Belgitude (original) (raw)

Belgitude (French; lit. 'Belgianness') is a term used loosely to express the typical Belgian soul and identity, often with a so-called keen sense of self-mockery that characterises its population. Originating from a perceived lack of common identity among the different communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, the neologism was coined in the 1970s and 1980s by allusion to the concept of négritude about feeling black, expressed among others by Léopold Sédar Senghor. It has since gained in popularity and has primarily been used to describe typical or unique aspects of Belgian culture.