Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 12:50 PM

Saw one yesterday outside Lidls, with three small boys.

No point in rerunning the troubles of the "reformation" over again here - too many butchered dead on both sides. Lewes celebrations have a pretty nasty aspect to them, but my feeling is the best way is to encourage people treat it as a bizarre joke rather than confront it straight on. Anti-Catholic prejudice isn't right now the same kind of threat in England as it is in Northern Ireland or Scotland.   

A lot of our folk traditions probably have some pretty unsavoury aspects if you dug back into their history, but time can often leach out that stuff. It's rather like the way time can change a pretty unsavoury dead body into a fascinating and even beautiful fossil.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 01:23 PM

In my time in England late 1950s through the 60s I never heard Halloweve mentioned, certainly the 5th of November was celebrated with kids begging beside their Guys, and this started in early October.
Halloweve was always celebrated in Ireland all 32 counties, NoV 5th was never celebrated.
Do they still burn the Pope in Lewes?.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 01:44 PM

'Do they still burn the Pope in Lewes?.'
Did you read the rest of this thread GUEST?

It's now 1st Nov here in NZ and we didn't have a single Trick or treater!
The bowl of jelly snakes and toads is untouched (except for the one I tried - not my taste really).
Robyn

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 04:00 PM

"Halloweve" - that's an ubnteresting variant. Means the same as "Halloween" of course (which really should be written "Hallowe'en" I suppose, but never is), but in more modern English. However I haven't come across it before.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 06:41 AM

Halloweve used in Ireland to describe the eve of All Hallows.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 06:51 AM

Wouldn`t a present day Guy Fawkes be more than welcome and this time may he have a successful blow-up.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 11:23 AM

I'm not too sure about that. I mean, Osama didn't exactly get a rapturous welcome when he hit the big time.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: GUEST,Catesby
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 12:06 PM

Osama went for innocent people.
There ain't an innocent politician.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Cats
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 12:23 PM

The bonfire society in Rilla Mill is a group of local people who organise the bonfire. They form themselves in to the bonfire society and plan the bonfire, the collection of the money and the guys, plan events throughout the year, etc. I have only been in the village for 2 years but it is well organised and has been done like this 'for years'. They don't dress up as you do in Lewes but now we have a Wassail and come old 12th night a mummers Play, you never know....

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Cats
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 04:09 PM

The Bonfire Society have just been round and brought the guy with them. He stands about six feet high, has been made in the image of Guy Fawkes and had his hands tied together so he could not get away. He was brought round on the back of a small truck, sitting amongst barrels. It has to be a truck as tonight they go to the outlying hamlets - which include us! A brilliant Guy. Well done to them.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 04:36 AM

Cats, thanks. This is fascinating.

Each of the Lewes Bonfire Societies blows up a huge effigy of someone or something which has attracted disapproval during the year: usually a tyrant or bully of some kind. The subject of the tableau, as it's called, is kept secret until it actually appears in procession on the streets or at the firesite of the individual society. In the past we have blown up, amongst countless others,Idi Amin, Margaret Thatcher, Ayatollah Khomeni,John Major, the Scots, Russia and China, Slobodan Milosevic, George Bush, road developers, Bill Clinton, dinosaurs, Tony Blair, Greene King the brewers, Gordon Brown, local councillors, Osama bin Laden and Ian Paisley. Every year we also blow up Guy Fawkes and the Pope who was in charge at the time of the Lewes Martyrs, Paul V: not the current Pope, nor Popes in general, but a single specific historical figure. The main focus of attention is the tableau.

About a quarter of the evening is taken up with wartime Remembrance as each society processes to the War Memorial, solemnly discharges fireworks, plays The Last Post and lays a wreath. This is very moving.

Bonfire is a fire festival, a festival of the dead, and a public protest against various forms of tyranny. It's also extraordinarily stirring.

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: GUEST,...
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 04:50 AM

The only time I went to Lewes I went as a member of the general public rather than part of the procession. I went to the Cliff bonfire as I had been told it was the best.
The public were herded like sheep by large 'bouncers', and kept behind lines. I was cold and wet. I knew I was near the bonfire but couldn't get near enough to get any warmth from it. The members of the public in front of me were taller than me so I saw nothing of the tableau. That night stands out in my memory as one of the most disappointing and miserable experiences ever.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 10:38 AM

In Tucson, we have our version of the Mexican "Dia de los Muertos", which has evolved into festivities that run from Nov. 2 culminating with a large procession, on Sunday night, this year. (Of course there are many other individuals and organizations that recognize the day in many ways.)

I've not been involved previously; this year I plan to actually go and see it. I'm getting to a stage of life where I have more dead to remember...

All Souls Procession 2006

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Cats
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 01:25 PM

As a child in Lingfield, Surrey, we had bonfire processions, on a much smaller scale than Lewes though. There were 2 or 3 societies and each had a procession to a different bonfire. The one we were involved with always ended up at 'The 'Rec'

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Mo the caller
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 02:18 PM

Well an MP is now saying we should scale down the bonfire night celebrations.
I went outside just now and it smelt really smokey.

A friend of mine went on holiday somewhere in Asia and came home with a tale of watching from his hotel window someone washing clothes in a lake, someone else peeing into it, then someone drawing water from it.

We've stopped doing that to our drinking water, but don't care about the air we breathe.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Nov 06 - 07:16 PM

I went outside just now and it smelt really smokey.

And it's not Guy Fawkes Night till Sunday.

I get fed up with the way people have taken to letting off fireworks for weeks before and after - I don't mind keeping the cats in one night, but it's not fair when it spreads out the way it has. They get terrified.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 02:05 AM

Check out my extensive pages- music even....

The Most comprehensive guy fawkes page in the universe


A whole page on guys...see celebration ritual....

Those who know will be tuned in to Rocket FM for live broadcast of the proceedings in Lewes. They celebrate Saturday afternoon and evening.

Listen to the bonfire celebrations in Lewes sussex live-music is great

I run the only bonfire society in North america....our celebration is on the 4th tomorrow
402 Nancy Ave.
Linthicum, Md.
21090 USA
outside of baltimore....

All welcome we start at 4:30 Keg of Mchenry loads of food, fireworks torches...bonfire....traditional chants and all the customs.

FREE

Guy Fawkes celebrations took place in the USA from the earliest times biggest centers New York and Boston but other costal ports as well.

Check out my pages on the topic

a href="http://www.bcpl.net/~cbladey/guy/html/usaplot.html">Guy Fawkes day in the usa


Remember remember the fifth of november gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot!

Check out our publication- the only complete book of variations of the fifth of november chant/bonfire prayer....

Conrad

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 04 Nov 06 - 05:17 AM

Well, all you in Lewes can have your boring ole bonfires and pope-burnings. I've decided to join the Krampus Night movement and promote wild disco dancing and partying on December 5th. I'm sure I'll find some sympathetic folks amongts my neighbors in West Hollywood (aka San Francisco South or AKA The West West Village)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 04:33 AM

Well Guy Fawkes day is almost finished here, in NZ and I didn't see a single guy.
But the pyro tradition is alive and well - we went to the beach at Napier, Hawke's Bay and there were mini bonfires everywhere and fireworks galore, as well as the really big ones booming out further up the beach, where the organisers were charging people to go in by the soundshell. We just stayed where the crowds weren't too bad and had a lovely time watching. I didn't buy any fireworks myself this year - usually I spend $30-40 but I saved (and spent that much on a birthday tea instead!) I must be getting old!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 07:56 AM

Plot night here (UK) is being spoiled by the fireworks on sale. Most of the old fireworks used to sparkle and glitter with a fizzing noise (Except for the bangers and jumping jacks, but they have all but disappeared). The new breed are sodding great expensive boxes which are essentially mortar shells. They go up high and then off with a BANG which shakes your windows in the next village.
The sods were setting them off at some time later than 1.00AM this morning.
Anyway, it's 5th today and we are off to see a display about tea time.
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: gnomad
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 07:47 PM

Well now, lots of fireworks seen, it's now 00.35ish on Nov 6th here, and I haven't seen one guy, only one fire come to that. But I have now seen fireworks from a boat at sea, and that adds something.

The best I ever saw were done by the Italian army for the Deaf Winter Olympics [late 70s early 80s maybe], mortar type fireworks, little expense spared, and a big snow-filled valley to make the echoes really count, even a brass band to fill in the gaps between explosions. W..ow!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Rowan
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 01:15 AM

Almost at the end of Monday 6th November and not a sausage; no bonfires (bushfire season), no fireworks (they're illegal), no guys ('cept for us guys) and not even a song.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 06:03 AM

We enjoyed the bonfire and firework display. The display was on the opposite side of a lake from where the people were and worked very well. We did have a tree between where we stod and where the fireworks were being set off. Didn't know where they were going to be until they started (it was dark) but it was an interesting effect seeing the sparks and explosions through the gaps in the leaves. The high fliers were above the tree top.

Before the bonfire was lit, the "local radio" roadshow had a Guy Competition with kids getting chocolates as prizes. I was bemused that the DJ asked what the Guys were called. One was named Dave, another Bernard, one was Slash. As far as I am concerned, they should all have been GUY.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 06:44 AM

Did John O'Keefe and supporters turn up at Lewes to demonstrate?
How were they received?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: Splott Man
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 09:19 AM

I didn't see any protesters there, day or evening.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 09:15 PM

We have a competition for Guys bring yours! Our annual Guy Fawkes Celebration November 7 Baltimore 402 Nancy Ave. 21090 rain or shine starts at 4 More information on the Blog

http://fifthofnovember.blogspot.com/

Conrad

Subject: RE: Folklore: Seen any Guys this year?
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 11:02 PM

The celebration of the Center for Fawkesian Pursuits Bonfire Society is as usual open to all and free includes keg of beer dinner bonfire fireworks, torchlit procession

Check out our blog for details all welcome rsvp essential

http://fifthofnovember.blogspot.com/

Conrad