BONA PALOOZA* - 2022

ULSTER FOLK MUSEUM

This ‘micro festival’ brought together artists, writers, activists and makers in exploring LGBTQ+ rural experience from Ulster. Multiple events across one day were held in a number of heritage buildings at Ulster Folk Museum (one of the National Museums NI sites). The event was part of a self-initiated project ‘Broad Voices and Baler Twine’ which was a phrase coined by Josh Buddy, the former chair of Mid Ulster Pride to explain the temperament of the peoples of Mid Ulster. 

* ‘Bona’ is a Polari word meaning ‘good’, Palooza is a portion of the word lollapalooza, a late 19th century term defined as ‘an extraordinary or unusual thing.’ in gibberish akin to a party.

above Poet Sacha White performs a series of works inspired by herbalism and folktales whilst artist Katie Watchorn served refreshments inspired by the works.

below painter Patrick Hickey, inspired by the work of Gerard Dillon and the image of the male nude in Irish populism installed works in one of the heritage houses.

below workshops porcelain flower making inspired by queer coded language and communication facilitated by Peter Lee-Surginor with lunch prepared by David Lee

above Maurice Casey delivering a exploration into his research and accessing archives through the medium of a seance

above a conversation after screen of The Troubles I’ve seen a LGBT Digital Heritage project documentary exploring the experiences of LGBT community in Belfast at the height of the troubles.