ANZAC Day

ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand Army Corps and was "born" in 1915 during WWI. The troops were in Gallipoli and suffered a devastating time, losing many of their young men. It was the first time that Australian troops fought under their own flag, together with New Zealand troops. It was a spreading of the country's wings, so to speak. Today the nation recognizes the series of events in a holiday, and I was able to participate with my students.

We gathered in town on Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m. Each child was in school uniform and carried a small Australian flag. The veterans of any war, men and women, marched in the front. The high school band played, and community members came next. There were the boy scouts, the girl scouts, our school, the private schools, the high school, and other community organizations. After marching the whole town (all two blocks of it) we assembled around the historical marker in the square.

There was a somber, repectful tone to the crowd as the president of the Retired Service League gave a short welcome and speech. There is a clear program to this event, and I witnessed the same series of words and songs at the two ceremonies I attended that day (the first being the dawn service, 5:30 a.m., in Coffs Harbour, a town of 50,000 30 minutes north of us). Wreaths were laid at the marker, and people of all ages were included in the rememberance.

A bugle sounded, The Last Post, the Australian National Anthem was sung, and it was over. I have yet to make it through the national anthem without tearing up, I've found.

What struck me was the attitudes and expectations leading up to and during the day. It was an absolute given, to the different people I talked to, that everyone would be there. My second grade students came in uniform to downtown Macksville at 10:15. Many of them had already been to the dawn Macksville service, as well. My son Ross was at a sleepover of three 16 year olds. The parents got them up at 5:00 a.m. to go to the service 15 kilometers to the town where they live. They all went back to sleep when they got home, but still!

Students walking in the march carried framed photographs of their great grandfathers who had served and/or died in the wars. If I asked random kids why they were there, they answered, "To remember those who died," or "It's repecting my grandpa."

In addition to the Sunday ceremonies, Macksville had an assembly Tuesday morning once we were back at school. We followed the similar pattern of tradition, but without the march. Again, the students were somber, quiet, respectful, and thoughtful during the 20 minute ceremony. I was once again taken with not only the events, but the character of the citizens who participated.