News from: 2002 | 2003 | 2004
Regrettably, there were no major updates or additions to the news page during 2003, due to Baxter having far too much else to do. So this page isn’t really a news archive, and we haven’t kept the little notes about visiting speakers and Gaelic lessons and what not that were sent out to members during the year. What we have kept is posted here, at long last... but we don’t seem to have many photos to go with it, so we’re appealing to anyone who may have some to send them to us, or specifically to me. 2002’s news may be found here.
The Battle of Jubilee Park
Saturday 18 October
We crept into Jubilee Park at 4pm. Knowing the route the Lindskiis would take, we found a nice high bank overlooking it, and there lay in wait. Knowing that we knew the route the Lindskiis would take, they took another one, and crept up on us from behind — but not without alerting us to their presence, and we drove them off with a mighty charge. They then dug themselves in at the top of the hill and called for us to charge them, which we did, but in an eccentric manner which I think caught them by surprise. Then they staged an ambush which was, I regret to say, entirely successful. After which we defended the river-crossing. Possibly successfully, or possibly not, I’m not sure, but having fought for some time we decided to settle the matter with a friendly game of rolled-up-newspaper-sword polo. I think we scored more lost-balls than goals, in the end. But no-one was counting, so that worked out all right.
Lindskiis win Edgar Cayce Cup
The Edgar Cayce Cup Final took place on Friday, 17 October. The results were announced the following Saturday night: the Lindskiis took the overall prize, with the trophy for the best individual score going to Angus Dingwall (who, we would like to point out, had fought as a Highlander in the battle that afternoon).
Daniel Copeland
The Battle of Woodhaugh
Saturday 6 September
The day dawned bright, or maybe it dawned grey, I don’t know because I wasn’t awake. It was mild and overcast by 2pm, the time set for the battle. All the groups turned up in their finery. There was KAOS Otago, KAOS Canterbury, the Barbarian Liberation Front, the New Carthaginian Light Marine Infantry, ourselves, one Alf and a couple of Lindskiis in disguise. Carthage had a great many people and a trebuchet, so everybody else ganged up on them. First the trebuchet was fired, resulting in a large cabbage hitting the ground approximately 1.5 metres away from it, but they did sort out that problem and we charged. Then we charged again, because they weren’t ready the first time. Carthage were happy to reciprocate, and general mayhem ensued. About a third of the way through, though, the Highland & Gaelic Society changed sides to become allies of Carthage, because after all the city of Carthage was an ally of the Celts in their war against Rome. (Stops self doing a history lecture.) Much fun was had by all and there used to be pictures at luna.lsd.net.nz/gallery/kaos but they seem to have vanished. Thank you to whichever of KAOS’s photographers took them, anyway.
Daniel Copeland
Albert Arms closes
Saturday 21 June
The Albert Arms is closing for three weeks while they renovate the place. Afterwards, they’re not going to keep having bands on most weeknights like they have been up till now. The best we’ve heard is that they “might” keep on the Monday night lot — the great Irish band Half Legendary Men. But the possibility exists that this coming Monday, 23 June, is the very last HLM night at the Albert. So if you want to go there one more time before it finishes, be there then.
Daniel Copeland
Note: the Albert reopened under the name ‘The Royal Albert Mine Host Bar’. <rant>Its décor is in subtle shades of muddy beige, boring grey and slightly worrying purple, there are no live bands like there used to be, and they don’t tell you what kind of beer you’re drinking, which might be how they did it in the ’50s but I for one find it highly dodgy.</rant>
The Selwyn Battle
Thursday 15 May
As is so often the case, this year’s Selwyn Battle was largely a confused mass of people shouting and throwing things at each other. But in a fun way, and I guess that’s what counts. Sadly the Highland & Gaelic Society had a very low presence this year, with only two people turning up in our colours (though there were Society members among the Lindskiis, the BLF and the Carthaginians also). Perhaps this wasn’t so surprising; very few people attended the Lowland Games that followed, either.
Daniel Copeland
The Battle of That Green Bit Out the Back of Some Dundas St Flats
Saturday 29 March
It was a misty afternoon on Saturday 29 March when we set out to wage war against the mighty Russian Empire; but we are Highlanders, and poor weather is no deterrent to us, if only because we have great big thick warm fleeces to drape over ourselves in such circumstances. We crept stealthily through the forest cover and burst in upon their secret base. There followed a thrilling downhill chase, which I’m sure would have been even more thrilling if I’d been sure who was chasing who. Once on the flat it was all-out battle. We fought them on the grass, we fought them in the bush, and we did not surrender, even at the point where the two armies kept swapping sides of the creek in pursuit of each other. At the last, the two commanders — that’s Gregor and me — settled the issue by a single combat, which I’m sorry to say I came second in. (Incidentally, single combats from now on will not involve shields.)
Inaugural Edgar Cayce Cup round
That evening was the first round of the Edgar Cayce Cup Challenge. As always with the austere and noble game of Imperial, we shouted ourselves hoarse and consumed much alcohol. The final scores are therefore a little hazy, but I do remember that I (the only person there representing the Highland & Gaelic Society) got the second-highest with 140 points. I believe Gregor came first, with about twice that or slightly more, but I’d have to see the records to confirm that. The esteemed (or is that just steamed?) Lindskii, Raymond Goodwillie, was proudly last on a score of –1100 points, but I think he did that on purpose.
Daniel Copeland
Some time in March: Annual Summer Encampment
I know I did a newsletter on this, but it seems to have vanished...
First KAOS Battle in Dunedin
Saturday 8 March
We don’t seem to have a news report for this battle, but I have managed to nick this photo off KAOS:
News from: 2002 | 2003 | 2004
