Casa Gibson din Toronto - HOGMANAY sau Anul Nou Scotian
Casa Gibson devine foarte primitoare pe 31 decembrie, cand se sarbatoreste “Hogmanay” sau anul nou scotian. Familia Gibson, emigrata din Scotia, a locuit aici din 1829. Dl. David Gibson era “surveyor”-topograf pentru County of York. Tocmai se casatorise cu Eliza Milne si cumparasera 105 acrii de pamint pe Yonge Street. Aici va fii casa si ferma lor. David era scotian si avea rude aici ca de exemplu pe unchiul sau, Alexander Milne, de care am mai auzit ca avea o moara in Markham, daca ati citit povestirea mea:” Cu bicicleta prin Toronto-I”.
David lucra ca topograf si ca fermier dar nu ii displacea politica si a reprezentat in 1834 First Riding in York in Assembly of the Upper Canada. Din cauza ca activa in Partidul Reformator fara sa vrea a fost implicat in Rebeliunea din 1937. In momentul in care Mackenzie seful rebeliunii si rebelii au fost infrinti el a trebuit sa fuga in America impreuna cu familia. Nu voia sa fie spinzurat ca alti rebeli care sunt ingropati in cimitirul de la Necropolis. De fapt se pusese un pret pe capul lui si era acuzat de Inalta Tradare.
David a gasit de lucru in America ca First Assistant Engineer la canalul Erie. De asemeni si-au cumparat o ferma la Hickory Corners, New York.
Spre norocul lui David a fost iertat in 1843 si a putut sa se intoarca in Canada in 1848. Au trebuit sa construiasca o casa noua pentru sotie si cei 7 copii.
Casa Gibson exista si astazi si e costruita in stil Georgian. David isi gaseste usor de lucru si devine Inspector al Agentiilor Domeniilor Regale si Superintendent al Colonizarii Drumurilor pentru westul Canadian.
Se stinge din viata in 1864. Casa continua sa fie locuita pina in 1887 de catre Eliza si fiul ei Peter.
Ne inchipuim comunitatea in anul 1850, Willowdale, unde se gaseste casa Gibson, era un satuc respectabil in care puteai gasi un tamplar, un fierar, un producator de haturi pentru cai, un magazin general, un oficiu postal, o scoala, o biserica Episcopal Metodista, un judecator. Toata aceasta forfota devine reala in reusitul film “Road to Avonlea” unde viata intr-un satuc din Prince Edward Island este evocat de actori talentati.
Hogmanay este un obicei scotian adus de pe meleagurile Angus County, de unde este originara familia Gibson. Intram in casa ca si cum familia ne primeste. Ne sunt aratate incaperile: bucataria unde se pregatesc delicioasele bucate din care ne vom infrupta, camera de lucru a topografului plina de instrumente si planuri, un razboi de tesut, sufrageria unde pe masa ne imbie tot felul de bunatati. Doamne costumate in rochii de epoca ne servesc cu “Het Pint” dintr-un bol de punch si ne dau informatii despre cum se face din bere, oua si mirodenii (nucsoara si scotch) sau pentru cei care nu pot bea bauturi alcoolice Apple Cider (suc de mere).
Eu gust pentru prima oara in Canada branza de buduf (potted cheese). Sandu e incintat si serveste de mai multe ori cu biscuiti de ovaz (oat). Vorba aceea “Vrei calule ovaz?” “Vreau.”
Dar asta nu e nimic mai sunt chec cu chimen, mincemeat (un chec care original era facut cu carne si stafide dar acum are numai diferite fructe uscate, mere, lamiie zaharisita), chec cu prune, Shortbread (biscuiti facuti cu unt care erau o delicatese in acea vreme dat fiind ca multe prajituri se faceau cu untura).
Ni se da timp sa exploram casa dar cand incepe sa se auda muzica ne stringem in “parlour”(camera de oaspeti) unde talentatii Ian Bell si Geoff Somers ne vor incinta cu un spectacol nemaipomenit. Dupa ce ni se povesteste despre viata emigrantilor scotieni care veneau cu poeme de Robert Burns in geamantan si dupa ce sunt interpretate cintece vechi din Ontario apare First Footer. Aceasta este o traditie asemanatoare cu cele din Ardeal unde nu e voie sa treaca pragul dupa miezul noptii de anul nou decit un barbat. Aici la scotieni este preferat un om cu parul negru. Se incearca o explicatie ca adica daca era un om cu parul blond sau roscat inseamna ca erau atacati de vikingi de care pana si scotienii se temeau. De asemeni la bucatarie se fac zgomote puternice din oale care sunt menite sa alunge spiritele rele, obicei care a ramas si la alte popoare.
Cantecul “Auld Lang Syne” rasuna la miezul noptii asa cum a rasunat si in filmul “It’s a Wonderful Life” interpretat de James Steward sau in filmul “When Harry meet Sally” unde tot in finalul filmului se canta acest vechi cantec scotian dupa poemul scris in limba scotiana de Robert Burns, in care se vorbeste despre o vreme trecuta.
AULD LANG SYNE
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.
And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
Anglicized translation:
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll pay for your pint cup !
And surely I’ll for mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have run about the hills,
and pulled the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine (dinner time) ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
CHORUS
Dupa ce ne-au incintat cu muzica populara, in sunete de cimpoi (pipebags) si cu mare fala este adus vestitul Haggis care fierbea incetinel pana acum in ceaunul din bucatarie. Haggis este un fel de mancare traditionala de anul nou care a ajuns sa reprezinte poporul scotian poate datorita si poemului comic al vestitului Robert Burns “Address to a Haggis” unde la momentul de implintare a cutitului se recita versul respectiv. Suntem invitati din nou in sufragerie unde putem sa gustam “haggis” cu biscuiti de ovaz.
Scotienii sunt si ei pastori ca si romanii dar ei au un cult al oaiei deci mincarea lor traditioanla va fii facuta din oaie. Este interesant ca desi suntem si noi oierii cu toate astea noi suntem porcari si mancam porcarii. Haggis este un fel de toba mai speciala (pudding), fiarta in stomac de oaie in care s-a pus inima, ficatul, plaminii, grasime de la oaie, ovaz. Ingredientul interesant este ovazul. La noi niciodata toba nu are grau inauntru.
ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect sconner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!
The Anglicized Translation
Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm
The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads
His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich
Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles
Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner
Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit
But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles
You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!
De fapt intreaga seara a fost si o sarbatorire a “Burns Supper” care este o traditie in Scotia unde el este poetul national. Se petrece de 25 ianuarie, ziua nasterii bardului si este sarbatorita non stop din 1796 pana in zilele de azi. Plecam multumiti de aceasta seara minunata cand afara ninge incetisor iar noi inca mai suntem in anul 1850 si ne miram ca nu vine sania sa ne ia acasa la ferma noastra unde ne asteapta vinul de casa fiert in care am pus putina scortisoara.
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de Dana Mateescu 12/9/2006 |
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