Cardi

In the post about the sellers in the middle of the road in Accra, I mentioned that I wished I had not become a ‘Cardi’. The term Cardi comes from the word Cardiganshire which is an old County boundary name for part of the area of land adjacent to Cardiganshire Bay of which Cardigan is one of the towns. The term Cardi apparently refers to a person who is tight with their money. It is not said in a derogatory way, but when it is said – everyone knows what is meant.

The association with a lack of money, or a determination to hang onto whatever the person has in their pocket or the bank probably emanates from the timeline immediately after 1815. Ceredigion; which covers the former Cardiganshire – was and is an agricultural area. Nowadays there is also a heavy reliance on tourism and academics to generate wealth for the community. The latter appears in the form of the mass of students that study in both Aberystwyth and Lampeter Universities. Prior to 1815 livestock farming produced essential ingredients for Napoleonic warfare. Wool for the military uniforms that were needed to keep the soldiers warm as they tramped across Europe. As well as fine horses for the gentry who formed the Cavalry. The need for wool and horses had never been higher than during the period of the Napoleonic Wars. As a result of demand, land prices in Cardiganshire were exceptionally high. Those with good quality land could meet supply and demand through the provision of quality grazing. The significant amount of land also meant the successful breeding of good horses, and on this point demand had never been higher. Cavalry men required several and not one horse each, and a gun limber (depending on the type and size of the canon) would require ten or more horses.

The defeat of Napoleon by the allies, led to a significant reduction in military strength across Europe. This meant that supply simply outstripped demand. This led to an economic downturn and a corresponding significant fall in the value of land. A little like our current recession, money becomes tight as property/land prices diminish. Those who lived in the area or held a close economic association had to keep their money in order to survive for the foreseeable future. Reduced or no income, meant little or no spending and hence the coining of the phrase ‘Cardi’. But back in Wales, I really wish that I had bought more of those lovely ties that were being sold by the street seller back in Accra for less than £1.50 each.