Gamagori-Gisborne Photo Competition closes April 17

Just as Gisborne might be known as a small seaside town on the East Coast of New Zealand, our sister port, Gamagori is referred to as a small resort town on the west coast of Japan. Though it is small by Japanese standards, Gamagori’s population easily dwarfs that of its sister port. On the surface the two places share a few other similarities, such as the importance of the timber trade to their economies, a preference for leisurely pursuits such as fishing and shell fish gathering, as well as both being blessed with fertile soil. However the similarities may just end about there.

Rather than stopping to buy their citrus on the side of the road on the way home from work, the people of Gamagori will visit Orange Park where they can for the equivalent of $NZ15 or so, pick sweet, fresh strawberries, melons, grapes, and mandarin oranges all year round, and for no extra cost take a melon home.
Photos shot by people in Gamagori and sent to Gisborne annually for the Gisborne Gamagori Sister Port Photo Competition likewise reveal other striking differences between the two places. A summer’s day at the beach in Gamagori is shared by hundreds of people, splashing and frolicking in a very close proximity; and rather than surfboards, giant carts are hauled around the waters edge by men in traditional dress in aid of the Gamagori Festival.
The Photo Competition between the sister ports provides an opportunity for both communities to gain a visual understanding of the similarities and differences between the two places and our cultures, as well as encouraging us to look at our respective hometowns with fresh eyes.

We can try our hand at being critics as we vote on the photographs sent from Gamagori, and there are $440 worth of photographic vouchers up for grabs by those who enter their photos in the Gisborne competition, thanks to Port Gisborne and Stephens Photo Plus.

This years theme is Positively Poverty Bay - interpret that as you will, and get clicking. Entry is free, pick up an entry form from customer services at the Gisborne District Council or Stephens Photoplus from March 29. Submitted photographs must be 12 by 8 inches and may be digital or film. Drop them off with a completed entry form to customer services at the Gisborne District Council by 4pm April 17.