Lights will be dimmed for Santa's arrival
Tradition GoMo extinguishes public lighting at night from 1 December. It is an annual tradition to light an extra candle during the dark days in GoMo.
To further encourage this tradition, the country has decided to switch off street lights. GoMo will turn off the lights between 11pm and 5am from 1 December, except on Friday and Saturday nights. The extinguishing not only ensures that the tradition is kept alive, but it is also good for light pollution.
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It is a tradition to use more candlelight in December, this because it would reassure the goats that Santa Claus is almost coming. When it is dark, the goats have more rest and can see Santa Claus coming from far. That way, the goats are prepared if a sleigh suddenly comes out of the sky. After all, goats have died in the past out of fright.
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Safety
Many people associate darkness with danger and believe it reduces the sense of security. However, experience shows us that there is no reason to panic. Motorists drive more slowly when roads are not lit and see oncoming traffic better. Burglars are more noticeable when they move around because there are no other light sources.
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Main roads
The main roads and roads to the mountains, will still be lit These technical adjustments are likely to be implemented by the end of November. In some places, however, this technical adjustment will not be possible, which means that for some municipal roads, the public lighting will remain on together with the public lighting on regional roads.
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Save some energy
Because our country has not existed for so long, we do not have electricity everywhere. So it is also interesting to be energy-efficient with this. Turning off the lights will also help save energy in GoMo.
Goat Race
In a few weeks, it will finally be time for our annual goat race!
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We know everyone is eagerly waiting for the list of participants, which will be posted online next week. But there is already news, Harold and Filip decided to organise a special edition this year to celebrate having half of our women back. Therefore, more participants will be allowed to start the race. In previous years, there was a strict limit of 25 people who trained all year. But because our country has been very lucky this year and has seen great growth, Harold and Filip doubled this number! So the chances of being allowed to participate if you have trained hard are immediately much higher.
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Special edition requires special measures
This special edition naturally also requires more measures. The streets of Mehhhka will be closed all day. This is because the Mehhhka city government chooses to place tribunes in places that are safe enough for spectators. The goats can go wild or miss a turn, so safety is definitely an issue when there are twice as many of them. The participants are also not allowed to tackle others anymore, like in previous years. Harold is afraid it would otherwise become a real battlefield.
Bigger prize
The winner of this edition will also get a bigger prize. Not only will they get the biggest cup in the country, they will now also get a year's free goat milk and cheese! This gift is donated by all the local milkers of Filipsville, the up-and-coming town west of Mehhhka. With these prizes, the traders there hope to become better known to the people. As in previous years, the top three still get the eternal respect of Harold and Filip and get to dine with them at Christmas.
We hope to welcome you all for this special festivity. And to all possible participants, good luck!
Famous Flower: Rhododendron
The famous flower of GoMo has been part of GoMo since its inhabitants arrived there. There is something peculiar about the Rhododendron because it only grows in GoMo. There have been no reports or sightings in other countries. What makes this flower so special?
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History
Upon arrival in the newly founded country of GoMo, the slaves who escaped from Hentavia encountered a new sort of flower they had never seen. The rhododendron is a beautiful flower that only grows in fields and sandy and clay grounds. It is very recognisable because it has a very bright pink colour. This was one of the first things that the slaves had discovered in this country and they decided to give it the name Rhododendron.
The people that founded GoMo immediately started experimenting with the flower. They quickly found out that every part of the flower, including the stem and the nectar, was useful to people and for goats. The flower had a lot of medical possibilities, given the right treatment.
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Uses
The Rhododendron can be used for a lot of different functionalities. The main focus is that it represents fertility and prosperity. That is why it is used in pageants to celebrate fertility and at the festivals honouring the brave slaves who freed our part of our people.
The plant is one of the main alimentation for goats. That is why shepherds prepare all sorts of different meals for the goats with the famous flower as main ingredient.
A lot of barbers use the Rhododendron in their products. Shaving cream and aftershave made of the flower have been very popular amongst most men in GoMo. The sweet scent that the Rhododendron disperses adds a nice touch to their goatee when they groom it with the special products.
The people of GoMo still experiment with the flower a lot. They are sure that the flower has a lot more possibilities, but they are yet to be discovered. Maybe somebody can help us?
Let’s celebrate fertility and freedom!
The annual adulation of fertility and the courageous slaves that set our people free is taking place this weekend. From Saturday the 24th of October at 11 a.m. to Sunday the 25th of October at 5 p.m. there will be a lot of activities and festivities spread throughout our country.​
Pageants for fertility
In order to celebrate the fertility of the women of GoMo, different pageants are being organised. These pageants will start in every major town or city spread throughout the country. All of the different pageants lead to Mehhhka, where the grand festival will take place.
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What makes this festival so special is that all the women have to wear a rhododendron flower in their hair. The famous flower represents fertility and will bring prosperity to the women that wear one. In addition, all pregnant women will be carried all the way to Mehhhka. That way people see that they are expecting, and they can honour and congratulate them.
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The path to a brighter future
A lot of activities will take place in Mehhhka. A lot of barbers will give free goatee cuts to the brave men who rescued our people from the evil Grand Duke of Hentavia. They will also receive a free goatee beard set.
A play that portrays the harsh history and the great escape from the Grand Duke of Hentavia will be performed on the main square of the city at 2 p.m. This will be the perfect opportunity for people to learn about our heritage and the story of the creation of our country.
At the end of the weekend, some of our bravest men will make a trip to the top of the giant mountain. They will take a lot of hay and grain so they can make a sacrifice to honour Filip the Goat. Once they have reached the top, they are going to leave the hay and grain on the path where Harold the Hero first met Filip. The brave men put the sacrifice on the path because the path resembles the way to a brighter future, which we all hope for.
Mysterious “AGoat” bit girl
Saturday night on the 10th of October a 17-year old girl who lived in Gomo was bitten in the ear by a baby goat.
A 17-year-old girl was on her way home from a party at 3 p.m. and needed to pass by the path in the mountains where the goats sleep. A nanny* had just given birth, but it was a special goat that was born. Every so often a special goat is born, they are smarter than the other ones and may be aggressive. They are called “Agoats” (aggressive goats). The girl was a big goat fan and she was a bit drunk so she went into the meadow. She saw the nanny giving birth to the baby goat and wanted to have a look. But the baby goat had red eyes and didn’t look very friendly. So the girl turned around and started running. The baby goat saw her and started running after her. The girl immediately started running for her life and was screaming very loudly for help. But because she was drunk she stumbled over a branch and fell on her face in the mud. The baby goat jumped on her and bit off a piece of her ear and ate it. The girl panicked and fainted.
The next morning the goat keeper found the girl in the mud. The girl was still unconscious and her eyes were red. To this day it remains a mystery which goat it was that bit the girl, because no trace of the goat has been found. Fortunately, the goat keeper took the girl to hospital and they were able to save her. Her eyes are no longer red and she can just get on with her life again. Now she doesn't dare go near goats anymore.
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*Female goat