Festival Archives - Rod Harbinson

Rally Around the Flag

Time sometimes seems to have forgotten Northern England. Here inflation and a dwindling economy have seen people slide nostalgically into a glorious era when Great Britain ruled the waves. Perhaps re-enacting this bygone era gives local people a sense of community pride, as their pubs and highstreets shutter. ‘A Splendid Day Out’ saw Steam Punk fans flocking to the seaside resort of Morecambe Bay and the Royal Air Force Red Devils dropped in for armed services day. Anniversaries in Lancashire gave people an excuse to dust off their outfits, and for a day, escape their cost-of-living worries.

WOMAD Festival 40th Anniversary Celebrates Four Decades of Diversity and Music

Womad (World of Music and Dance) festival took place at Charlton Park, Wiltshire. Acts from all over the world gathered for the festival's fourtieth anniversary. Osibisa have been going 50 years and were introduced by Peter Gabriel.

WOMAD Festival in the summer of 2022 saw music lovers, culture enthusiasts, and festival-goers from around the world converge at Charlton Park in England to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the World of Music, Arts, and Dance (WOMAD) festival. Since its inception in 1982, WOMAD has been a pioneering force, promoting cross-cultural understanding, embracing diversity, and showcasing the richness of global music and arts. As WOMAD reaches this milestone, the 2022 festival promises to be a remarkable celebration of its enduring legacy.

WOMAD Festival has always been synonymous with the celebration of diversity and cultural exchange. With its eclectic line-up of artists from every corner of the globe, the festival offers a vibrant tapestry of musical traditions, artistic performances, workshops, and interactive experiences. From traditional folk melodies to contemporary fusion, visitors can immerse themselves in the sounds and rhythms of world music, uniting people through the universal language of melody and harmony.

Set amidst the picturesque grounds of Charlton Park in Wiltshire, England, the festival’s venue provides an idyllic backdrop for this momentous occasion. Surrounded by lush greenery and stunning vistas, the park offers a serene atmosphere that complements the spirit of WOMAD. Festival-goers can explore the park’s sprawling grounds, relax in designated chill-out areas, and soak in the natural beauty that embraces them throughout the event.

True to its legacy, WOMAD 2022 featured an extraordinary line-up of internationally acclaimed artists, both legendary icons and emerging talents. From African rhythms and Latin beats to Middle Eastern melodies and Asian fusion, the festival presented an array of genres that span the globe. Attendees enjoyed performances by world-renowned musicians, captivating dance troupes, and inspiring spoken word artists, ensuring a diverse and enthralling program for all.

WOMAD is more than just a music festival. It is a platform for interactive engagement and cultural exploration. Attendees enjoy the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops, where they could try their hand at dancing, percussion instruments, experimenting with different art forms, and exploring global culinary delights.

WOMAD’s 40th anniversary festival at Charlton Park in 2022 served as a testament to the power of music and arts in bringing people together. The event not only honoured the rich history of the festival but also reflected its ongoing commitment to fostering global harmony, cultural appreciation, and sustainable practices.

Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Womad 40th Festival UK
Flaming Lips

Zen in the Time of Corona

ZEN

IN THE TIME OF

CORONA

A photographic homage to Japanese Buddhism during the Coronavirus pandemic

Monks planted this cedar tree a thousand years ago

Cleansing spring at the temple gate

Coronavirus, in short-measure, has changed the world completely. How can we make sense of this huge change in our lives? How can we cope, when our lives have been shaken-up and fears abound? Japanese Zen Buddhism offers a clear path to overcome fears and find courage, when all around us seems to be falling-apart. For thousands of years Buddhists have been meditating on the hardest challenges in life, such as sickness, grief and death.

The Zen Approach

This book offers a unique introduction to the Zen path through words, photos and Haiku poetry. More than a guidebook, it provides a space for contemplation about our current situation. It discusses the Zen approach to life, and applies it to both photography, and the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic.

Zen & Photography

A photobook with a narrative, the author shares his perspectives on the art of photography, and reflects on what the medium means in the Buddhist context. He explores Buddhist ideas found in photography, and how masters of the form have used Buddhist presence, to produce artworks which resonate widely. He explores his application of Buddhist practice to photography, and also explains how photography can diverge from a purely Buddhist way.

Zen Economics

The author reflects on our global situation as a human family, in the context of COVID-19. He asks whether the exploitative economic path, that collectively we have been on for some time, has contributed to the emergence of the pandemic. He applies Zen ideas to our economic trajectory which is eroding nature and wilderness at an alarming rate, to feed our ever growing consumption and automated lifestyles.

He pauses to consider the significance of the space that has emerged from the sudden halt in economic growth. Is it possible to draw an analogy between this global stillness, and the space of presence a person meditating can experience?

Zoonotics & Zen

Exploring evidence for the origin of the coronavirus, the author finds that while it probably originated in nature, it is important to understand, why it has crossed over into our species. Zen raises important questions about human interference in the natural world, which we need to address to re-align our relationship with nature.

In a time of global catastrophe we need to hold onto our sanity, but also map a path ahead. This path could deliver more of the same, or forge a better future direction.

Where Zen Buddhism evolved

The book is journey of contemplation of the ancient Zen path, trodden in a time of change. Through the lens of the photographer-author, we are taken on a visually and spiritually enriching journey, into the sacred mountains of Yamagata Prefecture in Japan, where Zen Buddhism evolved.

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The snowy mountains of the ancient kingdom of ‘Dewa’ looking West towards Tsuruoka City and the Japan sea beyond.
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The road towards Mount Gassan passes the venerated Gyokusenji Temple on the left in among the trees. Gassan is these days a ski resort in the winter, but still draws pilgrims, especially from Yamabushi mountain ascetics for whom it is one of the three sacred peaks of the ancient kingdom...
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An ancient Japanese cedar grows beside a spirit house on the path to the summit of Mount Haguro.
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This ancient Japanese cedar tree is estimated to be over one thousand years old and is affectionately called ‘Grandpa’ or ‘jijisugi’. An equally old ‘Grandma’ tree which used to stand next to it, was torn down in a storm in 1902. In the background stands the ‘Gojunoto’ a five-storey pagoda.
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The base of a rare six hundred year old wooden five-storey pagoda or ‘Gojunoto’, in cedar forest on Mount Haguro.
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Thousands of stone steps constructed by priests 600 years ago lead the way to the Saikan temple at the summit of Mount Haguro.
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An avenue of Japanese cedar trees lines the path to Mount Haguro.
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Cedar trees and temple reflected in an icy, still pond at the summit of Mount Haguro.
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An old stone pond at the summit of Mount Haguro.
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A giant ‘Torii’ gate greets visitors to Haguro Mountain. In times past during the Edo period, up to three hundred lodges received pilgrims, visiting the three sacred mountains of the ‘Dewa Sanzan’.
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Summer sunset over a paddy field outside Tsuruoka City.
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Reflections in the window of Tsurugaokajoshi Park Temple, in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
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Garlands or origami cranes, each one handmade from paper and a symbol of peace, adorn Zenpoji temple near Oyama village in Yamagata Prefecture.
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Two graves at the cemetary of Ota village with 2236 metre Mount Chokai in the distance, Yamagata Prefecture.
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Sun lights up the ‘sakura’ cherry blossom as dark clouds brood overhead. Tsuruoka Park is home to many mature cherry trees and the annual blossom usually draws crowds of spectators. In April 2020 the first blooms coincided with the start of national emergency measures on coronavirus and celebrations were cancelled.
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Cherry trees in blossom outside Tsuruoka, facing east towards Mount Gassan.
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A rural fire station outside Tsuruoka city, Yamagata Prefecture.
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Summer sunset over a paddy field outside Tsuruoka City.
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A scarecrow in a cornfield outside Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
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Before Corona. Girls dressed in kimonos take a rest from the instense heat during the procession of the Oyama Inu Matsuri (Dog Festival) June 2019. The festival is based on a 300 year old legend that takes place in the 1500 year old Sugio Jinja Shrine in Oyama. Legend has...
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Before Corona. Elderly residents of a care home in Oyama village watch the passing parade during the Inu Matsuri (Dog Festival), June 2019. Oyama village, Yamagata Prefecture.
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Before Corona. A couple embrace behind a memorial stone in Tsuruoka Park, summer 2019. Yamagata Prefecture.
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Before Corona. Lost in summer mist on Zao Mountain, Yamagata Prefecture.