Anzac day commemorates the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. The pride they took in that name endures to this day, and Anzac Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand.
During the 1920s, Anzac Day became established as a National Day of Commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders and Islanders who died during the war. The first year in which all the States observed some form of public holiday together on Anzac Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s, all the rituals now associated with the day — dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, sly two-up games — became part of Australian Anzac Day culture. New Zealand commemorations also adopted many of these rituals, with the dawn service being introduced from Australia in 1939.
With the coming of the Second World War, Anzac Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians and New Zealanders lost in that war as well and in subsequent years, the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include those killed in all the military operations in which the countries have been involved.
One of the traditions of Anzac Day is the 'gunfire breakfast' (coffee with rum added), which occurs shortly after many dawn ceremonies.The other event on this week end is Ironfest in Lithgow which is where Carmen's mother was born, it is a steel and coal town and coal is still being mined for the 2 power plants in the area.
Ironfest was first held in April of 2000 to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the birth of steel in Australia, in Lithgow.
Last year was the first that we went to, as suggested by Kyle & Kris, there were Blacksmiths and and associated art & crafts everything being made in Australia.
The whole fair is medieval themed with Actors, shows, music, jousts, battles & demonstrations from sword and chainmail being made to sculpting jewelery & weaving. heres a link to the website, http://www.ironfest.com.au/index.html but I found it took a long time to load, so you may not want to wait, which is why I detailed what happens there above. photos from the fest will be in my next blog.
