The Scrivener: A Day Of Mourning, A Day Of Hope
…Today, 22 February 2009, is the National Day of Mourning for victims of the catastrophic bushfires which broke out in the State of Victoria just two weeks ago, and are still burning in a few places. A day of mourning, a day of thanks, a day of hope, a day never to be forgotten…
Brian Barratt writes movingly of the ceremony mourning those who lost their lives in Australia’s most destructive bush fires.
An Aboriginal elder welcomed everyone to her tribal land, speaking of a spiritual relationship to the earth and its powers. Expressing her belief that the ancestors would comfort those who are grieving, she offered a traditional sprig of eucalypt leaves in commemoration and unity.
A Uniting Church minister helped an elderly Muslim Imam up and down the steps. The abbess of a local Buddhist community spoke with compassion. Archbishops of the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches stood side by side. A Hindu priest joined a Greek Orthodox priest and many others, placing flowers on the giant wreath. A stream of representatives of Chinese, Sikh, and countless other religious and community groups, also placed flowers.
Differences were cast aside.
Representatives of the Country Fire Authority, Special Emergency Services, Police, Army, and other organisations, presented their white lilies of remembrance, too. The yellow coats of CFA fire-fighters were visible among the crowd. One of the speakers reminded us that the yellow helmet stands alongside the famous slouch hat as a symbol of true courage.
There are people to whom we cannot express enough gratitude.
A Jewish boy played a heartfelt lament on a shofar (the traditional ram's horn), followed by a silence. An Aboriginal man rendered divine music of The Dreaming on his didgeridoo, accompanied by saxophone and woodwind. A renowned and respected Australian musician was accompanied by his daughter and two survivors of the recent disaster, in a new rendering of one of his best loved songs. Everyone joined in. A choir of 500 voices, a symphony orchestra, and several soloists lifted our hearts with joy.
But there were tears in our eyes, all the time.
The master of ceremonies, the senior newsreader of ABC Television, Melbourne, introduced guest speakers including the Governor-General of Australia, the Governor of Victoria, the Chief Commissioner of Police, the Premier of Victoria, the Prime Minister of Australia, the two respective Parliamentary leaders of the Opposition, and a host of others The surprise guest was Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, who had flown to Melbourne specifically for this ceremony and to visit areas of the bushfire devastation.
We could not fail to be moved but we hope that there will never again be a day like this.
The venue was the Rod Laver arena, known throughout the world as the great sliding-roof home of the Australian Open tennis tournament. It had in a very short space of time been totally transformed into a vast 21st century 'cathedral'. About 7,000 people were there, fewer than expected. Many more watched on huge outdoor screens in various parts of Melbourne and by crowds who gathered in places tragically affected by the fires. The five Melbourne free-to-air television channels relayed it, simultaneously. There were no commercial breaks. Millions throughout Australia were viewing, too. And perhaps around the world.
The still photographs chosen by the producers — depicting the disaster and some of the people involved — as background during the singing, were unutterably powerful.
Today, 22 February 2009, is the National Day of Mourning for victims of the catastrophic bushfires which broke out in the State of Victoria just two weeks ago, and are still burning in a few places. A day of mourning, a day of thanks, a day of hope, a day never to be forgotten.
© Copyright Brian Barratt 2009
