Robin Skelton is a looming presence for Malahat editors Barton and Batchelor
By Maria Lironi
Did you know that Canada’s leading literary journal is published at UVic?
The Malahat Review, launched here in 1967, has been a major influence on Canada’s literary landscape for four decades. Named after the sacred mountain of the Malahat First Nation, The Malahat Review has evolved over the years from a European tradition of belles lettres to become a forum for mainly Canadian poetry and short fiction. Published quarterly by UVic, it also features reviews of new books by Canadians.
Award-winning Canadian and international writers regularly grace its pages. Each year Canada’s best short stories are published in Journey Prize Stories, an anthology of selected magazine fiction submitted to the annual $10,000 McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. Six Malahat writers have won Journey Prizes over the years and Malahat stories have appeared in 17 of the 19 editions of the anthology.
In 2003, Malahat won the Western Magazine Award for fiction for the sixth time. It is also a three-time winner of the Magazine of the Year award. Malahat poems and stories have won 17 National Magazine Awards and, in 2000, Malahat writer Mary Swan won the prestigious O. Henry Prize.
From Oct. 10 to 14, Malahat invites you to celebrate its 40th year by marking the legacy of Robin Skelton, its late co-founder. Known internationally as a poet, editor, and publisher, Skelton was key to establishing UVic’s Department of Writing, Special Collections at McPherson Library and The Malahat Review. John Peter, a UVic English professor, was his co-editor until 1971. Skelton published over 100 books of poetry, fiction, criticism, and history, and was a renowned collector of art and a collagist. He inspired countless UVic students who went on to successful writing careers, including Marilyn Bowering, Rhonda Batchelor, Theresa Kishkan, David Day, Harold Rhenisch and Neile Graham. When he died in 1997, Skelton left a legacy of cultural excitement still relevant today.
“For me, being the Malahat’s editor is a homecoming, as I was Robin’s student more than 20 years ago,” says John Barton, a poet and former editor of Ottawa’s poetry journal, Arc. “I think Malahat still fulfills Robin’s original goal to publish the best of the country’s writing alongside the best from elsewhere.”
The 40th-anniversary issue (#160, Fall 2007), which is a Skelton tribute, contains new writing by the late poet and poetry, articles, memoirs, stories and reviews by 40 writers from five countries.
During its October celebrations to mark Skelton’s achievements, the journal is hosting a series of events including a launch party for the issue, a talk by writer Robert Bringhurst, readings by seven celebrated BC poets, and a puppet, spoken-word, and video extravaganza. For details visit www.malahatreview.ca.
UVic is raising funds to set up an annual scholarship in Robin and Sylvia Skelton’s memory that will be given to a Faculty of Fine Arts student. To donate, contact Karen Walker at 721-6305 or kmwalker@uvic.ca.
|
|
