Rapid fire talk fest comes to town

ALL SET: New Rags Market owner and curator, Abbie McCall, renowned landscape painter Jane Sinclair, and Toi Wairarapa co-ordinator and pecha kucha co-host Mena Antonio. PHOTO/SUPPLIED.

Pecha Kucha is coming to Wairarapa for the first time.

No, it's not a person with an unusual name - Pecha Kucha means "chit-chat", the Japanese phrase for the sound of talking, and is also a type of presentation.

Instead of a stock standard lecture, it is a rapid-fire visual style of presenting where speakers have 20 slides and 20 seconds to talk about each slide.

As part of the Kokomai creative festival, almost 15 forward-thinking locals will take up the Pecha Kucha challenge on Labour Day.

"I think it will be more challenging than what it seems," said Mena Antonio, Pecha Kucha co-host and Toi Wairarapa co-ordinator.

The total speaking time of six minutes, 40 seconds belies the challenge it brings, she said.

"It will be especially challenging for seasoned presenters.

"They can't stop it, it's like a choreography, it's a visual and verbal choreography," Mrs Antonio said.

There will be a range of speakers including photographers, artists, foodies, designers, musicians, writers and bloggers.

Moon over Martinborough blogger Jared Guilan and musician Warren Maxwell are just two who will speak at the Carterton Events Centre, where the Pecha Kucha night will be held.

One of the speakers, Jane Sinclair, a renowned landscape painter, has never done this style of presentation before.

"It's great way to talk about what you do.

She said she wasn't sure if she wanted to speak in front of hundreds of people but her experience as a teacher gave her confidence.

School kids are a tough audience, Miss Sinclair said.

She said as an artist, it can be difficult articulating what she does, especially in the Pecha Kucha format.

The Pecha Kucha night is on October 25 For details see www.kokomai.co.nz/programme/pechakucha