Fireworks and Poetry

The snow dusted Tararua Ranges made a magnificent backdrop to our weekend rally site at the rural Koputaroa School, north of Levin late on Friday afternoon, a trip of 110 kms from Upper Hutt. We were there with the NZ Motor Caravan Assn to take part in the Wellington Area Guy Fawkes Rally. Over 50 motor homes were gathered for the weekend with just a handful of caravans.


The "Gunpowder Plot", as it came to be known, took place on 5th November 1605 when 36 barrels of gunpowder were placed in the cellars under the Houses of Parliament in London. There was a tip off to King James 1st and Guy Fawkes was found in the cellar with the incriminating evidence. The night that the Gun Powder Plot was foiled, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes.

All the various Guy Fawkes on the bonfire.

The children present at the rally worked really hard to make their own version of Guy Fawkes. We all gathered at a safe distance and watched as the bonfire and the various Guys was set alight and crackled away in the dusk. Note the steers in the photo, they soon moved to the far end of the paddock as the fireworks started!! As the sky darkened the fireworks were set off, lighting up the sky with brilliant flashes of colour.


Earlier in the evening everyone brought along a dessert to share and the tables were groaning with all sorts of delights. This was followed by a Poetry reading, and it was great to see some of the children present get up and recite their favourite poems. Jenny dabbles in writing poetry and took her turn with the microphone too - more about this later.