Old Pond Comics

Haiku Conferences Tips

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The Haiku Society of America (HSA) holds four quarterly meetings in different American cities every year. If one of these conferences come to a city near you, here's your chance!

Haiku North America (HNA), the biggest haiku conference in North America, takes place every two years. The program is jammed-packed with workshops, readings, lectures, exhibits, gingko, etc. and sessions run in two (sometimes three) different rooms at the same time.

Haiku Canada holds its annual conference in a different Canadian city during the May long week-end (Victoria Day). They hold workshops, lectures, gingko, renku, banquet, and lots of haiku-related activities including a famous renku party that runs late into the night and another smaller renku party that starts early in the morning.

There are also many international haiku conferences in Europe and in Japan.

 

Conference Tips


Before you go:

 

At the conference:

 

Make your travel arrangements early

Old Pond Comics: frog riding a turtle's back (inspired by a sculpture behind Glendon Manor where the conference was taking place.

Bring a map

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Enjoy sightseeing

Old Pond Comics at HNA 2011 visiting the Experience Music Project in Seattle.

 

Participate in the gingko

A gingko is a walk during which participants look for inspiration to write a haiku.

 

Gingko walk at Pike Market.

 

Bring some of your haiku.

Most conferences include a robin-style reading (where everybody reads one haiku) or an open-mike. Reading your haiku in public can be scary, but it's a good way to get people to know you (especially if you are new).

 

Bring a freebie

Most conferences have a table where you can leave promotional items (bookmarks, postcards, free mini-chapbooks, etc.)

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Attend a workshop

 

Attend a lecture on an unusual subject

Some like it hot: erotic haiku, by Wanda Cook

 

David G. Lanoue presented a conference on Issa at Haiku North America (Seattle, 2011).

 

Attend a haiku reading

Old Pond Comics at Haiku North America (Seattle 2011)

 

 

Talk to your haiku idol

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Be respectful

 

Attend the renku party

Haiku Canada have a renku party that runs late into the night and a renku party that starts early in the morning. Feeling brave? Attend both.

Group photo

Smile, don't be shy, and put yourself in the picture. At Haiku North America, the group photo is included in your registration fee. What a great souvenir!

 

 

Conference Group photo at HNA 2011 (Seattle, WA)

 

Banquet

 

Banquet at the Space Needle during HNA 2011 (Seattle, WA).

 

Attend social gatherings

La Famille Léger gave a great performance at HNA 2011 (Seattle, WA)

 

 

 

Try something new

 

 

 

Attend a haiku conference: you will come back transformed!

 

The beautiful location of Vancouver.

 

 

 

 

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