Readers and Writers Festival for the West Coast 

The inaugural Blackball Readers and Writers Festival will be launched at Labour Weekend, running from midday Saturday 20th to Sunday evening. Part of the transition of the Coast from extraction, the festival uses the underground mine as a model to apply to literature. Thus there will be a tunnelling for resources and meaning, a bringing up from the underground, an emphasis on roots and connections as well as, in a lighter vein, washing up in the bathhouse. 

The first festival will ‘recover’ the work of Jean Devanny, born in Golden Bay and a prolific feminist, socialist writer and political orator. Three of her novels (her work was often set in the mining and timber communities of the West Coast) were published whilst she lived in NZ before moving to Sydney in 1929. The celebrated Blackball-bred poet, Jeffrey Paparoa Holman will launch his memoir, Now when it rains. Acclaimed poet Tusiata Avia, born in Christchurch to the first wave of Samoan immigrants will discuss her life work. Dunedin novelist, Paddy Richardson has a recent novel set in Blackball. Continuing to make the underground literal, Caves: Exploring New Zealand’s Subterranean Wilderness will be discussed by Neil Silverwood the book’s photographer. To conclude the festival sessions, environmental writer Kennedy Warne will introduce the work of Denniston poet, Leicester Kyle and discuss the relationship between the poetic voice and guardianship of the environment.  

The festival is organised by a co-operative of Catherine Woollett, Jeffrey Paparoa Holman and Paul Maunder, will include a participatory element (guests encouraged to bring a letter of importance for sharing) and evening entertainment. Further information can be found on the website, https://blackballreadersandwritersfestival.com/  and facebook page http://facebook.com/blackball2018 

.Registration: wkcultur@gmail.com