On November 11 this year, I reposted last year’s article that I was inspired to write after witnessing the gradual evolution of a Canadian cultural ritual around Remembrance Day (Veteran’s Day, Armistice Day) that took place at my local cenotaph. As you might expect, this year I took my lunch break early, since I was working at the bookstore, and when my men came to fetch me I went over to the cenotaph again, shoveling a sandwich in my face so that I would be free for the ceremony.
There had to be twice the number of people who were there than last year. I recognized the lovable dog I’d patted and the cute little girl in the pink jacket I’d smiled at; who was now a little taller. This time the cenotaph gate was still locked, but there was a scuffed poppy wreath already laid in front of it. My friends and coveners, who were there last year, came back as well, everyone with a poppy and a look of determination. I scanned the crowd and the gate for the elderly veteran whose words had so moved me last year; but he wasn’t there. Then Jamie nudged me and pointed. “Looks like the people might force them to bring it back to the cenotaph,” he said. “Check it out; we have cops and everything.”
Remembrance Day is how Canadians acknowledge November 11th. In the US it is Veterans Day. These observances evolved out of Armistice Day, which continues to be observed in some countries (or simultaneously.) There are commonalities but the focus is different. Our identity of ourselves as a nation came from fighting together in World War I. At that time, Canada was still a British colony, and most of us thought of ourselves as British (or French, under British occupation). We became Canadians together at Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele.
Hello there, hope you all had a good Remembrance Day (or Veterans' Day in the US). I though I would drop a quick note to share a link to an article I wrote at my other column, "Between the Shadows," because I figured this was definitely relevant to a Canadian Pagan's perspective.
"Spontaneous Ritual": Sable and a small conglomeration of local Pagans went to the cenotaph in their city to honor their war dead in a Pagan way. Instead they were witness to the birth of a communal ritual that brought their city together. Lest we forget.
Erin Lale
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