6/2/16

A Purcellebration - The 2016 Reunion

 I won’t even try to describe this one through exposition, like last time. No. Leai. Will not even try it, or think about trying it. Instead I’ll let the pictures - even if only a few of some thousands and thousands - taken during the four-day event, tell the story.  Or just part of the story. It may be the only way (again through pictures) that anyone will be able to do some justice to what transpired over the Memorial Day weekend in St. George, Utah.  Yep, the Purcell Family Reunion. A repeat of last year’s premiere - only bigger and better this time around.  Pictures, videos, video clips and segments not to mention live feeds and streaming by which some of those who didn’t attend were able to have a virtual experience of most events, all contributed in making the reunion memorable, historic and remarkable. 

The low estimate for the attendance was at 1100 and peaked at around 1300-1400's.  By any family reunion standards, that is heeeeooooge!  Now, speaking of pictures: You minus about a third, which made up of the little children and some older folks, leaving the rest (about 900-1000), with almost as many cell phones clicking every few seconds.  And the outcome is pictures in the thousands.  Most of them of course are/will all be found on Facebook or Instagram.  In case you can’t view them there for one reason or another, well I'm posting some here, with captions here and there.  And I will add more pictures as they become available; in other words this post will grow from the addition of more pics, just maybe enough to give you an idea of what the reunion was like. It was crazy. It was chaotic. It was fun. It was amazing. It was euphoric. It was memorable. It was beautiful.  In other words, it was excellent, as in PURCELLENT!!  Enjoy!

official reunion logo


the huge gymnasium with stage and pair of tv screens, big enough to qualify as jumbotrons...LOL!



perspective... perspective... perspective...


...picture backdrop consisting of logo and purcell family crest


donning committee uniform ...lol

venue where eating (most important event ...lol) took place.

homemade bread and cocoa rice after family fireside

our group getting ready to perform




dearie and daughters - all members of reunion committee 

getting ready for the performance

dearie with her mom and some of the womenfolk of their Edwin/Etuina branch....

this iconic sign was built in our home by our family 
 demo night... 2 days before the reunion




children - the ones for whom any family reunion is intended




... they had their own group and their own assigned dances and songs for the entertainment
in Monday's cultural program.

prep time

those who were born, raised, lived or hailed from new zealand for this reunion given a chance to
perform the haka and other favorite maori dances  

the older generation song practice

the youth

young adults 
a mini reunion for some who were born, raised and lived in malaela (after church) 

reminiscing and recalling stories and memories of malaela







No comments:

Post a Comment