Tonight people will bring their candles and pumpkin lanterns to light on Ponsonby Rd, where I will be keeping vigil with my helpers. Who knows how many people will turn up, and what will happen? This is the third year I've done this, and last year children turned up who never wanted to leave, they were so fascinated by it all.
This year we will have a special area for those who died in the Christchurch earthquake. One woman is going to bring her violin to play, and I will play on my English concertina. The concertina is made our of rosewood, with silver-tipped buttons. It is 140 years old, and belonged to the McKeever grandmother who died before I was born. Her ancestry was Irish and English, and when I play this old instrument I can feel my ancestry flowing into me.
3 comments:
I hope its a very special night Juliet. Your energy and good will in organising this will be heart warming for many. The sunset this evening in a completely clear sky gave a Central Otago sky-canvas that swelled from apricot to ruby and violet behind the mountain silhouettes - a beautiful prelude to our kiwi all hallows night.
RuthP
This is wonderful, Juliet, and I can hear you playing your concertina. What a treasure to have it, and your ancestor, with you. It is so admirable that you choose to have your seasonal holidays during the actually season you experience them there in NZ - and I feel so lucky to be able to hear about them through your posts.
Thank you, Ruth and Penny. Yes, the seasons take on a deeper meaning when we connect in with the old festivals of our heritage.
Post a Comment