RHODES

POETRY

RETREAT

Luka Lesson is a spoken word and rap artist of Greek heritage from Australia. On his fathers' side - his Grandfather, Great-grandfather and Great-uncle all migrated to Australia from the village of Monolithos on the island of Rhodes in 1938. His Grandmother Anastasia also migrated from Rhodes, but in 1948, from the village of Paradisi.

Since discovering the power of storytelling through Hip-hop in his teenage years, Luka proceeded to both write rap music, as well as study Anthropology and Indigenous Studies at The University of Queensland. During these years Luka caught himself some early radio play on Triple J's Hip-hop Show, began to teach Hip-hop workshops in schools and busk on the streets of Brisbane on weekends for extra practice.

Soon after completing his degree, Luka discovered Slam Poetry, moved to Melbourne and eventually won the Australian Poetry Slam, the Melbourne Poetry Slam and the Greens Poetry Slam between 2010 & 2011. After years of touring as a full-time poet, his love of history and culture, as well as his love of oral traditions lead him to understand the significance of poetry within his own culture and he began a process of reinvigorating mythological and philosophical texts and breathe new life into ancient voices.

Currently, Luka is working with Sydney Conservatorium composer James Humberstone on a Hip-Hop and poetry re-interpretation of the Homeric epic: "The Odyssey" named Odysseus Live. Last year, his research for this project took him to Athens, where he studied with experts on the details of Homeric history and The Odyssey itself.

While in Greece, Luka conducted his first ever writers' retreat in his Grandfather's village of Monolithos - bringing his story full-circle. With over 10 years of experience in teaching his craft in schools, universities and poetry events around the world, Luka hopes the Rhodes Poetry Retreat will become a regular way of not only supporting poets who wish to improve their craft but also of supporting the people of his grandparents' village as they traverse the difficulties of rebuilding their lives from a devastating economic crisis.