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 some western suburbs of Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. The term is also sometimes used in relation to to other cities and towns in Australia, where terms like bogan are more common. According to 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, black leather jacket, jeans (either black or grubby), black T-shirt and work boots. For women, the stereotype is less common in reality than it is prescribed. Women are expected to wear short dark tops, short skirts (stereotypically velvet or leather) and knee-length boots.
Westies are generally expected to be in their late teens to mid-thirties, party-goers (especially an outdoor party with a fire), 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.
Whether by cause or effect, the pejorative use of Westie has become less common due to the stereotype of Westies as; good natured, not terribly bright, extroverted, fun people. The preconceptions of a Westie no longer engenders fear of intimidation amongst more placidly natured people.
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:
Similar subcultures in other countries include:
