 | Jersey: Encyclopedia II - Jersey - Culture
Jersey - Culture
Main article: Culture of Jersey
Jèrriais, the island's indigenous language is a variety of Norman. It is spoken by a minority of the population, although it was the majority language in the 19th century. Though there are efforts to revive the language in schools, it is still spoken mostly by older people (most commonly in the country parishes, although the capital has the highest number of declared Jèrriais speakers). The dialects of Jèrriais differ in phonology and, to a lesser extent, lexis between parishes, with the most marked differences to be heard between those of the west and east. Many place names are in Jèrriais, and French and English place names are also to be found. Anglicisation of the toponymy increased apace with the migration of English people into the island.
Some Neolithic carvings are the earliest works of artistic character to be found in Jersey. Only fragmentary wall-paintings remain from the rich mediaeval artistic heritage, after the wholesale iconoclasm of the Calvinist reformation of the 16th century.
Printing only arrived in Jersey in the 1780s, but the Island supported a multitude of regular publications in French (and Jèrriais) and English throughout the 19th century, in which poetry, most usually topical and satirical, flourished. See Jèrriais literature.
John Everett Millais, Elinor Glyn and Wace are among Jersey's artistic figures. Lillie Langtry, the Jersey Lily, is the Island's most widely recognised cultural icon. The famous French writer, Victor Hugo, lived in exile in Jersey 1852-1855.
The Island is particularly famous for the Battle of Flowers, a carnival held annually since 1902.
The Island's patron saint is Saint Helier.
Jersey's only newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post, is widely read, being the main printed source of local news and official notices. BBC Radio Jersey provides a radio service, and television news. Channel Television is a regional ITV franchise shared with the Bailiwick of Guernsey but with its headquarters in Jersey. Channel 103 is a popular local radio station.
Jersey - Food and drink
Seafood has traditionally been important to the cuisine of Jersey: mussels (called moules locally), oysters, lobster and crabs — especially spider crabs — ormers, and conger.
Jersey milk being very rich, cream and butter have played a large part in insular cooking. (See Channel Island milk) However there is no indigenous tradition of cheesemaking, contrary to the custom of mainland Normandy, but some cheese is produced commercially. Jersey fudge, mostly imported and made with milk from overseas Jersey cattle herds, is a popular food product with tourists.
Jersey Royal potatoes are the local variety of new potato, and the island is famous for its early crop of small potatoes from the south-facing côtils (steeply-sloping fields). They are eaten in any variety of ways, often simply boiled and served with butter.
Apples historically were an important crop. Bourdélots are apple dumplings, but the most typical speciality is black butter (lé nièr beurre), a dark spicy spread prepared from apples, cider and spices.
Among other traditional dishes are cabbage loaf, Jersey wonders (les mèrvelles), fliottes, bean crock (les pais au fou), nettle (ortchie) soup, vraic buns.
Cider used to be an important export. After decline and near-disappearance in the late 20th century, apple production is being increased and promoted. Apple brandy is also produced. Some wine is produced.
Other related archives1 May, 1066, 1204, 13 May, 16th century, 1780s, 1852, 1855, 1902, 1940, 1945, 19th century, 2005, 2008, 9 May, 933, Apples, Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, BBC Radio Jersey, Bailiff, Bailiwick, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Basse-Normandie, Battle of Flowers, British-Irish Council, Caen, Calvinist, Channel 103, Channel Island milk, Channel Islands, Channel Television, Charles II, Chief Minister, Church of England, Cider, Clameur de Haro, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Communications in Jersey, Conseil régional, Cotentin Peninsula, Crown dependency, Culture of Jersey, Demographics of Jersey, Duchy of Normandy, Duke of Normandy, Duty free, Economy of Jersey, Elinor Glyn, Elizabeth II, England, English Channel, English law, European Union, Fairtrade Island, Federal Court of Justice of Germany, France, Geography of Jersey, George Carteret, Great Britain, Grouville, Helier, History of Jersey, ITV, Isle of Man, Jersey Democratic Alliance, Jersey Evening Post, Jersey Post, Jersey Telecom, Jersey Zoological Park, Jersey banknotes and coins, Jersey cattle, Jersey coins, Jesuit, John Everett Millais, Jèrriais, Jèrriais literature, King John, La Corbière, Latin, Le Hocq, Lillie Langtry, Madeiran, Manche, Methodism, Minquiers and Ecréhous, Nazi Germany, Neolithic, New Jersey, Newfoundland, Norman, Normandy, Politics of Jersey, Printing, Roman Catholic, Saint Brelade, Saint Clement, Saint Helier, Saint John, Saint Lawrence, Saint Martin, Saint Mary, Saint Ouen, Saint Peter, Saint Saviour, States of Jersey, States of Jersey Customs & Immigration Service, Transport in Jersey, Trinity, United Kingdom, United States of America, VAT, Victor Hugo, Wace, William Longsword, William the Conqueror, World War II, butter, conger, conquered England, constables, crabs, cream, deputies, dialects, elected, established church, flat rate, fudge, goods and services tax, iconoclasm, income tax, indigenous, lexis, lobster, milk, mussels, nettle, ormers, oysters, parishes, parishes of Jersey, patron saint, phonology, potatoes, senators, spider crabs, the Crown, toponymy, variety, vergee, vingtaines
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Culture", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
