Today is the fifth of September, as memory serves me, the fifth of September was the night of the “Gun Powder Plot.” Nothing significant for America, but the date holds a big significant for the British. The events of the “Gun powder Plot” that took place are commemorated each year. It is called “Bonfire Night.” Apparently “Bonfire Night,” was the theme of last night’s dream.

The dream was quite simple, I saw that I was with a group of people in a sort of lecture hall. I swear that it looked like the assembly hall of my primary school. The lecture leader announced some sort of a group building exercise. He asked that we should introduce ourselves and tell the group something about ourselves. Where we’re from, and perhaps something that takes place.

The group stood up, and guess who was the first one in line to give the speech. Yes, yours truly was the first in line.

The point of view shifted from the third person to the first person. Now instead of observing the events, I’m participating in the event. So out of my eyes I start to introduce myself, told the group where my hometown is. Then someone from the group mentioned that they know movie stars from my hometown.

Well, I had to confess that I didn’t know about many people who were from my hometown that became movie stars, with the exception of David Harewood, who hailed from my neighborhood. I knew that there were famous musicians. But no one for the group mentioned anything about the musicians.

So, I went on speaking then I mentioned the “Bonfire” night celebration. I started talking about the origin of the commemoration.

I spoke about what is known as the “Gun Powder Plot.” An important figure in the conspiracy being a dude named Guy Fawkes. He was the one who was supposed to light the gun powder, but he got caught by the King’s guards during a routine patrol.

As I was explaining the whole conspiracy of the “Gun Powder Plot,” I was constantly interrupted, I had to stop and when the commotions subsided, I started speaking again, picking up where I left off. The last interruption happened when someone from the group arrived late. I swear, he looked really familiar. Like one of my ex-classmates.

Then the lecture hall turned into a gym, with me still speaking and the group sitting down in the gym bleachers. By the time I fell out of the dream state, I was still speaking about the “Gun Powder Plot.”

Well, if you didn’t know the “Gun Powder Plot,” it was a huge conspiracy and organized effort to overthrow King James I. There was supposed to be an armed rebellion that should have taken place upon the assassination of King James and the destruction of Parliament.

The conspirators placed barrels of gun powder in the catacombs beneath the Houses of Parliament. Guy Fawkes was tasked to guard the gun powder and to ignite it when King James presided over the opening of Parliament.

However, during a routine patrol, the King’s guards discovered the gun powder, and Guy Fawkes. They took Guy Fawkes to the Tower of London, where he was tortured to the point that he revealed the whole conspiracy. Then he was executed.

It was said that Guy Fawkes was executed by being burned at the stake. The reason why a figure of a man that represents Guy Fawkes is constructed and burnt on a huge bonfire is commemorated. The commemoration also has a display of fireworks, which is supposed to represent the igniting of the gun powder.

However historical records state that he was hanged, and his body was quartered up. Incidentally, the torture and death warrants and the signed confession after the torture still exists.

It’s funny, that in Navada, there is a festival called the “Burning Man,” that was created twenty years ago, and it takes place on the fifth of September. It also commemorates the burning of a figure on a bonfire.

Organizers claim that the festival celebrates art, self-expression and self-reliance. But the timing of the festival, and the burning of a man on a bonfire sure looks like they are emulating the commemoration of the “Gunpowder Plot.”

Also, by chance, I was curious, and I looked up if there were indeed movie stars that came from my hometown. I found out that there are quite a few of them.  

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