Aspiring Conversations festival of ideas closes with varied programme and ‘fantastic’ audience feedback
WANAKA, New Zealand (24 April, 2016) – Aspiring Conversations continued to provide time for thinking on its final day with another series of engaging discussions that addressed issues as varied as poetry, suicide, Pasifika childhood and New Zealand’s changing relationship with Australia.
Wanaka’s annual festival of ideas presented by Milford Asset Management saw more than 2,500 individual tickets sold over nine panel sessions plus last night’s Dusty Springfield tribute ‘Dust to Dusky’, the first performance after its premiere at this year’s Auckland Arts Festival.

Today’s first session ‘Advance Australia fair?’ looked back to that country’s 1901 constitution that allowed for the inclusion of new states including New Zealand, but focused on the differences between both countries that now make such a union impossible.

New Zealand writer Stephanie Johnson and political commentator Colin James were joined from across the Tasman by journalist Paul Kelly. On the eve of ANZAC Day, The Australian newspaper’s editor-at-large said it was “remarkable” that the two countries shared a national day but agreed their differences were growing.

“Australia’s gravitational pull in coming decades will be away from the Tasman and towards Asia, but our differences make us more interesting,” he said.

‘To be or not to be – issues around suicide’ was a considered contribution to an issue that claims as many lives annually in New Zealand as road deaths but receives far less media coverage, and arguably no commensurate campaign of education.

University of Otago researcher Suzi Wereta, writer and psychologist Jesse Bering and fellow American author David Vann each brought their personal and academic experience to bear on the causes, perceptions and responses to this difficult topic.

The session was made all the more poignant when, by a show of hands, the majority of the audience had had some personal experience of suicide. Information and advice was available before and after the session from a suicide prevention officer.

Senior Pacific writer Albert Wendt and playwright Victor Rodger shared their very different memories of a Samoan-influenced upbringing in ‘Childhood is a different country’. This warm-hearted session touched on themes of identity and belonging, mother and father relationships and how writers can create their own ‘countries’ and characters in an effort to find themselves.

“Being Samoan was a fact for many years and now it is a feeling,” said Victor Rodger.

The festival closed with the question ‘A still small voice – what does poetry do for us?’ as New Zealand poets Louise Wallace, Kate Camp and Greg O’Brien examined the appeal of this 3,000-year-old art form.

Festival director, Philip Tremewan said there was a clear and growing demand for this type of event in New Zealand.

“The audience response has been fantastic. People have engaged with the issues and ideas raised and the discussions have continued long after each session has ended,” he said.

Aspiring Conversations is supported by gold sponsor Milford Asset Management and knowledge partner McKinsey & Company alongside cornerstone funders Creative New Zealand, Central Lakes Trust, Otago Community Trust, Longview Environmental Trust and Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Next year’s festival of ideas will form part of the biennial Southern Lakes Festival of Colour that takes place in Wanaka and Central Otago from 4-9 April 2017. Anyone wanting further information should visitwww.festivalofcolour.co.nz or follow the festival on social media.

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