13,500
people attended this year's festival - the largest ever. There was a
buzz and intellectual stimulation for 5 days as we listened to New
Zealand and international writers. There was a tribute on the last day to
one of the Pacific's finest writers and intellectuals, Albert Wendt. In 50 years of writing, Wendt has championed many causes.
New Zealand's writers of note were Jane Tolleton, Stephanie Johnson, and
Witi Ihimaera, to name a few. The photos published are a cross-section
of Auckland folk. One small criticism is that there was little of
attraction for young people. In saying this, 3,000 students
came and attended talks and workshops. A bit more could be done to
attract writers of appeal to this demographic. There was also a lack of
working class writing and this could also be addressed. These should be
regarded as positive comments and should in no way detract from what was
a most wonderful festival. It is truly New Zealand's leading literary
festival and long may it live.
 |
No comments:
Post a Comment