Robert Burns is recognised all over the world as probably the greatest poet Scotland has ever known. He wrote hundreds of beautiful poems and songs, many of which are sung and recited today. Auld Lang Syne is one of his most famous songs.
Today, we celebrated the life of Robert Burns, as we do every year at this time, by hosting our annual Burns Supper. (Picture reproduced by kind permission from LTScotland)
The whole school came to the hall to see Primary 5 lead our Burns Supper today. There were speeches, poems and songs, all of which came after we had eaten the traditional Burns Supper meal of haggis, tatties and neep! (Tatties and neep are mashed potatoes and mashed turnip.)
We had an excellent display of Highland dancing from Avocet, who is in our Primary 6 class. Here she is, in full Highland costume.
At every Burns Supper, the most special guest of all, the haggis, is brought to the top table on a plate, with a piper playing the bagpipes. Today, our haggis was piped in by one of our former pupils, who learned how to play the bagpipes while he was here at Yester.
Once the haggis arrives at the top table, one of the most important speeches of the Burns Supper is delivered. This year, Blackwatch, delivered the Address to the Haggis. The speech is below, first in Scots, then repeated in English, as it is quite a difficult speech to follow, especially for non-Scots! (This is a shortened version of the poem.)
Address to a Haggis (original)
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 worthy o' 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!
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
(Picture used by kind permission from LTScotland.)
Address to a Haggis (Translation)
Fair and full is your honest, jolly face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,
Stomach, tripe, or intestines:
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.
The overloaded serving tray there you fill,
Your buttocks like a distant hill,
Your pin would help to mend a mill
In time of need,
While through your pores your juices drip
Like liquid gold.
His knife see the serving-man clean,
And then cut you up with great skill,
Making a trench in your bright, gushing guts
To form a ditch,
And then, 0h! What a glorious sight!
Warm, steaming, and rich!
You powers, who make mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill of fare,
Old Scotland wants no watery stuff,
That splashes in small wooden dishes;
But if you wish her grateful prayer,
Give her [Scotland] a Haggis!
Like in Kuvansi, we have a library van that visits the school every two weeks. It provides a valuable service for our children, as there is no public library in Gifford. The nearest library is in Haddington, which is 5 miles away (8km).
The driver of the library van is Bob, and the librarian is Dorothy. Both are always keen to help the children find what they want.
There are lots of books to choose from. Like in Kuvansi, you can order CDs or videos from Dorothy, who will have them ready for you the next time the library van calls at the school.
The library van sells calendars showing lovely views around East Lothian. Mr Ikonen might recognise this!
Inside the library van, there is an area where you can sit with your computer, and connect to the internet.
"Hi, it's Harebell here. What was your favourite Christmas present? Mine was my PSP. What did you do in your Christmas holidays?"
"Moi everyone! It's Sunrise here. I'm going to tell you what my favourite Christmas present was. I got a pink Nintendo DS Lite and I got some really cool games called High School Musical and Imagine Baby. I hope everyone had as good a Christmas and New Year as I did."
"Hei, it's Top Cat here. What did you get for Christmas? I got a new mobile phone. It's a black LG. Hope you had a good Christmas!"
"Hi, it's Osprey here! Happy New Year to you all! What was your favourite Christmas present? My favourite Christmas present was a hamster. His name is Ginger."
"Hei, it's Dondie. I got a laptop for Christmas. What did you get for Christmas? Bye!"
"Moi everyone, did you all have a good Christmas? I did! My favourite present was my iPod. I really like it. What were your favourite presents? Hope you are all fine. Bye for now, from Jigga"
"Moi, it's Nevis here! Onnellista Uutta Vuotta! I got a Nintendo DS with seven games. What did you get for Christmas? Hei, hei!"
"Hi, it's Blackwatch here! For Christmas I got an X-Box 360, and my favourite game is WWE 2008. What did any of you get? Hope you had a good Christmas and a Happy New Year."
"Hi, it's Parkhead here. What was your favourite Christmas present? Mine was the Nintendo Wii. I didn't go anywhere on holiday. I wish you a Happy New Year. Bye!"
"Hi it's Gr8scot here! I got a really cool Christmas present at Christmas called a PSP. I can't get off it because it is so cool! I got a really cool game for it called FIFA 08. I've got a question for all of you. What was your favourite Christmas present? Happy New Year!"
"Hei, it's Graphite here. My favourite Christmas present was The Simpsons game on PlayStation 2. Happy New Year. What was your favourite Christmas present?"
"Hei, it's Thistle here. Happy New Year everyone! My favourite Christmas present was a video camera. What was your favourite Christmas present?"
"Moi. It's High5. My favourite Christmas present was a Nintendo Wii. What was your favourite Christmas present? Happy New Year! Bye!"
"Moi, it's Easter Road here. My favourite Christmas present was a metal detector. I hope you have had a very good Christmas!"
"Moi, my name is Crofter. My favourite Christmas present was a parachute for a teddy. What was your favourite present?"
"Moi, it's Trackstar here. My favourite present was a laptop. I hope you have a Happy New Year. Bye!"
"Hei, it's Dekker here. Happy New Year! This year, the snow at my house was 30cm deep! I was in it all day. What did you get for Christmas?"
"Hei, it's Sloop here. I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year. My best Christmas present was my mobile phone. I loved the snow, I even had a snowball fight in it."
"Hi, it's Brockville here. My best Christmas present was a Nintendo DS. I went ice skating. Did you?"
"Hi, it's Bannock here. For my Christmas, my favourite present was my Brain Training Nintendo game. Did you have a nice Christmas?"
"Hi, it's Fearless. In the holidays I went sledging in the snow. Did you go sledging?. Bye!"
"Hi, it's Oatcake here. In the Christmas holidays I went to Lillehammer in Norway. I did lots of skiing, skating and sledging. I also went to an ice hockey match. What did you get for Christmas?"
This was me in Lillehammer, when I went skiing!
This was the house I stayed in, when I was in Lillehammer.
"Hi, it's Ibrox here. My best Christmas present was an X-Box 360. What was your best Christmas present?"
"Hi, it's Stovies here. My favourite present that I got for Christmas was my Nintento DS. What was your favourite present?"
Sometimes it snows here in Scotland too! This was the front of the school this morning, our first day back after the Christmas holidays.
This is the side of our school. Unfortunately for the children, the snow melted a bit during the day.
