Childhood Nostalgia
How my experience of Leicester helped me to discover my own heritage.
By Aine Joseph
Photograph Submitted: Aine Joseph
Leicester is a big part of who I am. I grew up in a large village (more like a small town) in south Leicestershire which is only a short bus ride away from Leicester.
Photograph: Aine Joseph
I’m mixed race or dual heritage (I refer to myself as being mixed race so I will use that term). Firstly, a brief family history to place my heritage and how this links to Leicester; my grandad was from the Caribbean and met my Irish grandmother in Leicester. They went on to have my dad and his two siblings, all in Leicester. My grandma then moved back to Ireland which is where my dad grew up. He then moved to Leicester and met my mum and had me and my younger sister. I am a mix of different heritages, it’s part of who I am and influences the way I relate to the world around me. I think Leicester is a fantastic, vibrant melting pot of different cultures, languages and people.
Where I grew up there weren't many people who would call themselves mixed race. In school there were only a few children that weren’t white. As a child, most of my time wasn’t spent in a multicultural environment. At secondary school, derogatory comments about different cultures were commonplace and went unchecked. It doesn’t feel unusual to be a mixture of heritages and experiences in Leicester. However, in the village I grew up in, I was much more unique. My black father with a broad Irish accent surprised quite a few people.
Aine’s family at the St. Patrick’s day parade. Photograph: Aine Joseph
The connection that I have with different parts of my heritage has always been rooted in Leicester. The St Patrick’s day parade in March is always a date I look forward to. I remember it brought out the Irish community in all it’s green, white and gold glory, with packed pubs and music playing until the early hours of the morning. The songs would suddenly erupt and go on for hours, often interrupted by raucous laughter. It made me feel connected to and proud of my Irish roots. I would listen to the Irish accents all around me, fascinated by the variety and would compare them to my family’s accent.
I also have happy memories of the Caribbean carnival in August, as the music, colours and festivity enlivened the city. The intense thrum of bass and steel pans from the speakers seemed to take over the entire city. I had my first introduction to curried goat there and remember the enticing smell that made my stomach growl. I have always been mesmerized by the beautiful costumes and the people who wear them so proudly.
That was my childhood nostalgia when I think of Leicester, the place that shaped me. This city continues to inspire me. I had my first job in the city (and my second and third) incidentally all at the same place. It became my every day and I never fell out of love with this place. I secretly enjoyed the bus journeys back to our village because I met people from all walks of life. I liked watching the streets whizz by or crawling by, depending on the traffic. I recall watching the Diwali lights going up followed by the Christmas lights.
There is something magical about the spirit of Leicester. It is always evolving as it is constantly being influenced and shaped by people from all parts of the globe. As a child, it introduced me to new people and experiences. It is a place where someone rarely asks you where you are from, because whilst it’s important, it’s not something that divides us. I will always love Leicester for its vibrancy, diversity and above all, its possibilities.
About Author: Aine works part-time as a charity administrator and volunteers with a mental health charity. She writes to connect with herself and shares it so others feel less alone. For fun she cooks, watches an excessive amount of reality TV and spends time with her friends and family. You can find more of her writing on her Blog or on Instagram: @ainemjoseph.
