Koputaroa, in rural Levin, had 70 motor homes and caravans parked up on the school grounds for the weekend. This small country school has a roll of approximately 160 children. We were there to attend the Guy Fawkes Rally hosted by the Wellington Area of the Motor Home Association. The local community hall is right next to the school which gave us all somewhere to gather indoors in the evenings.
We went for a walk up the road and came across the Koputaroa Maori Cemetery on a hill looking over the Main Trunk Railway Line. This cemetery is registered with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as it contains the grave of a Maori soldier from 1939-1945 war. Some of the graves were quite old and made very interesting reading. It was obvious that a lot of restoration work had been done recently with new headstones adorning some of the older graves.
During the day the children were all busily making their guys, We noticed that one set of grand-parents had brought along a bale of straw to put inside the guy, good thinking, that should burn well. The guys were all taken inside the hall and lined up on the stage for judging, not an easy task after all the hard work the children had put in.
Night time is a long time coming now we have daylight saving but finally it was dark enough to light the bonfire and start the fireworks display. Everyone gathered along side the fence line to the adjacent paddock where the bonfire was set out all ready to light. It didn’t take long to crackle into life and then the fire took on a life of it’s own as the flames roared away consuming the stacked wood and guys alike.
The committee had purchased fireworks and many people also made donations so there was a good selection. The men in charge carefully lit the fireworks and all of us safely behind the fence out of harms way oohed and aahed at the colourful displays. The little kids gathered in a circle and waved their sparklers in the air. Wood smoke drifted here and there and cameras clicked away recording the sights. We all had a great night. Who would have imagined in 1605 that Guy Fawkes would be remembered centuries later?
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot ;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
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