From a self-confessed guitar player
I was born back then in a Western Australia that would now be unrecognisable. The family moved around a lot following Dad, who knew that somewhere there was a fence whose other side really was greener. My favourite childhood place was Cockatoo Island in the Buccaneer Archipelago, north-west WA.
Finishing my compositor’s (typesetter) apprenticeship, I spent years travelling all over Australia and New Zealand, singing and working at everything from my trade to spruiking for sideshows to “seagulling” on NZ wharves. What you might describe as a misspent youth - and I loved every minute of it. Google my name for a bit more information.
I have always loved words and type, and rejoiced at the advent of desktop typesetting. The Mac made possible things with type that we could only dream about in the days of hot metal. I’ve never been able to work out precisely when I drifted into writing and editing. I always found writing. like reading, to be easy and enjoyable, so I suppose it was a natural progression.I’ve always been keen on pigeons - and animals of all sorts - and always kept them during settled periods of my life. I have a few in the backyard now - along with budgies, two Tenterfield terriers named Tim and Fred, and a galah named Woodrow W. Woody.
In the 1990s I married a US citizen from Michigan; we might go back there to live one day. She fell in love with Australia’s creatures - thanks to Steve Irwin - and has become a dedicated raiser of orphaned wildlife for release into the wild. Not bad for a thoroughly urban exec type.
Achievements: I made a collection of the folklore of “urban” Aboriginals in NSW, held at AIATSIS in Canberra, from which I published excerpts under the title You kids count your shadows; Hairymen and other Aboriginal folklore in New South Wales. It has been placed on two State Premiers’ recommended reading lists for children.
In the 80s I was filmed and recorded for the Australian National Library by the respected folklorist, the late John Meredith. Stills and notes from the collection were published as Real Folk.
Managing to survive my youth.
Name: Frank Povah
Gender: Male
Age: Indeterminate
Birthday: September 5
Status: Married
Hometown: Gingin WA
Industry: Print/Publishing
Occupation: Comp/Editor
Schools: Lots, all of bitter memory
Location: All over WA
Quotes: When the rich gather themselves together to discuss the affairs of the poor, it is called charity; when the poor gather to discuss the affairs of the rich, it is called anarchy.
There’s nothing cuter than a baby kangaroo.
New Reading: Many and varied
Musicians: Many. From Skip James to Sam McGee to Dick Justice to the Southern Jug Band to Ma Rainey
Travel Destination: The US fairly often; Canada: would love to visit Wales, Ireland and Germany and Mongolia and...
Things you may not wish to know
