After a worryingly busy 2023 event, and in the midst of controversy, WOMADelaide still shines thanks to its artists and their stories.
are Rwandan farmers who support their families on just a dollar or two per day. They survived their country's 1994 genocide, though many loved ones — including Havugimana's brother, who taught them how to play music — did not.
"Maybe you don't realise what a special festival this is," Brennan says. "It is exceptional to the world, and it's important it survives." For every superstar headliner and indie darling on the bill, there's someone who would never have made it here if not for the festival; a new discovery that makes the world feel just that little bit more connected.Depending on who you ask, last year's WOMADelaide was either an outrageous success, or a disappointing and slightly terrifying vision of what the future may hold., thanks to the presence of acts like Florence + The Machine, Bon Iver and The Proclaimers.
Like any festival, WOMADelaide has a certain expectation to book artists who will generate mainstream excitement. Known names will sell tickets, the money from which keeps the festival alive and allows them to make decisions based more on quality than commerce. Bob Katter tells Senator Ross Cadell to 'shut up' in fiery exchange at supermarket pricing inquiry hearingsPrincess of Wales apologises over royal photoshop fail, saying she 'experimented with editing'Radical aged care reforms could see baby boomers dip into super and home equity to cover costsPolice investigate organised crime links to fatal shooting in Melbourne's north-west