> Deeply political in its origins, [Bonfire Night] was born of a specific moment of national crisis in the 17th century. Does it still resonate today, when the narratives of our national history are ever more contested?
It's a mildly horrific celebration, with its tradition of burning an effigy (Guy Fawkes.) The man himself was not executed by fire, but in the end by hanging, I think. Wikipedia has some unpleasant details of what was planned for him.
Yet today, effigies of other people are placed on the fire. I feel it is a relevant festival, in that unlike Halloween (spooky ghosts, commercial) it's a deeply political festival, the result of failed revolution. It's a celebration of the establishment winning, and yet somehow people see it more as a celebration of the attempt.
Very little information in that article. For example I would have expected something about Samhain - precursor to British Halloween in Ireland, Scotland, Celtic areas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain
Strange to call it “British” when it originated in Ireland.
British, from British Isles, of which Ireland is one. And Scotland is on the other big one. And the Celts were all around there.
So, I had to look up Bonfire night. I think the article is about Guy Fawkes Night. Guy Fawkes masks became popular here in the US a few year ago, and are still reasonably common. Second Halloween with political effigies and big fires seems like it could do well, though it'd probably land on Election Day...
That would have been due to V for Vendetta, which was heavily inspired by the story of Guy Fawkes.
And now too Diwali, the festival of light, is very popular in many parts of the UK - the only constant is change!
Not particularly amongst the remaining indigenous-populated areas, it's only really a thing in the areas that have had large Indian-heritage populations transplanted there.