen_Plattduetsch_schnacken_modern.html>).
They had an interview with Ina Müller and Yared Dibaba. Ina Müller and Yared
Dibaba being the "modern media faces" of Low Saxon. Müller was born a native
Low Saxon on a farm in my region and is a singer and TV host doing much Low
Saxon in her shows. (Her Dörp-Reggae really is great! <
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9otSTqlkytY>) Dibaba is a born Oromo from
Ethiopia. As a boy he came to Northern Germany and learned Low Saxon here.
Today he is a TV host and presents the documentary "Die Welt op Platt".
Müller was asked: "Ist die Hinwendung zum Plattdeutschen ein Teil der
Wiederentdeckung der Werte in dieser Gesellschaft?"
Is the turn towards Low Saxon part of rediscovering the values in our
society?
Müller answered:
"Ich glaube eher, dass es momentan kultig ist, Kult zu betreiben. Nehmen Sie
als Beispiel den FC St. Pauli. Deren T-Shirts mit den Totenköpfen sind sogar
in Dänemark ein Hit. Oder nehmen Sie die Band Fettes Brot. Die sind in ihrer
Altersklasse genauso Kult wie es die Comic-Figur Werner Beinhart für Ältere
ist. Und auch Plattdeutsch gehört in diese Kategorie. Das zeigt der
Zuspruch, den unsere Sendungen haben. Das hat einen eigenen Drive gekriegt.
Vielleicht auch, weil es mit uns jugendlicher, moderner wirkt. Sogar das
Ohnsorg-Theater traut sich inzwischen an modernere Stücke."
I actually think it is hip at the moment to boost cult icons. For example
the FC St. Pauli [local soccer club of Hamburg which has a devoted
followership that tries to stand off the more mainstream Hamburger SV].
Their T-shirts with the skulls and bones are a hit even in Denmark. Or look
at the band Fettes Brot. In their age group they are cult just like the
comic character Werner Beinhart for the older ones is. And Low Saxon too is
in this category. That's shown by the popularity of our shows. It's got a
drive of it's own. Maybe cause it feels younger and more modern with us.
Even the Ohnsorg-Theater is playing more modern plays now.

So Müller too thinks, that Fettes Brot and Low Saxon have some kind of cult
status in the North of German. There are more people feeling like me ;-)

Marcus Buck
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