Womad 2008

Womad 2008 was a feast of music and dance at the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth, my hometown in Taranaki. A weekend lying around and soaking up the sun listening to amazing musicians such as Toumani Diabate from Mali. I have never heard anything as beautiful as the Kora played by this man, a 71st generation player of astounding music. Here is the video I captured at his workshop; not great quality to look at but beautiful to listen to if you give it a chance.



And if you need some more excitement to look at, here are some of the photos I shot of the Bowl of Brooklands stage and the colourful flags which surrounded us. It was great to be there with friends and my lovely sis; it is the people who make it. The beauty of Womad is in the amazing choice of music from so many countries, and the feeling of being part of something so much bigger than ourselves. To stand or sit or dance in wonder as the musicians pelt out their unique sounds makes you a part of everything. No wonder people follow Womad around the world. Maybe one day we will do this....by sea could take a while...steamboat or canoe even longer.

I hope you enjoy the interview with Jim about the human rights issues that were brought home to us when watching the Guoto monks cooking demonstration and talk; he also mentions the irony of having Shell sponsor Womad. As Jim says, " I wonder why there were no bands from Nigeria at Womad!?" Here is what Owens Wiwa for the New Internationalist says about Shell in Nigeria...for starters. And if you want to find out more, do a search for Shell at the New Internationalist website.