Ibizology Will Beacham

For this episode I travel high into the hills above San Vicente to meet the author, environmental activist and film director Rebecca Frayn who has just published Lost in Ibiza. This is a novel about climate change, family dynamics and the different tribes of people who inhabit this island. We talk about the book and explore other Ibiza-related projects Rebecca is involved with.

Emma Salahi is co-producer of a new Ibiza photobook featuring the work of the famous Spanish photographer Oriol Maspons. He visited Ibiza from the 1950’s to the 1980’s and captured the essence of the hedonistic side of the 1980’s, as well as the traditional side of island life. Emma sifted through 500 of Oriol’s images to choose a selection which are full of humour, fun and laughter. Emma also runs the Ibiza-based art gallery Agony and Ecstasy.

With Ibiza being such an important trans-Mediterranean trading post since the Phoenicians set foot on the island, the seas around the island contain a real treasure trove of ship wrecks. Marine archaeologist Enrique Aragon spends much of his time exploring the area and in this interview reveals how important these remains are for our understanding our island’s history. His work also shows how Ibiza was part of a sophisticated trading system stretching from the UK to North Africa and the Middle East.

'Voyage and Discovery' by Conor O'Brien is an account of the sailor and travel-writer's journey by boat to the White Isle where they moored up in Ibiza harbour for almost a year in 1932. His vivid descriptions of town and country life, as well as the landscapes of the island, are quite riveting. Ibiza's Barbary Press has just brought out a new edition of the book and in this episode I'm joined by publisher Martin Davies. You can meet Martin and other distinguished speakers at the official launch: 7.30pm on 20 December at Sa Nostra Sala, Carrer d’Arago 17, Ibiza Town.

Regular Ibizology listeners will, by now, be very familiar with the Ibizology intro/outro music. This haunting music was recorded in the 1950’s in Ibiza by the American ethnomusicologist, Alan Lomax. My guest in this episode of Ibizology is the editor of Alan’s Spanish collection of folkloric music. She has developed a deep understanding of Ibiza’s traditional music and how it fits into the family of folk music around the world.

For almost 100 years Ibiza’s club Nautico has stood in the city’s harbour, not far from the Formentera ferry terminal.
The club, an institution much-loved by Ibicencos, has seen the area around it transformed, modernized and commercialized in tandem with much of the rest of the island.
Now the same powerful forces which have altered so much of Ibiza are circling this place. Plans have been drawn up which could see the club close and this last bastion of traditional Ibiza in the port, crushed to make way for more millionaires.
For this special episode of Ibizology I visited the offices of club Nautico to meet Vicent Canals Riera, the club’s director general. Martin Davies - the original Ibizologist - translates my questions into Spanish and Vicent’s answers back to English.
Please come to Club Nautico at 730pm on Friday 9 December for Pirate Island, a celebration of boats, books and buccaneers from the Phoenicians to Club Nautico. Martin will be speaking along with some other experts. €10 entry on the door.