Fire and darkness are a very powerful combination and drama is an essential feature of human behaviour. All knids of cultures expolore their power.

I once worked on an American Summer Camp. About half way through the 6 odd weeks the children and young people ( 8 - 14 years) were divided into one of two teams reds or greys.

This was a massive event carried out at night, in the dark, on a small field surrounded by woods. Torches burned and a drummer with a full kit played endlessly. An adult stood on a platform at the end of a ramp and each child in turn ran up the ramp to the sound of his name. The adult raised both arms, a red glove and a grey glove, then one fell on the child's shoulder, "the crowd went wild" so to speak.

It was one of the most scarry experiences I have ever witnessed - and I was outside as an adult.

For the next week the two sides competed at every sport. Children cried when they lost.

I went to a workshop about 40 years on English Fire Festivities - by Bert Lloyd or maybe Tony Foxworthy, I cannot really remember. Whoever it was made a lot of the non-christian/ pre-christian aspect of these events which I suspect we would now doubt, but I do remember whoever it was saying that at Lewes they would not feel easy if they were a catholic at that event.

When we seek to reclaim or revive or simply continue old traditions can this always be caried out 'safely'.

Best wishes

Les