Guy Fawkes Day: November 5, 2009
Among a few of the lesser known festivals centred in the British colonies is the Guy Fawkes day.The festival is a celebration marking the foiled gun powder plot that was created in order to overthrow power in the British Empire.The gun powder plot as it is known today was a plan hatched by a large group of Catholic conspirators lead by Guy Fawkes.Guy Fawkes and his men planned to bomb the houses of parliament and kill the then King of England, King James I. However, the group was discovered before the plot could be executed.The festival since then has been a celebration of what England was and what it has been since the event had occurred so many centuries ago.
Guy Fawkes History
A film was made of the plot called ‘V For Vendetta’. The film caught the essence of the plot and centred on some of the leading characters in the plot. The punishment for the conspirators was to be hanged, drawn and quartered – in other words killed for the crime of Treason. Despite being killed for the conspiracy, Guy Fawkes was still held to be something of a visionary and inspirational character; having convinced other people of his reasoning to blow up the houses of parliament.The plot itself is remembered by its day, the 5th of November, the starting lines of the “Remember, Remember the 5th of November…” poem.
The Custom of Guy Fawkes Day
The main event during Guy Fawkes Day is that of fireworks display. Large bonfires are also lit in towns across Britain. The festival is not only celebrated in Britain, but also sometimes in other commonwealth countries such as Australia, South Africa and Canada.
Owing to a fireworks ban, some other territories no longer celebrate the day – including Barbuda and Antigua. The Canadian states of Labrador and Newfoundland often put on the most elaborate Guy Fawkes Day celebrations.These areas are teeming with bonfires and fireworks at the time of Guy Fawkes Night. The English of course put on the biggest celebrations. Quite often, large fireworks displays are put on to commemorate the festival, and municipal bonfires are lit. Despite the event occuring over 400 years ago, the event is still celebrated today.
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