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Conway Clan Global Gathering
Aug. 5th, 2008 01:42 amWell that was a bash. 65 Conway's or related gathered together at my sisters house in Cambridge to honour my late parents and Conways in general. They came from Australia, Canada, USA, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands & The UK, and tho the Zimbabweans couldn't make it there were quite a few Zimbabwean emigrees. Great to see some I had not seen in 10 years or more, and some meeting for the 1st time.
Arrivals pinned a photo of themselves on a giant family tree. There were many of moms paintings ont he wall.
Once a quorum, we gathered outside in a circle and said who we were and how we related to my mom & dad. Some read speeches from those unable to come and my mother's brother (91 !) shared some family history from their side. There was food, photo albums going back to the 1800s, and in the evening, an acoustic Conway band - self, 1 brother of mine, 3 nephews, 1 niece and a cousin. I sang family favourites 3 Headed Girl, Green Clothes and Forget About You among others.
I was moved by the speeches from the Zimbabweans who told about how much my folks had helped them start new lives after arriving pennyless in the UK (you couldn't take money out) and how so many of them wanted to be there to pay tribute.
What really moved me was a slideshow of colour slides from 1958-74 of my folks and us kids, our houses and such from those times - crystal clear - taken from slides. I had not seen these photos before. Plus some old cinefilm (put for the 1st time on DVD) from the late 50s and early 60s and our house in the USA and family holidays when we were small. Such distant and yet strong memories from so long ago. Deep and yet at the same time removed.
So strange to see my younger energetic parents - seeing my parents move when they were my age now. I had forgotten how they moved, plus all the little details of long lost memories of clothes and childhood houses. My mom when she was confident and happy.
Oh and a thousand little details brought them so close - almost back again - especially with the whole family gathered in the garden outside and just their flickering images on a loop on the screen in the livingroom - almost back - but not quite.
On the Sunday - lunch for all on a boat down the Cam river - we had hired the same boat for my mums 80th birthday.
So - a wonderful occasion - and an emotional one.
Arrivals pinned a photo of themselves on a giant family tree. There were many of moms paintings ont he wall.
Once a quorum, we gathered outside in a circle and said who we were and how we related to my mom & dad. Some read speeches from those unable to come and my mother's brother (91 !) shared some family history from their side. There was food, photo albums going back to the 1800s, and in the evening, an acoustic Conway band - self, 1 brother of mine, 3 nephews, 1 niece and a cousin. I sang family favourites 3 Headed Girl, Green Clothes and Forget About You among others.
I was moved by the speeches from the Zimbabweans who told about how much my folks had helped them start new lives after arriving pennyless in the UK (you couldn't take money out) and how so many of them wanted to be there to pay tribute.
What really moved me was a slideshow of colour slides from 1958-74 of my folks and us kids, our houses and such from those times - crystal clear - taken from slides. I had not seen these photos before. Plus some old cinefilm (put for the 1st time on DVD) from the late 50s and early 60s and our house in the USA and family holidays when we were small. Such distant and yet strong memories from so long ago. Deep and yet at the same time removed.
So strange to see my younger energetic parents - seeing my parents move when they were my age now. I had forgotten how they moved, plus all the little details of long lost memories of clothes and childhood houses. My mom when she was confident and happy.
Oh and a thousand little details brought them so close - almost back again - especially with the whole family gathered in the garden outside and just their flickering images on a loop on the screen in the livingroom - almost back - but not quite.
On the Sunday - lunch for all on a boat down the Cam river - we had hired the same boat for my mums 80th birthday.
So - a wonderful occasion - and an emotional one.
