SUNDAY FARE AT THE GOING WEST FESTIVAL

TWO POETS - Bill and Harry

Two old friends and professional colleagues, Bill Manhire and Harry Ricketts, sat on stage, read poems and chatted about poetry and life, childhood and their Mothers' influences on their reading habits, creative writing courses, Arthur Ransome, The Jungle Book, Grimms Fairy Stories, growing up in Southland and attending Orago Boys High and Otago University, light verse and much more besides.
These two guys were relaxed and comfortable in each other's company and this made for a quiet, thoughtful session.
I was especially moved by the poem Manhire read to conclude the session which was prompted by a line from Ralph Hotere, "the wind is blowing the year away".
True Festival fare.


TWO WORLD'S COLLIDE

This session was meant to have featured the brilliant NZ academic Anne Salmond, she of the huge international reputation, in conversation with Auckland University Press publisher, Sam Elworthy, but for the first time in the 14 years of Going West the organisers had an author no-show when Salmond failed to turn up.

Fortunately for the organisers Salmond's longtime NZ publisher Geoff Walker of Penguin Books was in the audience and he generously stepped up in her place. Elworthy and Walker then talked in detail about Salmond's new book, APHRODITE'S ISLAND, a bold new account of the European discovery of Tahiti, the Pacific island of mythic status in Western imaginings about sexuality, the exotic, and the nobility or bestiality of 'savages'being published 1 October, and of her enormous international reputation as a scholar and historrian, of her great narrative skills which make her books accessible outside the academic world, of her earlier books especially her first, HUI, and her seminal work, TWO WORLDS.
Two prominent NZ publishers in a thoughtful conversation. Congratulations to both Elworthy for his generous treatment of another publisher's work, and to Walker for stepping in at 10 minute's notice and making such a good fist of it.


MAKE IT EMPTIER

This was the instruction give to Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert when they were comissioned to create a work in the five story atrium at Te Papa. The work of these renowned artsts, and long time creative friends, has recently been the subject of two major illustrated books - HOTERE (2208) and BILL CULBERT - MAKING LIGHT WORK (AUP).
On stage was Ian Wedde, author of the Bill Culbert book, and he was in conversation with Peter Simpson, author/publisher/teacher who has recently retired from the English Departent at the Universtity of Auckland.
Wedde shoed a series of fascinating pictures from his Culbert book and talked of the congeniality and conviviality that existed between these two friends.
This is the stuff of which Festivals are made.



DIGITAL, MOBILE, GLOBAL

Oratia Media's Peter Dowling chaired this session which featured Mr.Digital Publishing NZ, Martin Taylor of Addenda Publishing, and Helen Baxter, MD of Mohawk Media, guest lecturer at Unitec, and author of a soon to be published book using a print n demand service with a free e-book and podcasts. Together they gave the audinec a picture of where digital publishing is today.

Because of a commitment back in Auckland city I had to leave the Festival after this session.
I was especially sorry to miss Kate de Goldi's session.

IN CONCLUSION SOME GENERAL REMARKS ON THE GOING WEST FESTIVAL

*With the creation of the Auckland Super City in the next year or so one wonders what will happen to this Festival which for it's whole 14 years has been so generously supported by Waitakere City and it's art loving/author Mayor Bob Harvey.

*Congratulations to Murray Gray, Naomi McCleary, Nicola Strawbridge and the rest of their tiny team for another most interesting and thoughtful programme which frequently drew capacity audiences to the 300 seat venue.

*Some excellent chairpersons - I was especially impressed by Iain Sharp, Steve Braunias & Kate de Goldi - all well-versed on their subject but knowing when and when not to speak.

*Star turns for me were Keith Woodley, Brian Boyd, Richard Till, Bill & Harry.

*Superb sound/audio visual system - other Festivals could learn from these guys.

*Unity Books - the little bookshop at the back of the hall, so ably run by Caroline, wonderful appropriate selection of titles.

*Excellent lunch and morning & afternoon teas.

*The little Festival that could - well done to all concerned, you provided a great weekend out West. As Ian Wedde said, "a great non-metropolitan event".