Local poets are being invited to help to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the remarkable excavation of the Neolithic passage grave at La Hougue Bie.
Jersey Heritage and Société Jersiaise are asking poets to be inspired by the history, myths, stories and beliefs associated with the ancient site in Grouville and submit poems in English and/or Jèrriais for ‘A Celebration of Discovery at La Hougue Bie’.
The selected poetry will be read at a special event being jointly organised by the two heritage organisations on 21 September to mark the centenary of the excavation in 1924 that unveiled the mysteries of the Neolithic passage grave to the world.
Aras Amiri, Jersey Heritage’s Creative Commissions Producer, said: “This milestone anniversary presents an opportunity to share the rich history of La Hougue Bie and the passage grave with Islanders and to encourage creative responses to its layered histories through the power of poetry. We look forward to receiving creative contributions from local poets, or anyone inspired to write a poem, and to seeing how they use their words to help us to celebrate this historic event.”
The celebration event in September will include the opening of the art installation and talks, as well as readings of the selected poems by either the poets themselves or another performer. Each winning poem will be translated and recited in both English and Jèrriais.
After the event, the original poems will be shared on social media and printed copies will be available on-site for visitors. Poets will receive a commission payment of £100 for each selected poem. The deadline for submissions is 7 September 2024.
Rebecca Bailhache, Chief Executive of Société Jersiaise, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Jersey Heritage in this creative endeavour to commemorate the remarkable discovery in 1924 of the passage grave at La Hougue Bie. Société Jersiaise members have always been at the forefront of preserving our heritage, researching special sites of interest and nourishing a community of likeminded people dedicated to these pursuits.”
Poetry submission details:
- Language: Poems can be in English or Jèrriais
- Theme: Poems should be inspired by the history, myths, stories, and beliefs associated with La Hougue Bie
- Submission Deadline: 7 September 2024
- How to Submit: Poems should be sent to aras.amiri@jerseyheritage.org with the subject line “La Hougue Bie Poetry Submission”
- Payment: A £100 fee will be paid after the selection process for selected poems.
Submit your entry to aras.amiri@jerseyheritage.org