In preparation for this years Winter Solstice dinner  I embarked on a journey to write the most authentic piece of prose I could about our relationship with nature at a regional level. For betters or for worse this is what followed and how we told the story of the Highlands for this event

Gather round my friends of old and new alike

For now we talk of things long lost, tales of old and tall

For this is why we feast this night

To be thankful for it all

 

Light your candle, still your mind as we respect those now departed

For this is how the land was made and the first of feasting started

It begins before the time of dreaming, as the elders tell us true

A time of Mirragan and Gurangatch who moulded all anew

Who created mountains, rivers, streams and valleys craft them all

And the left the knowledge of their work with custodians dark and tall

 

Then a new man came to this land of natural foods, with skin as pale as snow

He planted wheat, cabbage and fruit and willed them all to grow

He tried to bend things to his will but nature stood her ground

And what survived and thrived were things the earth choose to compound

So now we have the many cattle fields and Robbo loves his taters

Smart pioneers knew that seasonal veg would be our future caters

 

Shale mining Scots in Joadja Town inspired a still of whisky and of gin

Clever vignernons knew vines of pinot noir would in time an industry begin

Europeans planted olive trees and garlic in the field

Fruiters settled into berries crops to get the perfect yield

And so it came that we learnt again, what the first ones always knew

Watch the seasons, learn the cycle, love the gifts that balance drew

 

For all we have today should not be ever appreciate deny

So fast its gone, with no coming back, our sad and last goodbye

A melting pot of customs, cultures, traditions gather in the Highlands new

We choose to weave a fresh feast of thanks washed down with local brew

We draw upon the wisdom of pagan past and give tribute to the sun

And channel Nordic gods of old to weave in ancestral fun

And in our oldest, deepest rituals we link our Celtic roots

 

Respect light & dark, sun & moon, night & day all to boot

These cultures told stories of god and monsters at forest feasts

And now carry the torch for history as we honour the modern beasts

Together we will break some bread and tell Australian stories past and dear

And nourish our bodies as we dance, sing, love and sometimes even cheer

 

Tonight, we celebrate the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year

With great mulled local wine and highland brewed craft beer

Tis also the time of the longest dark with no light drawing near

So make your peace, say your thanks and pray for a bumper harvest year