OK. I confess. Work got busy, life got busy. I didn't end up doing much of a Winter Solstice ritual with my family. I lit a tea-light in safe holder and reminded my daughter to invite sweet dreams when I put her to bed, but Layla is already the Queen of sweet dreams. I don't remember what I dreamt that night. My son (nearly 10) considers himself too old for such things. We have been feeling very wintry sitting by our fire, chatting and telling jokes to each other.
Luckily however I had been invited to do two shows at the Lismore Art Gallery in Lismore (in Nthn NSW, Australia) for the daytime celebrations before the Lantern Parade. Layla came along and we had a wonderful time. I told the three stories that asked to be told: "Treasure on the Bridge"- a well-known beautiful Japanese tale which I have lengthened and embellished (and is recorded on "The Mermaid's Shoes" CD available from my website and itales) ;"Kondalili"- a Ramindjeri Aboriginal story of the fire man who transformed into a whale (as humpbacks are migrating past Byron now), sang "Tanabata Saba" (the song of the July 7 Star Festival in Japan which is on my "Molly Whuppie" CD) and told some of the story and my original story of "Rustle the Plastic Bag and Shelley the Loggerhead Turtle" which will feature on my upcoming Eco CD.
After joining several audience members in helping me act out the last story, Layla had her face painted, decorated a pre-made lantern, made a rattle, patted a pony, patted an amazing dinosaur puppet that growled very convincingly, listened to great live music and saw our local groovy Dhinawan (Aboriginal) Dancers. They were absolutely deadly (fantastic). They drew an enormous crowd. A highlight for me was listening to one of the dancers- a 17 year old play guitar and sing so beautifully, I thought he could very well enjoy a meteoric rise to stardom. Deadly!
Then as darkness fell we got into place for the parade. The large lanterns were spectacular as usual- my favourites were the Pegasus, the Green Man and Woman, pregnant Mother Earth (my picture above) and the Kyogle High School had done the mother tree and dressed up as characters from the movie "Avatar". There was also the Bremen town musicians, a beautiful fairy with a fairy circle of mushrooms, a wishing well and many African jungle creatures made by African refugees living in Lismore. In between each large lantern were many school children carrying smaller lanterns. Bringing up the rear as usual was the irrepressible, funky, awesome Byron-based massed percussion ensemble the Samba Blisstas.
Click here to go view exquisite imagery from past festival parades. Click back to the home page to read more about the festival. While the cold nights can make you want to stay cosy at home, if you get the chance and live nearby DO rug up and make the effort to check out the fabulous celebration that is the Lismore Lantern parade! You'll be well rewarded!
