Thousands attended the ANZAC ceremony in Whangarei in 2016.
Thousands attended the ANZAC ceremony in Whangarei in 2016.
There was some grumbling around the office this week about Anzac Day not being Monday-ised this year.
Having just being spoiled with an Easter long weekend, there was a sense of annoyance among some that Anzac Day was on a Tuesday, spoiling the opportunity for a three-day weekend.
Although insaying that, it seems a good portion of Northland took the opportunity to have Monday off and, in doing so, a second four-day weekend.
Easter doesn't relate to specific dates, so the public holidays are always on Good Friday and Easter Monday. How we establish Good Friday and Easter Sunday seems to be contentious, but Easter is widely observed in most western countries.Waitangi Day and Anzac Day are unique to Australasia and relate to specific dates - we recognise them on February 6 and April 25, regardless.
And we now Monday-ise them if they fall on a weekend.
The brief moan about Anzac Day being on a Tuesday didn't last long, and some of us concluded that in many ways, it was ideal to have it fall "inconveniently" on a Tuesday.
Because being on a Tuesday means we stop and think about why we have the day off.
In talking to people in Whangarei yesterday (see page 3 today) we were impressed with the number of young people going to today's dawn ceremony in Whangarei.
Last year, thousands in Northland made the effort because it was the 100th anniversary of commemorating Anzac Day.
This year, at the 101st anniversary, there will be fewer people. At the cenotaph in Whangarei, there were fewer crosses. Around the country, there isn't the buzz there was last year.
It seems anniversaries are a catalyst for getting more of us to take a few extra steps, early on an April morning, to remember our war dead.
Ironic, because no one who lost their lives fighting for our country cares whether there are more or less people at each ceremony. Not that we know of.
But perhaps, next time Anzac Day falls on a Monday and we get a long weekend, we should Tuesday-ise it, just to remind us of why we have it off in the first place.
