Sounds like we bought a new appliance, doesn't it? Nope, it's actually a ceremony to officially welcome and 'install' the new Chancellor of the University. The chancellor is a primarily ceremonial role as head of the university with a term of roughly 10 years (sometimes extended). So when I had a chance to see this relatively rare event, I took it.
It was full of all the pomp and circumstance one might expect at a British ceremony. There were robes and hats, books carried on velvet stands, a formal register for the new Chancellor to sign and even a scepter of some kind. It was quite the event.
The event was held in the Wills Memorial Building's great hall which is as impressive as it sounds. In addition, the Museum of the Moon art exhibit was there as well. This is a huge balloon of the moon, which has been created to be an exact replica from space photos and research. Pretty impressive to have the moon hanging overhead for the ceremony.
This is probably hard to see, but it's the Academic leaders carrying all the 'stuff'. You can also see the choir in the background. The students played a strong role in the ceremony with music before and after from a jazz ensemble, a dramatic poetry reading, a speech to introduce the new chancellor and the choir.
Here's a nice view of the hall and the moon from the balcony. It was an interesting adventure and I'm glad I went.
It was full of all the pomp and circumstance one might expect at a British ceremony. There were robes and hats, books carried on velvet stands, a formal register for the new Chancellor to sign and even a scepter of some kind. It was quite the event.
The formal robes. Part of the ceremony was to dress the new chancellor in these formal robes. Yes, it seemed odd - especially since they had two women do the dressing, but I was determined to be respectful and culturally sensitive. Meanwhile, a British woman who I'm pretty sure works in the Registrar's office kept giggling!
No comments:
Post a Comment