PARROT FEVER (in Belfast)

PARROT FEVER - a mobile audio story in two cities

Words & voice by Emily DeDakis | Sound & production by John D'Arcy

After the disappearance (and possible kidnapping) of her English colleague, a U.S. photojournalist navigates a city that feels suddenly less familiar.

Follow in the photojournalist's steps and eavesdrop on imagined conversations with her lost colleague.

Along the way, she quotes from her colleague’s journalism bible ‘Parrot Fever: Bylaws for the Aspiring Journalists’, pithy directives about cultivating sources, trust, learning where you belong and learning your craft.

This mobile audio story is told in seven parts, each planted at a special location.

This version, PARROT FEVER (in Belfast), locates each part of the story to a place in Belfast. If you are in Beirut, search the Echoes app for PARROT FEVER (in Beirut) and explore the same story across locations in that city.

Story locations are marked by the blue shapes on the map. Get a hint of the content at a location point by tapping on its marker on the map.

Please listen through headphones and turn on your phone's WiFi to help improve your location accuracy. Download the walk’s audio in advance to prevent issues with mobile data streaming.

Take good care whilst navigating the streets. Be mindful of traffic and fellow pedestrians, and be careful when crossing roads.

“For what we see is what we are, for eyes are a projector not only a viewer, for whatever we photograph we always lose.” - Noir Barakat (@noirbarakat)

The events and characters of PARROT FEVER are entirely imagined. The story exists out of time and in both of the two cities that inspired it - Beirut & Belfast. Emily is a U.S. native & longtime resident of Belfast. She’s the daughter of a journalist and as a young child was keenly aware of the kidnapping of Associated Press reporter Terry Anderson (1947-2024). Anderson was held hostage in Beirut from 1985-1991 and passed away during the writing of this audio story in April 2024.

PARROT FEVER is dedicated to members of the press across the world, recognising the dangers they face - especially native journalists of Gaza and Lebanon, currently under direct attack. Learn more and support the Committee to Protect Journalists: cpj.org

PARROT FEVER is a companion piece to the film installation ‘to the wire’ (Hosta Projects).

Commissioned by NI Mental Health Arts Festival & Hosta Projects.

If you have any questions or feedback about this Echoes audio walk experience please contact John D'Arcy (j.darcy@qub.ac.uk)