Sometimes people make surprising connections in the nicest way – like when you come to Glen Innes and hear an Asturian bagpipe and it reminds you of your ancestors and relatives back in Europe.
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That’s what happened to Lucy Torres from Sydney who came to the festival and was moved by the gentle, plaintive music of the bagpipes from Asturias in northern Spain. Asturias was one of the Celtic regions featured in this year’s festival.
It all reminded her of her late uncle, Ricardo, and her eyes moistened.
She’s now written to festival coordinator, Navanka Fletcher, to thank her – “a special thank you/gracias”, as she put it.
“As I heard the intensity of the bagpipes in that open air setting, I remembered my late uncle Ricardo, a piper in northern Spain. Yes, Asturian.
“Having bid my Galician mother farewell last year, I saw that this year's festival celebrated my heritage. I saw it as a sign, a way to pay homage to my dear mother but also my father (Asturian) and many in my family that have departed.”
Lucy said she was “humbled” that Glen Innes included her part of the world alongside the other Celts.
“Growing up in Sydney, there was a lack of acknowledgement of the culture of Spain and their immigrants to Australia, let alone those from northern Spain.”
She sent some pictures of herself in Glen Innes with the Asturian flag.
She asked for her thanks to be passed on to the organising committee “who have shown a grand commitment to holding on to heritage”.
