More than 150 people of all ages filled Harmony Hall in Gibsons Landing on Jan. 24 to celebrate the 250th birthday of Robert Burns. The music, feasting, toasts, poetry, fun, song and dancing of this traditional Burns' Night lasted over five hours. It was a true community effort. The Gibsons seniors organised the event, the money raised going to the community groups involved. The Coast String Fiddlers and the Sunshine Coast School of Celtic Music provided the music and much youthful enthusiasm. They even took the lead in getting the company up and through the unfamiliar Scottish social dances. Tara MacLeod's Dance Works Highland Dancers charmed the company with their intricate, graceful dancing; Harmony Hall's men's singers led the rousing singalongs; the Salvation Army cooked and served the meal; and the Lions Club did the dishes.
Harmony Hall has been putting on these traditional Burns' Night celebrations for many years. Emphasis on the poems and songs of the Bard, with their revealing insight into the nature of our common humanity, always makes for an evening of friendly social pleasure.
It also reminds us of the inspiration arising through the son of an impoverished tenant farmer in 18th century Scotland, who helped transform our whole Western society and government. The ideas of Robert Burns, Adam Smith, David Hume and other Scots, to become known in history as the period of Scottish enlightenment, changed the order of society in their own century from rule by kings and landowning aristocracy to our modern democracy. The understanding they gave of the importance, dignity and worth of the individual helped inspire the American Revolution and the Scottish immigrants who laid the foundations of our society in Canada and throughout the world.
Harmony Hall's Burns' night ended with the whole company, hand in hand, joining in his everlastingly popular song of memories, Auld Lang Syne.
