Westie (person): Difference between revisions
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'''For men;''' long |
'''For men;''' long, often lank hair often (possibly a [[mullet]]), black leather jacket, jeans (black or grubby and usually tight), black T-shirt (often sporting names and/or logos of their favourite Oz-Rock / Metal bands or alcoholic beverage), aged or faded tatoos, "flannies" - check patterned flannelette shirts which are generally worn open, and work boots. |
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'''For women;''' whilst the stereotype is less specific, they tend to have the same lank hair of their male counterparts |
'''For women;''' whilst the stereotype is less specific, they tend to have the same lank hair of their male counterparts and regularly look 'worn out' (often having been heavy smokers during the course of their lives), possibly have tatoos and are often covered in excessive amounts of make-up. They are also known to wear jump-suits, mumu's, etc... and are often seen in shopping malls of less affluent socio-economic suburbs, accompanied by multiple, equally rough looking children. |
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Revision as of 14:28, 8 October 2005
Westie, or Westy, is a term used in Australasia for members of a white blue collar and/or underclass subculture. The name originated, and is most often used, in relation to residents of the numerous western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and of Auckland, New Zealand. In Melbourne and some other areas the term bogan, which has a similar meaning, is more common. According to the stereotype, many residents of Blacktown in Sydney and Waitakere in Auckland are westies.
Characteristics
Westies are supposedly identifiable by their clothing, attitude and habits. The principle identifiers are:
For men; long, often lank hair often (possibly a mullet), black leather jacket, jeans (black or grubby and usually tight), black T-shirt (often sporting names and/or logos of their favourite Oz-Rock / Metal bands or alcoholic beverage), aged or faded tatoos, "flannies" - check patterned flannelette shirts which are generally worn open, and work boots.
For women; whilst the stereotype is less specific, they tend to have the same lank hair of their male counterparts and regularly look 'worn out' (often having been heavy smokers during the course of their lives), possibly have tatoos and are often covered in excessive amounts of make-up. They are also known to wear jump-suits, mumu's, etc... and are often seen in shopping malls of less affluent socio-economic suburbs, accompanied by multiple, equally rough looking children.
See also: Yobbo.
Westies are generally in their late teens to mid-thirties, are regular party-goers (especially an outdoor party with a BBQ and a case of VB beer), and users of the social drugs marijuana and alcohol. Along with the clothing, a principle identifier of Westy men is to drive a V8 car or utility, generally an Australian Holden or Ford.
See also: Bathurst 1000.
Westies have taken their namesake from Sydney's western suburbs, a region of suburban suburbs in which the cost of living is generally lower than that of Sydney's more easterly and inner-city suburbs. The former are also known to suffer from higher crime rates, and lower levels of professional employment, however they are home to increasing number of small businesses.
The Westy stereotype is leaving as Sydney is one of the most expensive places in the world to live. A lot of young families are moving out there due to cheap house prices and new towns that are being built on what was formerly farm land on the outskirts of Sydney.
Auckland
In Auckland, Westies are almost entirely residents of Waitakere City, in particular the Auckland city-side suburbs of Te Atatu, Henderson, Sunnyvale, Glen Eden, and New Lynn. Some people from Avondale are called by others and themselves 'Westies' although Avondale is actually within the territory of Auckland City.
To be called a Westy in Auckland is sometimes ambiguous as it can be both a pejorative or good natured, depending on intent. Many people from Waitakere City will call themselves Westies with pride, yet not meet the sterotypical criteria.
The shift from a pejorative to an societal identifier has been abrupt an in no small part due to local comedian Ewen Gilmour whose stand-up comedy act as Ewen "Westie" Gilmour gave the term national prominence between 1995 and 2000 in the premier television programme, "Pulp Comedy". He was "unofficially appointed cultural ambassador" for Waitakere City. He was elected as councellor for the Waitakere City Council in 2004 and joins former mayor Tim Shadbolt as sterotypical Westies who have entered local body politics.
Well-known Auckland Westies include:
- Comedian Ewen Gilmour.
- Singer Jan Hellriegel, who had a minor hit with her song "Westie girls"
- Tim Shadbolt, a former 1960's student radical who is now a nationally-known raconteur, guest speaker, and local authority politician. He was Mayor of pre-amalgamation Waitemata City before moving to Invercargill, where he has also had several terms as Mayor.
See also
The word westy is generally interchangeable with:
- Bogan in Australia and the Hutt Valley in New Zealand.
- Bevan in Brisbane.
- Chigger in Hobart.
- Booner in Canberra.
The term is also related to the term Easties in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
The Australasian term hoon can also have similar connotations.
Similar subcultures in other countries include:
- Trailer trash and
- white trash (US)
- chav (UK)