todays post follows from yesterdays......i think of my sister-in-law who i accompanied to church this morning and i wonder how she reconciles it all. the celebration is part of her culture but it is also part of a religion she no longer wants.
liam, who is finding it difficult to deal with having no control over, or even prior knowledge of, his schedule, take a look at the party, asks what it's about and makes a hasty exit. i consider talking to him about respect for his heritage but i know that his father's culture is not his and my words would be hollow so i also retreat.
tonights fireworks are all about noise, the party has only just begun and it is well past midnight. it looks like a long night ahead.
the day after the party suckling pig is on the breakfast table along with the gruesome, crispy, brown skinned duck head and i wish for raisin toast or fruit & yoghurt.
after a long, late night nobody can focus on the school work that we brought with us and my temper wears delicately thin so we give in and watch a movie instead.
There is so much back story to the reason the celebration is so hearty eh? ancestors, fore bears and present day living mixed with the need for social amiability and religious tradition. Just being there is enough text book learning.
ReplyDeletemark,
ReplyDeleteyou are so right and the schools supported the trip on the understanding that travel is great education, u nfortunately though, it doesnt help to pass maths exams :)
So what are all those things in the top pic? They look like sweets in pretty wrappings.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, they seem to celebrate in style, no half-hearted nibbles or sausages on sticks.
nick,
ReplyDeletethat pile of folded papers is the pretend money burned for the ancestors.
i think every other culture in the world laughs at the anglo saxon way of partying. i have a polish friend who told me that when he first came to australia and would be given a single piece of cake at a party he thought it was laughable. in poland he could take a whole cake just for himself if he wanted (thats his story, anyway)
I think the Anglo Saxon way of partying has revved up a bit recently. People here can get pretty wild on a Saturday night. And Baino seems to party pretty extravagantly too.
ReplyDelete