Tales of Spice & Flavour: Chapter 2: Chi Wow Wah Town

Welcome to the second edition of Tales of Spice & Flavour. This is a homage to the people you meet at festivals.. These spaces have given me sources of inspiration to explore to connection and expression. I often leave cracked open by new ways of thinking, deep conversations, and dancefloor epiphanies.

This chapter goes back to Chi Wow Wah Town nestled in the Australian bush. The weekend had the feeling of a surreal camping trip away. The drive in was breathtaking. Birds flew in formation above as the narrow dirt road led us into the middle of the Winton Wetlands.

At any stage, you could peel off from the festival to find a quiet spot. The sunset made stunning reflections over the marsh.

First doof shoot

In a past life, I wrote music blogs. A piece on a Belgian band Stavroz connected me with Maxim from the band. He updated me with releases over the years. I shared my shift to photography and asked if I could shoot his Chi Wow Wah Town show. He said yes.

They were given the prime time set. Last light on the final day. The intensity of the dry, hot Australian bush fading. The barefoot dancers settled, kicking up dust to the golden gums.

It was my first time shooting at a multi-day festival. It was exhilarating to capture the headliner in the perfect environment. Moments before the set, I noticed feelings of self-doubt. I felt lost scanning for focal points, any common thread. Witnessing a sea of hearts rise as Stavroz entered the stage, the answer was clear:

Love. L-O-V-E.

Love’s weight set me free.

Love expressed in its purest form.

Love connecting, reverberating,

love raving a storm.

I felt love’s full force.

Love’s return to source.

Poems4Trade

I met Whitney at Strawberry Fields. She facilitated their morning yoga sessions.

Her intention was the same each day:

“I have the power to ground myself.”

A beautiful statement to unpack. I circle back to it in over stimulating environments. Her calming presence always comes to me when I need it.

At Chi Wow Wah Town, she was perched under a tree with a typewriter with Poems4Trade. You told her something you loved and what you loved about it. In return, she crafted a poem for you within minutes.

I said ‘people’ and ‘everything’. This is what she wrote:

People

the human parade of life,

the world is brimming

with magnificent aliveness;

each heart singing its song,

each body dancing its dance.

to swim in the soup

of the living world

is a profound experience

of engaging with

the invitation

of connecting with

the souls of all

the beautiful people.

what an honour to find such enjoyment

in breathing each unique being

into my own flesh and bones.

I am you,

and you are me -

each human holds

a mystery to be discovered.