Before the summer, together with the World Heritage Centre Wadden Sea (WEC) in Lauwersoog and literature festival Meet Me at the Lighthouse, we launched an open call for ‘Writing with a Seal’. Two poets have now been selected: Anja Rockel and Laura Mijnders. Over the coming month, they will each write a poem about their relationship with a seal.
Addie and Kiko
For this project, the poets will each follow their own seal at the WEC. Anja chose Addie, Laura chose Kiko. The choice was almost made for them: just as Laura was explaining that she is a calm, relaxed person, Kiko happened to yawn widely. That settled it. Addie is livelier and more active, with more facial expressions.
Addie was found last summer in Noord-Holland, Kiko on the island of Vlieland. Both seals are about two months old and, after a rough start, are doing well now, considering the circumstances.
About the poets
Anja Rockel is a poet and ranger. She moved to Friesland at the start of this year and observes her surroundings through words. Her poetry is an ecological practice that searches for kinship between species. Rockel also works with abstract calligraphy, in which writing becomes a physical and visual act.
Laura Mijnders writes poetry, prose and columns. In her work, she often starts with looking: “The first encounter rarely tells the whole story; meaning emerges in the repetition.” For this project, she will keep a seal diary with short sketches, loose notes and small observations.
From observation to poem
The poets will work on their poems until World Animal Day (4 October). Afterwards, we will look at presentation opportunities together with the WEC and Meet Me at the Lighthouse. The poems will also be submitted for the international project What (not) to say on animals (in zoos) by Heidelberg UNESCO City of Literature and published online in German.
About the collaboration
The World Heritage Centre Wadden Sea in Lauwersoog is the new home of Seal Centre Pieterburen, where visitors can explore the Wadden Sea area. Meet Me at the Lighthouse is a literature festival on Schiermonnikoog, this year with the theme ‘Dwaalgasten’ (Vagrants) and taking place from 12 to 15 November. The project was initiated by Heidelberg UNESCO City of Literature and fits within the international network of 62 Cities of Literature, of which Leeuwarden is part.
