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Showing posts from November, 2017

"You're right, I'm wrong"

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… said no one ever on social media I live in Lewes, East Sussex, the unofficial bonfire capital of the UK, nay the world. This weekend, the population will increase fourfold as tens of thousands of people descend on the town to take part in a custom that has its roots dating back to the mid 1500’s when 17 protestants (the Lewes Martyrs ) were burnt at the stake. On Saturday night, six Lewes-based bonfire societies will parade through the streets , along with societies from outlying villages, carrying burning torches, before returning to their bonfire sites where they burn effigies and launch spectacular firework displays. The event is steeped in tradition and ritual. It is anarchic, pagan and anti-establishment – anyone concerned with health & safety protocols would be well advised to stay away. This year, the fireworks have been going off early though. There has been a debate rumbling for a while amongst the townsfolk that has exploded into the mainstream media as part of “Zulu