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Paddington and the Well-dressed Guy
Nov. 5th, 2020 01:05 pmRemember, remember, the fifth of November...
Yes, today is Guy Fawkes Day:
https://alwaystheholidays.com/guy-fawkes-day/
I've never actually lived in the UK and in these parts, people don't typically mark the occasion to any great extent. But maybe we should.
There's so much emphasis these days on marking Black History Month, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Indigenous celebrations, Chinese New Year and much more. I'm not opposed to any of that. Goodness knows that during a pandemic, we need a few excuses to kick up our heels, even if we can't do so in manner to which we're accustomed. A multicultural society, especially a reasonably harmonious society, is a rich one.
But although by birth I'm a first-generation Canadian - my family came to the country in 1950, before I was born - I almost feel at times as if I have to apologize for my British roots. The Brits, and especially the English, are viewed by some, perhaps even unconsciously, as the oppressors and colonial overlords. Sort of like Canadians are now expected to shoulder collective guilt for residential schools, the sixties scoop or the relocation of Inuit groups to the High Arctic. Only for folks like me, I guess it's a double burden of collective guilt.
But enough of that. I was trying to remember when I first heard about Guy Fawkes Day and was pretty sure it was some time in the late 1950s. Sure enough, I found one of my early introductions to the occasion in chapter four of More About Paddington. In that story, Paddington celebrates his first bonfire night. His friend Mr. Gruber fills him in on what's involved and Paddington sets about building a Guy. Mr. Curry, the Browns' obnoxious and free-loading neighbour then invites himself to their backyard bonfire night, where he scarfs down all of Paddington's marmalade sandwiches. But when the guy hits the bonfire, it's wearing Mr. Curry's good suit. He had put it on the Browns' porch so it would get taken to the cleaners along with their stuff - only to find out in the end that HE had been taken to the cleaners instead!
What are we to make of Guy Fawkes the person? Was he just a misguided freedom fighter or was he a terrorist? By modern standards, even for committed anti-royalists, I don't think many people see him as a hero. Here's one perspective:
https://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/blogs/article/guy-fawkes-terrorist/
November 11 is Remembrance Day and for this year, ceremonies at the War Memorial are being drastically scaled back. The killing of Nathan Cirillo is still very recent history. And of course, his killer also ran rampant through our Parliament Buildings while Stephen Harper cowered in a closet. Well, maybe that's what happened, anyway. I wasn't there in the Parliament Buildings although I WAS downtown the day it happened.
All of which kind of gives a whole new meaning to "Lest We Forget", don't you think?
Yes, today is Guy Fawkes Day:
https://alwaystheholidays.com/guy-fawkes-day/
I've never actually lived in the UK and in these parts, people don't typically mark the occasion to any great extent. But maybe we should.
There's so much emphasis these days on marking Black History Month, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Indigenous celebrations, Chinese New Year and much more. I'm not opposed to any of that. Goodness knows that during a pandemic, we need a few excuses to kick up our heels, even if we can't do so in manner to which we're accustomed. A multicultural society, especially a reasonably harmonious society, is a rich one.
But although by birth I'm a first-generation Canadian - my family came to the country in 1950, before I was born - I almost feel at times as if I have to apologize for my British roots. The Brits, and especially the English, are viewed by some, perhaps even unconsciously, as the oppressors and colonial overlords. Sort of like Canadians are now expected to shoulder collective guilt for residential schools, the sixties scoop or the relocation of Inuit groups to the High Arctic. Only for folks like me, I guess it's a double burden of collective guilt.
But enough of that. I was trying to remember when I first heard about Guy Fawkes Day and was pretty sure it was some time in the late 1950s. Sure enough, I found one of my early introductions to the occasion in chapter four of More About Paddington. In that story, Paddington celebrates his first bonfire night. His friend Mr. Gruber fills him in on what's involved and Paddington sets about building a Guy. Mr. Curry, the Browns' obnoxious and free-loading neighbour then invites himself to their backyard bonfire night, where he scarfs down all of Paddington's marmalade sandwiches. But when the guy hits the bonfire, it's wearing Mr. Curry's good suit. He had put it on the Browns' porch so it would get taken to the cleaners along with their stuff - only to find out in the end that HE had been taken to the cleaners instead!
What are we to make of Guy Fawkes the person? Was he just a misguided freedom fighter or was he a terrorist? By modern standards, even for committed anti-royalists, I don't think many people see him as a hero. Here's one perspective:
https://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/blogs/article/guy-fawkes-terrorist/
November 11 is Remembrance Day and for this year, ceremonies at the War Memorial are being drastically scaled back. The killing of Nathan Cirillo is still very recent history. And of course, his killer also ran rampant through our Parliament Buildings while Stephen Harper cowered in a closet. Well, maybe that's what happened, anyway. I wasn't there in the Parliament Buildings although I WAS downtown the day it happened.
All of which kind of gives a whole new meaning to "Lest We Forget", don't you think?
