The C2C Festival was a gem of an event; small but glittering in its beauty and goodwill.
The crowd was never bigger that 300 but oh, what a beautiful feeling. It lost money but built confidence amongst the young organisers who all worked so well together under Renton Bishopric's leadership
Visually it was splendid. The site itself, Renton's mother's property, was like a botanic garden surrounded by rainforest. Renton's stepmother Sue used her art teacher contacts to have local high school sudents make banners and art installations for the event. A bamboo workshop led by Motoyuki Niwz of Wolvi inspired a range of elegant bamboo structures and sculptures. And my lanterns and flags were much admired.
The music was excellent and it all came from local musicians or ex locals. The star act was Andrew Ferguson and friends, former fellow Byfield Primary School students with Renton and now professional musicians in Melbourne. They had driven all the way to Byfield to play and support this cultural initiative of their friends.
But most admirable was the family support the young organisers had; parents and step parents working together as volunteers to help out.
The No More War Games banner was on display there, possibly the most overt sign of the understated politics of the event. Renton had been reluctant to be too outspoken in his anti Talisman Sabre rattling lest it offend the "mainstream" and keep people away. But he came out in the closing ceremony saying: "It's happening in our backyard, let's get organised." Onto the next project.
I reckon his strategy of building local community resistance amongst young people to the use of Shoalwater Bay as a military 'test facility' will win in the long term. It may even end the US Alliance. May it be so.
Yesterday the banner was on display in Yeppoon for a promotional photo for the Rockhampton Bulletin and the Peace Concert next Sunday. It and a flag rig were in position on the foreshore and by the road for over 4 hours. No cops or rangers came, let alone objected, and it received lots of expressions of support from passers by.
Though we activists seem to be fewer in number this year, there appears to be heaps of goodwill for the protests.
When i get my hands on some photos of C2C i post them to a website and send the link. Just so you all can get the flavour of what transpired at Byfield last weekend.
In solidarity,
Graeme Dunstan
Peacebus.com