LOU
Lou is the Warband Press Officer and has been involved with LAW for several years. She wrote this evoking piece on 29/08/12 about the Stonehenge Picket.
"Four years ago today, the Ancestors remains from Aubrey Hole 7 at Stonehenge were removed by Sheffield University and the Stonehenge Riverside Project. The organisations who removed from them from the ground, misled everyone by telling people they intended that those remains would be reinterred in time after all testing had been carried out. They lied. It was never their intention to put the Ancestors buried at Stonehenge back into their final resting place. They knew before the first spade went in the ground, that the government had plans to change the Burial Act to keep such human remains in a research facility or museum in perpetuity, and that it was just a matter of time and formality before this new legislation would come into effect. By August 2008, a public consultation had already been carried out and a Ministerial Statement had been published which said that ait was the governments intention to make sure all archaeological exhumations would be kept in perpetuity within a museum or research facility. This information was in a very small enclave of archaeological society's knowledge since this information which had been published in the public domain, had not been advertised. It was not so much hidden, as omitted from the general public debate. The "public" who were consulted, were from the archaeological, local councils and burial industry communities. IT was not opened to a "general public debate", therefore, the laying field was not as even as they have stated when they imply that this information was a "public consultation". Had it been so "publicly debated" or even afterwards, the informations was widely known to the public, the spade would not have even been allowed to go in the ground to begin the dig, because its validity and legality would have been challenged in the High Court. This fact was known by those who sought the removal of the ancient human remains at Aubrey Hole Seven.
We continue to campaign to have these remains reinterred before the legislation is permanently changed to keep ALL PRE CHRISTIAN HUMAN REMAINS inside a glass case, plastic box, old sack, biscuit tin or whatever ill respecting receptacle they see fit inside an archaeologists office or osteo-library. This case is important and has implication for ALL HUMAN REMAINS kept in a museum or research facility whereby their possession serves no useful archaeological purpose. The dignity of those people whose remains have been taken is therefore denied and common decency to rest in peace has been lost.
We shall not rest until they are laid to rest in what is their final resting place. It is common decency and respect which dictates this, they were human beings with lives and loves, who were laid there at the end of their lives for a specific reason, a reason which although may be lost to us today, is still nonetheless as valid today as it was when they were interred 4000 years ago.
If Sheffield and the Stonehenge Riverside Project think we are going to go away, they can think again. We are the definition of tenacious and we will exhaust every single avenue until those ancient relatives of us all are back laying at rest where they were once interred. We will not go quietly into the night, nor shall we give up on our Ancestors. We are as resolute as the stones by which they were buried.
"They shall not grow old, as we are left to grow old, age shall not weary them nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember and honour them".
Regardless of my own personal relationships, likes, dislikes and the interactions of others behaviours, I for one, will work with whomever to ensure that these remains, my ancestors remains WILL go back into the ground at Aubrey Hole Seven. I shall not "walk off the job" because of my own feelings, or even, IF in the face of any perceived unfair or irregular treatment. I shall, tenaciously continue, I shall stand firm, I shall not abandon and I shall endeavour to support all others who are working to the same goal of getting these remains back into the ground.
And WHEN we do, I shall be there to help reinter them and re-weave the magic broken on their exhumation. I do this not because I have any other agenda other than the fact that I believe in respect and common decency both in life and in death, and I can put aside whatever personal feelings I have, I can work through with anyone whatever issues there may be to be able to have a working relationship with others to achieve this or die trying.
I care not what other think of me, I care not for popularity contests and I care not so called "pagan politics". I am more than happy to draw a line in the sand and make it known in no uncertain terms what I stand for because I am honoured to be abled to do this, not because its gives any sort of glory or ego trip, but because it is the RIGHT THING TO DO. For me, this is a humbling act. This I do because I am able to honour in my lifetime all those who came before me, even as far away in time as 4000 years ago. I am able to remember in my own DNA that which has made me who and what I am today. And in that, I feel no shame, I have nothing to hide and I have no agenda other than to see my ancestors honoured in death as they were in life."
"Four years ago today, the Ancestors remains from Aubrey Hole 7 at Stonehenge were removed by Sheffield University and the Stonehenge Riverside Project. The organisations who removed from them from the ground, misled everyone by telling people they intended that those remains would be reinterred in time after all testing had been carried out. They lied. It was never their intention to put the Ancestors buried at Stonehenge back into their final resting place. They knew before the first spade went in the ground, that the government had plans to change the Burial Act to keep such human remains in a research facility or museum in perpetuity, and that it was just a matter of time and formality before this new legislation would come into effect. By August 2008, a public consultation had already been carried out and a Ministerial Statement had been published which said that ait was the governments intention to make sure all archaeological exhumations would be kept in perpetuity within a museum or research facility. This information was in a very small enclave of archaeological society's knowledge since this information which had been published in the public domain, had not been advertised. It was not so much hidden, as omitted from the general public debate. The "public" who were consulted, were from the archaeological, local councils and burial industry communities. IT was not opened to a "general public debate", therefore, the laying field was not as even as they have stated when they imply that this information was a "public consultation". Had it been so "publicly debated" or even afterwards, the informations was widely known to the public, the spade would not have even been allowed to go in the ground to begin the dig, because its validity and legality would have been challenged in the High Court. This fact was known by those who sought the removal of the ancient human remains at Aubrey Hole Seven.
We continue to campaign to have these remains reinterred before the legislation is permanently changed to keep ALL PRE CHRISTIAN HUMAN REMAINS inside a glass case, plastic box, old sack, biscuit tin or whatever ill respecting receptacle they see fit inside an archaeologists office or osteo-library. This case is important and has implication for ALL HUMAN REMAINS kept in a museum or research facility whereby their possession serves no useful archaeological purpose. The dignity of those people whose remains have been taken is therefore denied and common decency to rest in peace has been lost.
We shall not rest until they are laid to rest in what is their final resting place. It is common decency and respect which dictates this, they were human beings with lives and loves, who were laid there at the end of their lives for a specific reason, a reason which although may be lost to us today, is still nonetheless as valid today as it was when they were interred 4000 years ago.
If Sheffield and the Stonehenge Riverside Project think we are going to go away, they can think again. We are the definition of tenacious and we will exhaust every single avenue until those ancient relatives of us all are back laying at rest where they were once interred. We will not go quietly into the night, nor shall we give up on our Ancestors. We are as resolute as the stones by which they were buried.
"They shall not grow old, as we are left to grow old, age shall not weary them nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember and honour them".
Regardless of my own personal relationships, likes, dislikes and the interactions of others behaviours, I for one, will work with whomever to ensure that these remains, my ancestors remains WILL go back into the ground at Aubrey Hole Seven. I shall not "walk off the job" because of my own feelings, or even, IF in the face of any perceived unfair or irregular treatment. I shall, tenaciously continue, I shall stand firm, I shall not abandon and I shall endeavour to support all others who are working to the same goal of getting these remains back into the ground.
And WHEN we do, I shall be there to help reinter them and re-weave the magic broken on their exhumation. I do this not because I have any other agenda other than the fact that I believe in respect and common decency both in life and in death, and I can put aside whatever personal feelings I have, I can work through with anyone whatever issues there may be to be able to have a working relationship with others to achieve this or die trying.
I care not what other think of me, I care not for popularity contests and I care not so called "pagan politics". I am more than happy to draw a line in the sand and make it known in no uncertain terms what I stand for because I am honoured to be abled to do this, not because its gives any sort of glory or ego trip, but because it is the RIGHT THING TO DO. For me, this is a humbling act. This I do because I am able to honour in my lifetime all those who came before me, even as far away in time as 4000 years ago. I am able to remember in my own DNA that which has made me who and what I am today. And in that, I feel no shame, I have nothing to hide and I have no agenda other than to see my ancestors honoured in death as they were in life."
A MESSAGE TO THOSE LEFT BEHIND
Do not cry, because you can no longer feel my fingers touch your skin
or my arms wrap around your shoulders,
Instead, go outside and kick off your shoes,
and feel me tickle the soles of your feet as you stand in the long grass.
Do not frown because you can no longer hear my earthly voice,
But giggle, as you hear me sneak up on the trees,
As I ride on the back of the north wind and cheekily rustle their leaves.
Do not allow your heart to grow cold because I am not beside you
to love you, and protect you, in times of difficulty or need.
Go sit by the fire and let me comfort you,
warm you and keep you safe, instead.
Do not despair, because your eyes no longer see my physical form,
But remember me in every rainbow, in every flower and in every baby’s smile, and you will see that I am not gone.
And tho you may feel I have abandoned you,
Deserted you, and left you alone in this world,
When you sleep, I will forever walk with you in dreams,
and when you wake, I will be the light that kisses your cheek,
as it streams through your morning window.
In life, I could never be with you constantly,
but in death, I can be with you always.
Close your eyes and open your heart,
and hear me whisper on the breeze:
I WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER LOVE YOU
AND I HAVE NEVER LEFT
Blessed Be
©Lou Purplefairy 2010
or my arms wrap around your shoulders,
Instead, go outside and kick off your shoes,
and feel me tickle the soles of your feet as you stand in the long grass.
Do not frown because you can no longer hear my earthly voice,
But giggle, as you hear me sneak up on the trees,
As I ride on the back of the north wind and cheekily rustle their leaves.
Do not allow your heart to grow cold because I am not beside you
to love you, and protect you, in times of difficulty or need.
Go sit by the fire and let me comfort you,
warm you and keep you safe, instead.
Do not despair, because your eyes no longer see my physical form,
But remember me in every rainbow, in every flower and in every baby’s smile, and you will see that I am not gone.
And tho you may feel I have abandoned you,
Deserted you, and left you alone in this world,
When you sleep, I will forever walk with you in dreams,
and when you wake, I will be the light that kisses your cheek,
as it streams through your morning window.
In life, I could never be with you constantly,
but in death, I can be with you always.
Close your eyes and open your heart,
and hear me whisper on the breeze:
I WILL ALWAYS AND FOREVER LOVE YOU
AND I HAVE NEVER LEFT
Blessed Be
©Lou Purplefairy 2010
