Blooming May

May is here and time is flying. First of all please find below an extract from the winner of the Myths and Legends competition, for the poetry category, Erin Bidlake. Hopefully you'll be able to hear more from her when she does a reading at the Lit and Phil during June.

MOMOTARO

Momotaro is a Japanese folk tale. This tale tells the story of an elderly, childless couple who discover a giant peach. From this peach a small boy is born. The couple adopts the boy and names him Momotaro—“momo” for “peach” and “Taro”, a popular Japanese name given to first-born sons. Momotaro eventually leaves his parents to go fight the ogres living on an island called Onigashima.

Carp are a traditional symbol for boys in Japan, and carp flags are displayed during the Boy’s Day festival. The Japanese believe carp to be the most virile and spirited of fish, because they are able to swim against strong currents and overcome great obstacles to reach their destinations.

~~~

You know him as simply “the peach boy”, but he was my son, my only. I’ve heard all your stories: how he was sent from the heavens in a ripe peach, his birth nothing more than sweet-smelling fruit split open to a dark center, the furred skin peeled back. Painless. Bloodless.

May has just begun and already I've given two talks in connections with my residency. The first was within the Mining Institute in Wednesday 2nd May, where to a packed house I presented some of my findings around the black presence in the North East after 1807. I concentrated in four people in particular; Olaudah Equiano, Bill Richmond, Mary Ann Macham and Frederick Douglass. At time or another these individuals either settled in the North East or past on through. But in the process the North east touched them and they touched the North East. I hope to continue this line of enquiry through the rest of my residency as people present providing some new information too. I'd like to thank all the people who turned up for this event. And I hope we meet again very soon.
The second paper was yesterday in Wreay nr. Carlisle. I was invited by the Losh Circle to present on James Losh and the abolition of slavery as part of a study day in aid of restoring St Mary's Church in Wreay, designed by Losh's niece, Sarah Losh. Again this event was well attended but I think it was more out of interest in Losh than the abolition of slavery. yet at the same time, it was yet another opportunity to discuss the issues surrounding the bicentenary of the abolition of transatlantic slave trade and the years that followed this landmark decision. It was a most enjoyable day.