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HAWKINGE HARRY AND OUR OTHER GIANTS

Harry meets Hawkinge schoolchildren

Strange Cargo have developed an East Kent interpretation of the French Giant tradition as a way of bringing communities together to create unique characters specific to, and inspired by, their surroundings and the folklore of their neighbourhood. The Giants projects are part of Make it Real- the innovative and exciting new cultural programme for Canterbury and East Kent, run by Canterbury City Council.

In 2001 Strange Cargo undertook a programme of research and development into the Giants tradition in Northern France and Belgium. During the trip the artists had the opportunity to meet existing associations, artists and makers, researchers, and local authority representatives who actively support the custom. The visit provided a wealth of material, covering both the historical perspective of the Giants as well as contemporary practice. The artist team examined 'which aspects of the tradition would be transferable to the project in the UK and also how to make the East Kent Giants distinctive from their European counterparts
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It is thought that any British Giants that existed were destroyed in the Reformation, but in Europe the Geants are an ancient and popular tradition, with over 200 Giants in Northern France alone. It is a living tradition, flexible to change and innovation, responsive to the communities in which it is practised. The inspiration for individual Giants can come from local folklore, myth or legend and their different styles of construction often reflect local skills within their communities. A cortege of costumed followers and musicians always accompanies the Giants, and songs and stories are created around them.

Harry joins in with Sandwich musicians Brew Ha Ha

The successful pilot project resulted in the creation of Torrent the Littlebourne Giant, created as a cathartic response to the terrible flooding of the village in the winter of his creation. He is now happily ensconced in the community barn where he was built. Torrent and his community have been invited guests to many festivals and the village now has a very active Giants Association.

In 2005 Strange Cargo created two more Giants. A very snowy February saw the birth of Harry the Hawkinge Giant, a character inspired by the village's strong association with flying, due to its World War II airfield and museum and its close proximity to the Battle of Britain, fought over the coast of Folkestone and Dover. For Harry's awakening ceremony over 600 feather-shaped dogtags were attached to his coat, each one engraved by a child of the village with their name and date of birth.

A residency at Sandwich Technology School led to the creation of John Drury The Sandwich Giant. Constructed with teacher Bob Martin and local artists and students, this imposing medieval knight was named after a Mayor of Sandwich who in 1475 was captured and murdered by the French. John Drury's awakening ceremony saw every living past Mayor of Sandwich gather to welcome the Giant to his new community.

Early in 2006 Strange Cargo will move their production base first to Herne Bay and then Singleton to create the fourth and fifth of the East Kent Giants. These new residents will link their host communities to Littlebourne, Hawkinge and Sandwich. The completion of each residency will be marked by an awakening ceremony to introduce the Giant to the wider community and an invitation to the first Giants Festival in Folkestone, where on 15 July 2006 all the East Kent Giants will in procession together for the first time.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

As a result of a residency with Strange Cargo, Stephen Connolly will be making a 20 minute film following a Giant's progress through the Kent landscape. 

During the journey, the Giant, who narrates the film, will encounter some of his Giant kin and the voices of communities that brought them to life. At each settlement, the Giant will set tasks for his assistant to complete which relate to the history and features of each place. 

The Giant's final destination is the Folkestone Charivari Giants Festival- scheduled for 15 July 2006. 

Funded by a grant through the EK Local Authority Arts Partnership, the backbone of the visual treatment of Grant of Kent will be a journey around East Kent to each of the Giant villages. As part of the research process, the journey will initially be undertaken by bicycle to seek out the idiosyncratic features of the landscape and human settlement. Additionally, the significant places identified by the groups involved with the making of the Giants will also feature.

Stephen Connolly is a contemporary visual artist and lecturer at the Royal College of Art. This will be his third involvement with Folkestone following his film Folkestone Obscura, made for the Library's Navigating History project and Passage, an exhibition with Nilu Izadi at the Metropole Galleries in early 2005.

STRANGE CARGO ANNUAL 2006©