24 July 2008

bunny and i saw fireworks for our anniversary yesterday

how?! we went to mom and dad's to watch the "days of '47 fireworks show" in their backyard. that's bountiful for you, always ahead of everyone else! i know you're asking(~and before i explain let me wish you all a happy pioneer day!~)"what is the days of '47 about?"
well, once upon a time ago there was a group of pioneers~mormon pioneers to be exact. they were being chased from their homes back east~nauvoo, illinois and other places and they sought a new home~ a place of refuge. well, they pushed their handcarts across the plains and made their way to a little valley in the mountain west~a little desert-like green valley mostly inhabited by native americans and brigham young pointed his finger and said "this is the place!" so they pitched their tents and made~utah their home away from home! yep, they settled right here in this little valley and tilled the land and worked with the "indians" and well, you know, lived in religious freedom(for a while, anyway)~ well, until the president outlawed polygamy and then...well another group broke off from those mormons and they became know as the flds(fundamentalist latter day saints). the flds are the the mormons that you are hearing of in eldorado, texas and colorado city on cnn, fox news and all local news stations (the women with the long single french braids and high collared dresses). well, they're not the same "mormons" that you see with the temples all over the world. those mormons are the church of jesus christ of latter day saints mormons. and they prefer to be called lds (latter day saints) not mormon~they'd like to escape the stigmas still held behind that term/name.
so...we celebrate the days of '47 to commemorate the days of 1847 when the mormon pioneers traveled west and found and created a home in utah. today is recognized as pioneer day, it's a utah state holiday. there are parades, fireworks, carnivals and other celebrations all over the state. i would have loved to go to the parade but bunny thinks they're a waste of time. i'm fine as long as we get a spot in the shade. i mean i grew up watching the macy*s thanksgiving day and rose parades! i'm a california girl and the rose parade is huge to me!
so there, there's a little cultural glimpse for you into utah(well a brief historically based peek into the culture of utah and the reason utah was initially inhabited by "the mormons"). you'll just have to visit to experience all utah has to offer! believe me, it's more than green jell-o salad and funeral potatoes!

1 comment:

Tiff said...

Oh, I really enjoyed reading the history of the Latter Day Saints :) TFS...