The 27th annual Festival of the Written Arts must have set a record for standing ovations. Three, or was it four, of the author events I attended ended in the crowd rising to their feet, emotionally charged, not so much by the authors' words, but by their sense of commitment to their subjects.
None were so richly applauded as Richard Wagamese, the only First Nations speaker so far to address the festival during the annual exploration of the spirit of Canada, the Bruce Hutchison lecture. Wagamese reminded us that when Jacques Cartier first landed in present day Quebec, the First Nations welcomed him to their home - the home they would later share. Treaties and land claims aside, this country belongs to us all.
Wagamese opened by drumming and chanting to awaken the spirits. "Close your eyes and breathe," he told the crowd. "Can you not feel an old hand on your shoulder?" Utter silence fell over the 400-plus audience in the Rockwood Pavilion.
"We are all one spirit, one energy, one song, one drum. This is the great teaching that was passed down," he said.
The man with a Grade 9 education spoke with simple eloquence learned by reading at his local library. He was in foster homes, abandoned, turned to drink, recovered, and went on to become a writer. He spoke about his own experiences as an urban Indian learning about native people through TV and comic books. When he and his wife moved to a rural area near Kamloops they knew nothing of how to live in the country, not even how to chop wood and stack it for winter. He turned to his Ukrainian neighbours for help and by sharing stories with them, they became closer.
Wagamese talked about how First Nations have moved through a time of pain, but are now in recovery. "We're sober, reclaiming our traditions," he said. "It's the cusp of a great new age."
A sense of commitment was also the hallmark of a Friday evening talk from author and journalist Naomi Klein. She was introduced by her proud mother, disabled rights activist and film-maker Bonnie Klein, who called her daughter a compassionate person who listens to the powerless.
Naomi spoke about her decade old book No Logo and its fallout, rather than her latest book, The Shock Doctrine. Her razor sharp intelligence made an interesting connection. She explained she had revisited the concept of branding because she realized its latest application.
"The big story is how marketing culture has infiltrated politics," she said.
Branding was used to elect Barack Obama in the U.S., she pointed out, calling it "the most successful re-branding program of all time." She doubts whether Obama can live up to the high expectations and foresees the population will get buyers' remorse, a classic letdown following the hype.
While waiting to see Obama's long term plan take shape, are we losing our opportunity to work for what we need? Klein is concerned, but she believes the energy is brewing again.
"People are coming together around climate," she said, adding she looks to the Copenhagen world conference next December for change.
Journalist Daphne Bramham also delivered a cogent talk about her work in exposing the polygamous fundamentalist sect in Bountiful, B.C., for its child abuse, child labour and limited education schooling funded by taxpayers.
She thanked her introducer, Jancis Andrews of Sechelt, for first bringing the issue to her attention, and updated the crowd on the latest events since her book, The Secret Lives of Saints, was published last year.
One of Bountiful's patriarchs, Winston Blackmore, was arrested last January. A Supreme Court decision will determine whether the legal process of his indictment was flawed. Blackmore might go free and the court's decision could profoundly affect religious freedoms in Canada.
And if these speakers all sound terribly serious, then, indeed, Festival '09 was intense in many ways. But it was not without its humour. For example, Marina Endicott with her sparkling eyes and quick wit gave a good reading. M.A.C. Farrant with her insightful observations and her ironic, short stories set the audience laughing. Though Anthony De Sa's reading was not humorous, the likeable guy, poised to become the literary voice of Portuguese-Canadians, touched his audience.
Wayson Choy is a festival favourite. Once again he offered insights into his life and his extended family.
"Family is who loves you," said the 70-year-old, before offering some tantalizing forays into his two near death experiences described in his latest book, Not Yet. Choy earned his standing ovation when he thanked the community for nurturing writers by hosting such a good festival.
