Blast from the past

08 Jan 09, 12.55pm
The wish to master fire was at the very roots of early firework devlopment. The Chinese were the first, and soon Europe developed techniques and technology. Somewhere between China nd Europe technology got stuck somewhere in history.

Here in Sri Lanka we have just come through the peak firework time of the year spread between Christmas and New Year. Numerous roadside stalls and quick makeshift pavement displays were loaded with crudely made and brightly packaged fireworks of several shapes but not it seems several types. They all go BANG. None that I saw bore any written descriptions or instructions. That's what they like and that's what they get. No colour, no effects, no real height or performance and no tiresome safety instructions. Just bangs, loud and numerous.

As the fusilades of crackers and bangs did not need darkness to be appreciated we were treated to about 10 days of bangs and cracks at all hours. 100 miles to the North-East of our house real bombs and bullets are being used in a real war, and it is suprising that the quantity of machine-gun crackers or huge bomb-type explosions are tolerated by the authorities or enjoyed by the populace.

I hope to visit a Sri Lankan firework factory, so a further report on this primative industry soon perhaps.