Here's a question seldom asked: what do you get when you cross an acoustic duet with a library lift?
Or this: what’s silent, surprised and keeps peeking around corners?
The answer is the same for both questions; very happy people. More specifically, the very happy people who witnessed the wonderful Nook and Cranny Music Festival at the Dunedin Public Library last Sunday.
As a punter at the free event I heard two things repeatedly: one; the diverse, high-quality musical creativity that clearly resides inside bedrooms, garages and recording studios around Dunedin, and two; a constant refrain along the lines of "and this is why I love this city’’.
Sometimes that sentiment was expressed as "this is why Dunedin is the best city in the country’’. Other times it was a simple "I love Dunedin’’, usually preceded by an expletive.
The festival itself included dozens of acts performing in various nooks and crannies over five hours around the library. (My 5-year-old heard the name as "Nook and Granny Festival’’, and when the first band he saw included an older lady on the drums there was no convincing him he was wrong.)
It is not the only event that leaves me in wonder at the magic of this city. The Midwinter Carnival is eerily beautiful and perfectly executed, year after year. The owners of the city’s heritage buildings opening and discussing them each Heritage Festival is a treat. The Vogel Street Party brings a thumping, creative energy that belies Dunedin’s paltry size.
What is it about Dunedin that makes such events so successful? It could be the city’s size: small enough for its residents to care about it, but big enough to have the population to support such things. Or it could be Dunedin’s compact nature, allowing the bulk of its residents easy access to the central city.
But let’s not kid ourselves about magic formulas and clever town planning. The real magic here is the people. A village is just the people within it and Dunedin is just a big village.
It prides itself on things as impersonal as buildings, beaches and wildlife. It collectively wrings its hands if a modern building is proposed, or a visitor mentions the dull weather without also mentioning St Clair on a sunny summer’s day.
But to focus on the impersonal Dunedin without celebrating its humanity is akin to a paralysed genius bemoaning his body while ignoring his brain. Or a blind opera singer focusing only on his lost sight, ignoring his voice.
Is Dunedin the best city in New Zealand? How is that judged? Who decides? And who really cares?
Because Dunedin is a great city regardless. It is a great city because it is filled with great people. The people who volunteer their nights, weekends and energies to dream up, organise and run events like the Nook and Cranny Music Festival.
The people who have the talent, drive and generosity to write original music and then perform it for free to enraptured children in a library lift.
The people who leave aside their PlayStations and televisions and web-browsing to drive into the city to support, laugh, love and be enthralled by what Dunedin really is.
People. Let’s celebrate why Dunedin is so special. Buildings, beaches and birds, yes. But more than that, people. Near-anonymous people who think Dunedin could benefit from a festival or party or carnival, and then roll their own sleeves up and make such things happen.
The people behind the Nook and Cranny Music Festival should feel more than pride and satisfaction at what they achieved last Sunday. They should feel a wonderful responsibility.
Because it is on their shoulders, and the shoulders of those like them, that this wonderful city soars when it could stagnate.
Bravo to you all.
- Craig Borley is a former ODT journalist.
