Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Big Bannocks, Kirnathons and Grands Sprix!

I wouldn't know where to begin in describing Da Big Bannock. Suffice to say that the biggest bannock (cheese, this year) in the world is cooked. Teams compete to make butter (Da Kirnathon). There is a stunt 'iron horse' display (an iron horse, tiller or cultivator is a motorised plough) and of course the Merry Tiller Grand Sprix.
The Big Bannock is a...sort of festival/outpouring of madness/spree organised by a group of Northmavine chaps each summer in North Roe, about 12 miles from our house. There is a DVD release (this year, hilariously, it's Croft My Ride). There is a theme - this year, Knights of the Round Table - music (Vatersay Boys) and a colossal amount of drink. It's all in aid of charity. You really had to be there. If you ever saw the Father Ted episode involving the Craggy Island Gala Day, well, it's much more extreme than that. Theme song this year was a take on Okie From Muskogee ('I'm Proud Tae Be A Magnie Frae Northmavine') which featured the immortal line: 'We don't burn our galley in a playpark', which only those who know about Up Helly Aa and the inferior Lerwick version (in Northmavine, the viking galley is burnt at sea) will truly appreciate.

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