A variety of cultural celebrations take place across the globe every day. For residents of the U.K., Nov. 5, otherwise known as Guy Fawkes Day, is one of those days of celebration.
Guy Fawkes Day and the traditions that keep the holiday alive originate from the failure of The Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
An uprising aimed at destroying the Houses of Parliament and killing King James I, this event left a lasting legacy in the U.K. Led by a group of Roman Catholics angry at King James I for not granting more religious tolerance, their goal was to reestablish Catholic rule in England.
As the one to be caught placing barrels of explosive gunpowder in the cellar of the House of Parliament, Guy Fawkes became the focal point of this crime. Fawkes, along with the other conspirators, were eventually executed for their crimes of treason.
Now, Nov. 5 marks a time when people across the U.K. take to creating enormous bonfires, lighting fireworks and celebrating with their communities.
Living in the U.K. this fall as a student studying abroad, I had the opportunity to attend a Guy Fawkes Day celebration in Bridge of Allan, Scotland.
Similar to a county fair one could find in the U.S., upon arriving I was greeted with a host of food and drink vendors, memorabilia for purchase and swarms of people. The event was held in a large field, and by the sheer amount of attendees and local volunteers, it was evident the community had come together to put on this incredible annual night of celebration.
Accompanying the scene was the fire department, as one of the traditions of the holiday is for an enormous bonfire to be lit. I got the chance to see the structure just after it had been set ablaze, but due to the towering pile of wood pallets and various scraps stacked up a mile-high, it took nearly thirty minutes for the flames to reach their full potential.
As the bonfire grew stronger, the firework show began. On this holiday, the fireworks are meant to signify the failure of the gunpowder that was meant to destroy Parliament as a way of turning a potential tragedy into something beautiful.
The night wore on, and while the flames rose higher and the crowd cheered louder, the bold Scottish spirit was ever-present.
What could have been a dark day in British history, Nov. 5 is instead remembered as a day of ultimate success, and one I am very grateful to have gotten to celebrate this year.
Paige Wilton can be reached at [email protected].