bout de papier, Vol. 27, No. 2 (2013) — Spring 2013 // Printemps 2013, p. 40
It was early spring in Gallipoli. Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, Turks and others had gathered to commemorate one of the bloodiest, tragic and yet nation-building battles of WWI. The Governor General of New Zealand, the distinguished jurist Dame Silvia Cartwright, presided over the ceremonies. As we know, Gallipoli is serious business and Canada was represented not least because Newfoundlanders were among the battle’s many casualties.
I was beside the Governor General of a seriously brisk morning when we were greeted by New Zealand troops. A Maori greeting to be more specific: much stamping, shirtless chests heaving, threatening gestures and shouts galore and — of course — a lot of tongues stuck out as far as humanly possible at the “honoured” guests. Thinking of our own very correct Governor General at the time, Adrienne Clarkson, I leaned over to Dame Cartwright and said (…cheekily, I’ll admit): “You know, in my country grown men don’t normally stick their tongues out at the Governor General”. “Aaaah” she sighed somewhat wistfully, “…in New Zealand it happens ALL the time.”
Stuart Hughes is a retired Foreign Service officer and Editor of bout de papier. (Have a favourite vignette? Send it!).
Présentation de la série « La vie dans les valises »
Conçue exclusivement pour les lecteurs de la revue bout de papier, la série traite de la vie de famille dans le contexte de l’expatriation professionnelle, à travers du regard d’une épouse. Quatre planches desinées, telles quatre fenêtres offertes aux regards curieux, offriront aux lecteurs une perspective inusitée sur ce que
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 27, No. 2 (2013) — Spring 2013 // Printemps 2013, p. 40. Read the rest of this issue →
