On the 1st August 2013, Burnham celebrated it’s first Lúnastal –  a Saxon harvest festival adopted as a day of national prosperity.  Lúnastal 2013 also was the first event properly organised by Burnhamite citizens in a Burnham home-territory. The weather for such an event was perfect; there was plenty of sunshine, although the wind kept the day cool. So it was then, that between 15:00 and 16:00 GMT, in the Declan Forest Settlership (the forested area a dozen metres or so north of the Woolfe Junction, in particular), Basileus Justinian I addressed two prominent Burnhamite citizens and, by way of recording technology and post-event editing, the Micronational world.

The speech (linked above first paragraph) was only brief, standing at three minutes and twenty seconds long overall. The Basileus opened the speech by addressing and welcoming his fellow Burnhamites who were in attendance, before going to on briefly explain the Lúnastal festival’s origins, as a Druidic and Celtic festival that was suppressed by the Romans, before being adopted by the Saxons. Burnham’s Lúnastal differs from the modern, macronational Lughnasadh festival, which is held on a similar date, seeking to return to the Druidic roots of the festival (with varying levels of success).

Following this, Justinian I and Comrade Thompson (on the left of the video) quartered a loaf of bread with their hands, to be cast into each corner of the Declan Forest Settlership post-speech. This is a Saxon ritual, as the Basileus explained; “It [meaning the Saxon adoption of Lúnastal] was here that [the] quartering of a loaf of bread became part of the festival, where each quarter would be cast into a corner of the main barnhouse, to ensure prosperity.”

The Quartering of the Loaf (as the ritual is officially referred to) done, the Basileus continued the speech by recognising the progress of Burnham following the May 31st Revolution. “We have become the first sustainable Theodorist state in Micronational history, we have our first constitution, and now [we have] a series of Military Honours”, he said, before handing out said Military Honours to both Comrade Thompson and Comrade Seaward (on the right of the video).

Comrade Seaward was awarded the rank of Fusiliar of the Burnham Verdijen Takma (Defence Force), in particular the Sora Limitandjen (Local Guardians) of Mojra 1 (First Legion), which is tasked with the protection of the Burnham home-territories and neighbouring UK areas. This award recognised his skill at arms with air rifles, as he is one of the best shots in the entire Dominion.

Comrade Thompson was awarded the rank of Kavelleer of the Burnham Verdijen Takma, again in the Sora Limitandjen of Mojra 1. This award recognised his sense of chivalry and duty, as well as physical strength.

The speech then ended, as the Basileus held the national flag, and Comrade-Fusiliar Seaward lead the gathered Burnhamites in a ceremony of saluting our country’s banner. After this, Comrade-Fusiliar Seaward ended the recording, and the small parade was dismissed. The Basileus and his two Comrades then cast the quarters of the loaf of bread into the four corners of the Declan Forest Settlership. Following the conclusion of the act, the collected Burnhamites began to discuss potential future events for the Dominion. Discussion appears to have settled on an informal state meal and celebration at the residence of Comrade-Kavelleer Thompson at an unspecified later date in August.

Comrades Seaward (left) and Thompson (right) kneel in respect before the Basileus, who has just concluded the Lúnastal 2013 Speech. Note that they are wearing unofficial BVT uniforms.

The act of the Quartering of the Loaf has now, by technicality, turned the ground north of the Woolfe Junction into a sacred grove. From now on, that area will be referred to as ‘Declan Grove’, and will from hereon in be the primary choice of location for public events in Burnham.

In other Burnham news, a third Supreme Soviet Gorsedh (now acronymed SSG) was held. Far smaller than both the first and the second Gorsedhs, which made headlines earlier in the Micropress archives, the third SSG established the basic system of the new People’s Commons, a legislative advisory body to the SSG, that acts as the voice of the Proletariat itself. All proposals passed in the People’s Commons are then proposed to the SSG, who MUST, by law, vote upon the proposal to see it implemented. The People’s Commons is also the centre of Burnhamite political activism, with the three current parties (the Theodorist Workers’ Party of Burnham, the Green Party of the Burnham, and the Trevorlutionist Party) and two independent candidates (Comrade Belcher of Adammia and Comrade Yurt of Yurtyzstan) working on their own constitutions, manifestos and congresses in preparation for the soon to be arranged General Election, which will decide which party has a majority in the Commons, and which party leader will become General Secretary – the individual who intermediates between the SSG and the People’s Commons.

Overall, Burnham is still going strong, with an auspicious future ahead. The next festival, that of Tan, will be commemorated by the ritual of supplication, by way of scorching a slice of bread over the course of the day.