Joel and I were so excited! We were finally going to the famous May 24th birthday bash on Galiano. We’d been hearing about it for the 14 years we’d been living on Mayne Island. Each year it seemed somebody from here was going, to get up on the stage to perform or just to enjoy other people playing and singing. This year we learned that Elizabeth May our MP and her husband John Kidder would be one of the acts.
We boarded the little Mayne Queen and stayed in our car for the short, bouncy ride across the water to Galiano. It was raining and kept on raining as we found the house where we were going to stay, then zipped over to the Community Hall where the fun was to commence at 7:00. We arrived at 6:30, found a seat, and waited while various groups tuned up and checked out the stage while other people drifted in.
The Galiano Community Hall is similar to the Ag Hall on Mayne, though slightly smaller, I think. I admired a colourful mosaic that covered one wall of their foyer, something we lack, both the foyer and the mosaic.
|
|
 |
Around 7:15 it looked like things were about to start. Elizabeth and John had arrived and Elizabeth’s little dog was running around and barking excitedly, so she took him to the car. Someone came to the centre mic on stage and announced that we were gathered to celebrate Bob’s Birthday, and also the birthday of the person who started the tradition. This man then came on stage and explained how it really got started, and after that the first act was introduced.
It was truly awful. A boy of about 7 or 8 was voicing the words to “One More Cup of Coffee” in a guttural croak, while standing on a tall stool. His little brother, dressed in a cape and top hat, acted out the words, like “on the pillow where you lie” by throwing his head back as though flinging himself onto a bed, I guess, and pretending to jump down to the words “to the valley below.” Their mother accompanied on guitar while her friend and her friend’s little girl sang back-up, seated on chairs to one side. Joel remarked that this is how Dylan must sound to a 6 year old. Most of the acts were clearly the efforts of amateurs, but sung and played with warmth and to the best of their abilities. Some of the acts were on a professional or semi-professional level. People tried different interpretations of old favourites, like “On a Night like This” to a reggae beat, or “Boots of Spanish Leather” sung as a duet, conversation-style. One performer sang “Black Diamond Bay” quickly and beautifully, all from memory, while several people used sheet music or tablets to help them remember words or chords or give them confidence.
At the intermission an enormous cake was wheeled out. 78 candles shone in the darkened room, and a little girl was given the honour of blowing them all out. We sang “Happy Birthday” to Bob, and then the cake was cut and we all had a slice.
The evening ended with all the performers on stage and they and the whole house sang “Like a Rolling Stone” and “All Along the Watchtower.” It was an exciting finale.
We realized that we had been fortunate to participate in a real community event, a tradition unique to Galiano. It was humble and heartwarming. I guess each Gulf Island has its own traditions and personality, the things that set it apart from the others. And yet what they have in common is the same feeling of welcoming warmth and sense of community.