I’ll admit it. For a largely disinterested cynic, I got sucked into the royal wedding like a sick pigeon into a jet engine...
Listening and speaking to others in the aftermath, I get the sense I was not alone in this anomaly...
I had not intended to watch it… When I nonchalantly glanced at the television in the office around 6.30pm last Friday evening, I scoffed when I saw a procession of socialites and their “hats” arriving; especially this “super-hero” number:
…Fast forward a few hours however, and as humiliating as it is to admit, I was still watching, channel surfing for more footage, in fact… there was something indisputably magnetic about the occasion. I think it was a combination of the magnitude of an altogether happy event in world affairs (a welcome change) – and also the spectacle of what is so impressive and significant about British history, culture, even “pomp”… (Kate and Pippa Middleton weren’t bad either).
As far as historical monuments go – the mighty, thousand year old Gothic Abbey – is just immense… particularly when you think about the ghosts running around it… The first Abbey was founded on the present site on the basis that a vision of Saint Peter was observed there. The fact that it has not only been the scene of coronations (on “King Edward’s Chair”) since William the Conqueror and houses the remains of many of the early Royal ancestors - not to mention some great figures of history - gives a haunting significance to the place… Many great writers and poets are buried here including Robert Browning, Rudyard Kipling, Geoffrey Chaucer, Lord Alfred Tennyson and Charles Dickens – even actor Laurence Olivier; many more artists including many of my favourite writers / poets are memorialised in the “Poet’s Corner”. It is the final resting place for so many figures of history – even scientists Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin are here…
On this day, the Abbey was full of life –right down to the avenue of English Field Maple trees lining the aisle… the rise and fall of the camera angles pitching and plunging around the columns, galleries and into the upper echelons of the extraordinary structure – captured a great sense of the mystique and the unique magnificence of the architecture, detail and materials of the building.
And then there was the music. The choral music really was spectacular and mesmerising … Without getting too carried away or effusive in admiration for British ceremony, I also confess to enjoying the clarity of the British diction and the eloquence and articulation of the language in the speeches delivered – but perhaps I have just been listening to Australian politicians too much...
The service itself was far more concise than I anticipated – and was kept relevant and meaningful. So while the nostalgia of the artefacts and imagery of a bygone era were there – the Abbey, the hundred year old horse drawn carriages, the beautiful British cars – and all the other “aesthetics”; I think the substance and modernity of a contemporary union of two young people was also there.
Part of me couldn’t help but think how great it would be if some of the bygone paraphernalia had not been usurped into historical novelty; I think it would be great to still ride a horse or a horse drawn carriage into work in the city, for instance…
Another highlight for me was watching the aircraft over Buckingham Palace, including a fly-by of the legendary Spitfire – it really was a walk down memory lane and so many of the different chapters of British history were referenced in different and quite moving ways.
Kate Middleton did look superb, of course.
The British can be proud of their history – they have an astonishing one that is coloured in so many shades, but frequently some of the negative aspects overshadow – this was a dynasty that made mistakes – some ugly, yet it has had a lasting, very positive influence, also.
I noted with interest that both before and after the wedding there was some amount of curiosity and respect shown by some the Aboriginal community towards this event also – which was surprising.
It reminded me of one of the more interesting conversations I have had in my life, which occurred in the Valley in Brisbane one night, with an 82 year old cultural leader of the Wagilak Aboriginal tribal community... In the course of our two to three hour discussion, I was welcomed into the tribe as an honorary member, given a tribal name that means “lightning” and invited to participate in a corroborree in Ngukurr in Arnhem Land.. But that’s a whole other story..
He and a contingent of his tribal group had just finished a performance at the Powerhouse Theatre in a show that combined indigenous dance and music with orchestral music… This very interesting fellow also wrote poems so we had some common ground there, but I found myself in a deep and meaningful discussion about a whole range of issues that included colonisation issues and the significance of the traditional Aboriginal culture and the cultural make-up of Australia.
One of the most unexpected of his disclosures was his statement that he was “glad the British, rather than someone else, settled Australia.” He made the comment that although the British and the Aborigines had a history and had some problems, if Australia was to be settled by anyone, he’s happy it was the British as he felt the two cultures were the best match and that there was some common ground and mutual admiration – although there had been a lot of misunderstanding too..
As I say, that did take me by suprise…
Although I now consider myself in favour of an Australian republic, I am not deeply impassioned about it, and I suspect I am probably a common example of the feeling around this issue. I think this latest Royal event , and those to come, will probably set the republican movement back in Australia. I think many may view a republic as a potentially expensive “structural change” that will be largely symbolic and not much more…
I think this was evidenced to a degree by last week’s episode of the ABC show, Q & A (www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/ ) ; I am a fan and rarely miss it, but I have to say that last Thursday night’s episode on the question of whether Australia should become a republic, left me very bored – and neither the monarchists nor the republicans put forward particularly strong arguments, frequently went around in circles and didn’t seem that passionate themselves. Hence why I think the Aussie adage of if “it aint broke don’t fix it” will probably be adhered to in respect of this issue, for the foreseeable future… Nevertheless, I do remain in favour of a republic at some stage, provided the proposed model is right.
On a superficial level, there must be fairly consistent agreement that few do a celebration or pageant like the British. It made me feel a sense of significance for my own British ancestry, so I can only imagine how affirming the experience was for contemporary Britons, particularly in light of a tough few years. I think they should express what is great about their culture, moreso, in the modern age.
Despite protestations that the institution of the monarchy should transcend the personalities of the monarchs and be viewed independently of them; in practice, it doesn’t really. William and Kate are likeable people, have had much “real world” experience and come across as quite humble and down to earth communicators; after the weekend’s wedding, they have, perhaps quite inadvertently, injected a strong new energy into the family, that will probably give them great facility to do good work. This must be seen as a positive.
All told I think it was a celebration of positivity and growth for Britain’s past and future, and an uplifting ceremony… Now - I think I have, in the context of this blog, devoted more time than I ought to , espousing some of the finer attributes of the old country’s traditions and of the newly married royals – I may need to return to my goading and disparagement of them. It’s the Australian way.
No comments:
Post a Comment