Judith Wright's Legacy

Judith Wright is probably best remembered as one of the finest poets Australia has produced. She was also a great pioneer and leader in the fields of nature conservation work and in seeking a meaningful 'reconciliation' between non-indigenous and indigenous Australians. In her own writing about places, relationships and the non-human world, and through her long friendship and collaboration with Aboriginal poet/activist Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal), Judith demonstrated a deep humanism and a capacity to think empathetically beyond human limits.

She brought the eye of a poet to an appreciation of the world around her and the commitment of an activist to work for more ethical forms of engagement with people, places and non-human life. She was deeply concerned with questions of belonging and not belonging and was constantly seeking a deeper understanding of the places in which she lived and worked. She challenged Australians to think deeply about all the issues related to land and identity.

After Judith died in July 2000, the historian/environmental writer Tim Bonyhady wrote a moving tribute under the title of "The Fine Art of Activism", in which he pointed out that she had struggled personally to reconcile her work as artist and activist. Judith concluded late in life that good activists may have even more to offer the nation than talented artists. Her work, however, demonstrates that this difficult tension can also be a creative one and this festival is aimed at exploring and celebrating the power of that tension.

Why Braidwood?

Judith Wright chose to live near Braidwood for the last three decades of her life and the region has become home to a vibrant community of other writers and artists. In what is now known as Tallaganda Shire, landscapes that were once managed by the Yuin and Walbanja people, were subsequently impacted by gold-mining and European farming practices. Many stories are embedded in the town heritage buildings and even more so in the surrounding landscapes. On the road between Canberra and the coast, Braidwood is surrounded by other historical villages and some significant remnants of the indigenous forests. Like all Australian country towns, it is going though a profound transition and its future is being shaped by debates involving long-term farmers, environmentalists, local business operators (who benefit from tourism) and the arts community. It offers a great case study in issues related to history, local economic development and conservation agendas.

Of course, Judith Wright's name is also closely associated with the New England district and with Mt Tambourine (in the Gold Coast hinterlands) - she engaged deeply with each of the places where she lived and worked for long periods of time. The Festival will make it clear why Braidwood was one of the places that a person with Judith's place-awareness chose to live in. It will also pose questions about what Braidwood will now choose to do with the memory of this famous adopted daughter.

At a time when rural towns and regions seek distinctive identities and images, questions arise about the local significance of national figures. Local communities will need to make choices about how they will work with the legacy of their most famous residents. Bowral can comfortably promote itself as the town that launched Don Bradman's glittering sporting career, even though "The Don" spent much more of his life in Adelaide. Tenterfield can celebrate the song written about it by famous son Peter Allen but wonder at the life and career of a flamboyant and openly gay performer who chose to spend most of his life outside Australia. Braidwood can celebrate the fact that it was the home of choice of a great writer but one who was also something of an "outsider" who spoke her mind without fear of favour. Using Judith Wright and Braidwood as a case in point, this Festival will explore the question of how local communities might work with the complex legacy of national figures who have lived among them.