RE: How are things in Wogga Wogga ?

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Hi Scottie, 
I'll ask Mugabala to forward some information to you direct. It is
Australia's largest indigenous press, is based in Broome on the edge of
the Kimberly Desert and publishes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
writing. It is amazing to read some of the writing.Very original, very
striking.

Most of our Australian Writers' festivals attract much smaller crowds
than 20,000 but some of them also attract more.  Melbourne's is the
biggest (I'm parochial) but there is a terrific, healthy rivalry between
the capital cities for audience share and Sydney and Adelaide are both
intensely popular. I love the way it means that books and writing go
centre stage for two weeks. (For example, we had an episode of one of
the most popular television shows run from the Brisbane festival;
Melbourne has a four page colour wrap around of its local paper, etc)
You shouls come to one - Adelaide's is held in tents in a park by the
side of a river in the heart of town. All free, you just wander in and
out of tents to listen to fabulous writers. Sydney's is held by the
harbour and is spectacular. Ours is held in an old beer brewery. 
There is also a great regional and local movement. I love the writers'
festival movement - a great gathering of folk who love reading and
talking ideas. I know that there is a bit of a star system and it is
very much a marketing concept but at its heart there is also this
wonderful humanity and sharing of ideas and love of literature. It is
the closest thing I feel to being part of an "intellectual community"
outside of the old post grad. seminar stuff. And I just love the fact
that it is growing and growing without anyone making a great big
disgusting profit.
Aaah, the old bolshie re-emerges at last.
Love Lesley P.

> ----------
> From: 	Scottie Bowman[SMTP:bowman@mail.indigo.ie]
> Sent: 	Monday, 30 March 1998 18:37
> To: 	bananafish@lists.nyu.edu
> Subject: 	How are things in Wogga Wogga ?
> 
> 
> 	Lesley,
> 
> 	That's what happens when you get to my age.  You have trouble 
> 	enough keeping up with the action ten miles down the road, let 
> 	alone on the other side of the world.  
> 
> 	My prejudices all stem from two or three decades back when 
> 	literary life in places like London & New Guinea was absolutely 
> 	swamped with what felt like teeming hoards of Australians.  
> 	The bastards were everywhere.  All these sun browned two-metre 
> 	men striding around the place stealing the women & putting us 
> 	to shame with their unaffected & friendly ways.  (GG, of course,
> 
> 	as the only visible woman didn't seem quite so friendly; though 
> 	I'm glad to report that nowadays she's turned, with her granny
> specs 
> 	& teasing smile, into a complete Doty Pet.) 
> 
> 	A writers' festival every two weeks, you say.  Cripes, if they
> all 
> 	check in at 20,000 that means something like half a million book
> 
> 	lovers.  Or is it half a million book writers ?  I'd no idea.
> 
> 	What is an indigenous press, incidentally ?  Is that the same as
> 
> 	aborigenous ?  As you might expect from my previous post, 
> 	my interest really begins to quicken at this point.  `Mugabala' 
> 	sounds distinctly colourful.  Could you let us have even a
> snippet 
> 	of the innovative work appearing there ?   
> 
> 	Again, my apologies for the stereotyping.  I'm disappointed not 
> 	to have raised more than a fleeting smile.  Still.  One
> stereotype 
> 	obviously holds true if yourself, Camille & Godot are anything
> to go 
> 	by: the Ozzie with the infectious sense of fun.  
> 
> 	Scottie B.
> 

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