Sandancer
Encyclopedia
Sandancer is a colloquialism
used to describe those who come from the town of South Shields
, Tyne and Wear
, England
. Residents of South Shields are often referred to as Geordies or Mackem
s though 'Sandancer' is unique to town.
The origins of the term are hotly contested,and they are many theories as to where the term comes from, but very little in the way of hard facts.
They are written accounts dating back to the 1850's describing the skill of the locals 'Dancing on the sand' whilst helping free ships that had become stuck on the beach.
Another popular theory is that it is derived from the term 'Sans Danger', an oblique reference to the town's history of smuggling and contraband of French origin.
Sandancer is considered by some to derive from the large number of Bangladeshi
, Yemen
i and people from other parts of Asia
who moved to the region between 1900 and 1920. Other's claim this dates back as far as Roman times, as the first inhabitants of Arbeia
where Syrian boatmen from the Tigris.
Others believe the term derives from a 1930's music hall act, Wilson, Keppel and Betty
which featured a "Sanddance
", though as the act was never performed in the North East, it seems unlikely.
Another theory is that the term comes from the South Shields beach
.
Another is that the name dates from the time coal miners came from the rest of the country to seek work in the local Westoe Colliery, the locals came to be called by this name whereas the non-local miners came to be called "Cowboys".
Sandancer is now a label that many people in South Shields are proud to identify with.
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
used to describe those who come from the town of South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Residents of South Shields are often referred to as Geordies or Mackem
Mackem
Mackem is a term that refers to the accent, dialect and people of the Wearside area, or more specifically Sunderland, a city in North East England. Spelling variations include "Mak'em", "Makem", and "Maccam".- Origin :...
s though 'Sandancer' is unique to town.
The origins of the term are hotly contested,and they are many theories as to where the term comes from, but very little in the way of hard facts.
They are written accounts dating back to the 1850's describing the skill of the locals 'Dancing on the sand' whilst helping free ships that had become stuck on the beach.
Another popular theory is that it is derived from the term 'Sans Danger', an oblique reference to the town's history of smuggling and contraband of French origin.
Sandancer is considered by some to derive from the large number of Bangladeshi
Demographics of Bangladesh
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Bangladesh, including population density, ethnicity, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
, Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i and people from other parts of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
who moved to the region between 1900 and 1920. Other's claim this dates back as far as Roman times, as the first inhabitants of Arbeia
Arbeia
Arbeia was a large Roman fort in South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England, now ruined, and which has been partially reconstructed. It was first excavated in the 1870s and all modern building on the site were cleared in the 1970s. It is managed by Tyne and Wear Museums as Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum.-...
where Syrian boatmen from the Tigris.
Others believe the term derives from a 1930's music hall act, Wilson, Keppel and Betty
Wilson, Keppel and Betty
Wilson, Keppel and Betty were a popular British music hall act in the middle decades of the 20th century who capitalised on the trend for Egyptian imagery following the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Their stage act, called the "sand dance", was a parody of Egyptian postures, combined with...
which featured a "Sanddance
Walk Like an Egyptian
"Walk Like an Egyptian" is a number-one hit from the album Different Light by The Bangles in 1986.-Origin:Liam Sternberg wrote the song after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance, which reminded him of figures in Ancient Egyptian reliefs. The opening lyrics state, "All...
", though as the act was never performed in the North East, it seems unlikely.
Another theory is that the term comes from the South Shields beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
.
Another is that the name dates from the time coal miners came from the rest of the country to seek work in the local Westoe Colliery, the locals came to be called by this name whereas the non-local miners came to be called "Cowboys".
Sandancer is now a label that many people in South Shields are proud to identify with.