Haiku Report

 

the 4th haiku pacific rim conference
Terrigal, New South Wales, Australia
22-25 September 2009

Beverley George, Convenor.

Beverley George, Convenor.


The 4th Haiku Pacific Rim Conference brought together 57 delegates from seven countries and local day delegates to celebrate the diminutive poetic genre from Japan, haiku. It was the first event of its kind in Australia.

Society of Women Writers NSW participants included Dawn Bruce; Pauline Cash; Amelia Fielden; Beverley George; Margaret Grace; Vanessa Proctor; Cynthia Rowe; Carmel Summers; Beatrice Yell and recent members Ellen Weston and Quendryth Young.

The conference got off to a lively start on the welcome night at Clan Lakeside, Terrigal, where most of the delegates were staying. In no time the room was buzzing as people put unfamiliar faces to well-known names. On the name badges, designed by David Terelinck, was a haiku written by the delegate. This was a further ‘icebreaker’ as was the lively music by That’s That, two Aussie girls who wrote a song especially for the conference and gave all the delegates a complimentary CD.

dust storm–
the sun too
wears a white mask
by Michael Thorley

On the 23rd we awoke to an orange dust storm sky which most of the overseas visitors assumed was a regular event. I quickly set a breakfast challenge to write a haiku about the phenomenon and everyone responded with good humour. The winning poem, selected by Nola Borrell and Karen Butterworth from New Zealand was by Greg Piko (ACT). By the time we reached Gosford/Edogawa Gardens and Regional Gallery, face masks were on hand and delegates were escorted through the garden by volunteer guides and began writing haiku.

rising early
to taste the morning
amber dust
by Greg Piko

Tricky weather did not deter Gosford Mayor, Cllr. Chris Holstein, from a prompt arrival to help welcome everyone. The Consul-General and Vice-Consul of the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney were also enthusiastic participants, and stayed at the event for four hours.

Kimono-clad Tokyo poet, Mariko Kitakubo, read a bilingual haiku sequence with Beverley George and a bilingual tanka sequence with Amelia Fielden. Winner of the kukai (peer-judged haiku competition written on the occasion) was Martin Lucas (UK) for a one line haiku.

- in and out of wisteria dust on the wind

In 2nd place was Michael Thorley and Cynthia Rowe was one of the three runners-up.

The presentation of papers at the Clan Lakeside on the 24th got off to a flying start with an action song in Japanese by pupils of Terrigal Public School and the Japanese Saturday School. Then the children threw off their yukata to reveal board shorts and tee shirts and sing ‘Give me a home among the gum trees’, with actions, of course!

The first paper ‘Haiku as Poetic Spell’ by Martin Lucas was outstanding and set the standard for the variety of quality presentations that followed. Martin is editor of the respected UK journal ‘Presence’ and one of six international poetry editors who attended the conference.

A packed lunch was served on the lawns behind the Clan from a marquee. Both the marquee and the lunch boxes bore the Wind over Water logo, a nice touch from the local caterer.

The conference dinner was held at The Cowrie, a hilltop restaurant, and entertainment was by a classical guitarist, Giuseppe Zangari, of the Newcastle Conservatorium.

On the final day we arrived early for a behind the scenes tour of the Australian Reptile Park, where delegates wrote haiku in response to close encounters with spiders, snakes and alligators.

A stroll through the Pearl Beach Arboretum with local guides evoked more haiku and then haiku from the Reptile Park and from Pearl Beach were placed on either side of a kukai board in Pearl Beach Village Hall for peer judging and prizes. Carmel Summers was among the winners.

After a delicious catered lunch in the Hall it was time for the conference to end and regretful farewells were said. Since then, I have been overwhelmed by cards, letters and email, letting me know how much the delegates enjoyed taking part. This response has been very much appreciated.

A list of all those who contributed to the success of the 4th Haiku Pacific Rim Conference is printed on the acknowledgments page of both the conference papers and the conference poetry anthology, Wind over Water.

For supplementary information on the conference, please visit the haiku pages of the New Zealand Poetry Society.

I would like to thank The Society of Women Writers NSW for support and encouragement and to also acknowledge Gosford City Council Cultural funding which greatly assisted with the high standard of printing and audiovisual support the conference could offer delegates.

Beverley George, President of Australian Haiku Society and
Convenor of the Fourth Haiku Pacific Rim Conference