Literary Festival Fringe Preview: Haikus At The Lighthouse
The recently announced series of fringe events at this year’s Gibunco Gibraltar Literary Festival includes Lines of Light – Haiku Project, an installation organised by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust at the Gibraltar Lighthouse which will invite visitors to create haiku poetry inspired by Europa Point's landscape, heritage and natural beauty, contributing to a growing community artwork throughout the festival. Participants will compose haikus and each handwritten poem will be added to the staircase creating a public authored installation.
Speaking to YGTV, the Trust’s Heritage Engagement Officer Brielle Gafan said the inspiration behind the project came from a fascinating part of the lighthouse’s history.
“In May 1921, Crown Prince Hirohito of Japan, who later became Emperor, visited the Gibraltar Lighthouse during his six-month tour of Europe. His visit is recorded in the Lighthouse’s historical records, which is on display for visitors to view, and I thought it was an interesting connection that many people might not be aware of. With the Gibraltar Literary Festival approaching, she says she wanted to find a creative way to bring this story to life and encourage those who visit this heritage site to engage with its history in a different way. This is where the idea was born, combining a little-known historical connection with a Japanese form of poetry,” she explains.
The poetic form of the haiku, a short, three-line form that originated in Japan, was chosen, she says, because of the connection to Hirohito’s visit and because of the form’s “simplicity”.
She continues: “They are short poems, traditionally inspired by nature and the observation of a particular moment. Although Japanese haiku have they own conventions, the three line 5-7-5 syllable structure is an easy starting point as I wanted to choose something that anyone could have a go at, regardless of age or writing experience. The idea is not to produce a perfect poem, but encourage people to visit, pause and interpret and observe their surroundings and capture this meaningful and historically important site in just a few words.”
Europa Point, its stunning views and geographical interest, make the perfect location for inspired poetry. Brielle says this makes it ideal for the community-led project: “Europa Point is a unique setting, and I think it lends itself beautifully to this kind to poetry. From the Gibraltar Lighthouse, you have views across the Strait towards Africa, the meeting of the Mediterranean and Atlantic, passing ships, changing weather. Haiku encourages us to pay attention to the small details around us and I believe there is certainly no shortage of inspiration.”
She also says that each individual will bring something different to a poetic interpretation of this space: “What I also find interesting is that everyone experiences and interprets a space/place differently. Two people could stand inside the Gibraltar Lighthouse, looking at the exactly the same view or feature and come away with completely different observations. I think it is what I love most about working in heritage and being able to carry out projects like these. I’m looking forward to seeing how those different perspectives come through in the poems.”
For the Trust’s Heritage Engagement Officer, the project offers the opportunity to encourage the community to engage with the Rock’s heritage.
“I would love to see the Gibraltar Lighthouse staircase filled with haiku written by visitors throughout the month the project is running,” she continues.
“I think there is something quite special about people not only visiting a heritage site, but also having the opportunity to contribute something of their own to its story. Beyond the installation itself, I hope the project encourages the wider community to engage with our heritage in a different way.”
Brielle stresses that, at the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, one of their aims is to make Gibraltar’s history and heritage more accessible, particularly through education, community involvement and finding new ways to tell the stories behind our historical sites.
She adds, emphasising the role of partnerships to advance the Trust’s aims: "Our Strategic Plan places a strong emphasis on creating educational opportunities for people of all ages, as well as working with other organisations to promote and celebrate Gibraltar’s heritage. Lines of Light brings these two aims together by introducing visitors to the Gibraltar Lighthouse’s history through a creative activity that anyone can take part in. Collaboration is also a really big part of this project. By linking Lines of Light with the Gibraltar Literary Festival, we are able to bring together two different areas of Gibraltar’s cultural life: literature and heritage. I think partnerships like these are valuable because they allow us to reach different audiences and share ideas.”
While some people might think that the Trust is solely engaged in preserving historical sites, Brille explains that the work she and her colleagues do is much wider: “The Trust’s work is not solely about protecting historic buildings, but it’s about keeping stories alive and making sure our history remains relevant to the community. Projects like this offer another way of doing that, particularly for those who might not normally engage with heritage activities. Ultimately, if Lines of Light encourages people to become more curious about our heritage and appreciate our surroundings, then I think that would be a lovely outcome.”
Those wanting to get involved in the haiku project do not have to be writers or poets or have any previous experience with haiku to take part.
“That’s one of the things I particularly like about this project,” she says.
“Anyone visit the Gibraltar Lighthouse during the project will have the opportunity to contribute. We will have specially designed Lines of Light cards available, along with a simple guide explaining what a haiku is, how to write one and an example to help get people started.”
The Gibraltar Lighthouse has open access from Monday to Saturday as from 10:30am to 1:30pm, and then guided tours are available on the following website www.gibraltarlighthouse.com
Visitors are encouraged to take a moment during their visit, find something that inspires them and write their own three-line poem. Once completed, their haiku can be handed in to a member of staff at the Gibraltar Lighthouse or the Marine Interpretation Centre and will then be added to the Lighthouse staircase, where it will form part of the growing installation. It is an activity that both adults and children can enjoy. Additionally, those who hold tickets for the Gibraltar Literary Festival can claim a 10% discount on tickets to access the Gibraltar Lighthouse during the week of the Gibraltar Literary Festival.
Lines of Light will launch on the 15th October and run until the 30th November 2026, giving visitors over a month to take part. Although the project has been developed to coincide with the Gibraltar Literary Festival, the Trust says it wanted it to continue beyond so that more people have the opportunity to contribute.
Brielle ends: “The installation will grow throughout the month, meaning there is always something new to read upon every visit and we hope to show that heritage is not just about preserving the past but also about creating meaningful connections with places, like the Gibraltar Lighthouse and Europa Point, in the present.”
