Their lights shine bright
It’s like other Christmas trees in many ways. But for a seafaring community this one is most special.
An estimated 600 people were at St. Simon and St. Jude Parish churchyard in Tignish Sunday, when the Fishermen Tree was lit for the first time.
Shaped like a Christmas tree – it even has a large angel on top – the display stands about eight metres tall. It’s made of 147 lobster traps, 100 strings of Christmas lights, red buoys and spruce boughs. It stands in memory of all deceased fishermen.
Tignish recreation director Tina Richard said the tragic loss of Glen Desroches and Moe Getson in a Sept. 18 fishing boat disaster off North Cape was on her mind when she proposed the lobster trap tree.
The idea quickly grew to include all fishermen lost at sea and, eventually, was extended to all deceased fishermen.
“It’s for anyone who finds a little bit of peace and happiness around the holidays around the tree,” said Richard. “If they’re remembering that lost fisherman, that’s fantastic.”
The lighting of the lobster trap tree was the finale to Sunday’s activities, part of the town’s Kickoff to Christmas weekend celebrations.
It followed a youth talent show at the parish centre. The 200 who attended the show joined 400 others, already waiting in the church parking lot for the lighting ceremony.
Local fisherman Aaron Hogan, and about 50 others helped build the lobster trap tree on Saturday.
He was also impressed with the large crowd that attended the lighting ceremony. “It was nice to see.”
Mark Arsenault sang a song he wrote about the Sept. 18 tragedy. Then, as Julie Arsenault and Robyn Mcrae were singing Silent Night, representatives of the Desroches and Getson families flipped the switch to illuminate the display.
“It was just kind of a prayer put to words, I guess,” Arsenault said in describing how his song came about. He wrote it about two weeks after the tragedy.
Richard said she was amazed how well the song fit the occasion and, once she got the okay from the families of the two deceased fishermen, she convinced Arsenault, her cousin, to sing it.
“They were all, like, ‘it’s time; it needs to be sung,’” said Richard.
An uncle of Arsenault and Richard was lost at sea several decades ago.
Richard said a daytime video recording of the song will be made around the display, to be given to the families.
“This is not the only accident on the island this summer,” Arsenault noted, referring to the fishermen who died off of Murray Harbour in June. “When it happened down east, every fishing harbour, every fisherman, felt it, but when it’s in your own yard, and your own friends…” Arsenault trailed off before acknowledging the loss of Getson and Desroches, friends of his, had hit Tignish and area hard.
Since the tree lighting, Richard has heard from people wishing to sing carols around the display. She’s already working on plans for a Christmas jam session there, possibly the Sunday evening before Christmas. She’s also heard from an operator who wants to include the display in a pre-christmas tour.
“We’re a pretty big fishing community, for sure,” said Hogan, suggesting the trap tree is a fitting tribute, especially this year with the community still in mourning. He’s confident the tree will become an annual tradition, possibly rising to new heights.
Memorial donations almost covered the entire cost of the trap tree.
There’s a sign on the tree remembering fishermen lost at sea; Richard said a second one will be erected in memory of all deceased fishermen. About 50 people were involved in building and decorating the trap tree.
Since the ceremony, some have added a picture of the lit display as their profile picture on social media, and many have commended the community for its tribute.
The display will be lit from sunset to sunrise until New Year’s Eve.