My first WOMADelaide

This year I had my first WOMADelaide experience, read on to hear how it went!

After deciding, on the spur of the moment, to attend the last day of WOMAD I was not disappointed with my decision. I got the chance to see music acts I would have otherwise missed, and a bunch of speakers talking on interesting topics.

Something that struck me about the festival is the sheer amount of events being held. Walking between the main space and speaker’s corner, it felt like two different festivals.

Snapshot of the cooking demonstration at Taste the World

Aside from the music, which included ’60s Peruvian and Canadian folk, I opted to attend a few of the speaking sessions, such as Should We Trust Scientists and Words, Pictures and Climate Change Pitches. The first of these sessions looked at the questions of how trustworthy are scientists, should we believe the information they share with us, the general public, and if so, in what context and circumstances.

It was a fascinating session, that made me think about the way in which scientific information is presented, and who is sharing it with the public. Meanwhile, the second session was focussed on how messages about climate change are best communicated. As someone who enjoys learning about communication and how people think, it was fascinating and educational.

My personal highlight was the cooking demonstration and conversation with Jock Zonfrillo of Orana and Street ADL, among others. He made a dish currently on offer at Oriana and its new sister restaurant, Blackwood.

Hearing Jock talk about how he worked, selecting ingredients and sourcing produce from numerous suppliers, many of them micro-businesses, was incredibly interesting. Even learning about how the physical dishes (that is, the plates and bowls) are made using traditional ceramic creation processes was fantastic. The fact I didn’t get to try any of the Pickled Kohl Rabi, Dorrigo and Lemon Myrtle just means I have another reason to visit Blackwood!

Until next time,
Louis