I'll try to explain. The Mumfan isn't given out every year. It does get presented most years, but it's basically an award that is only presented when they feel they have someone worthy of it. And as you saw from Mynxii's reply, it's not an award for writing, art, video-editing, but for someone who makes a positive difference in people's lives, not through big things, but small individual acts of kindness to those in their community.
To be given the Mumfan means that you, just by being you, improved the lives of the people around you, and in your community, in countless small ways without ever expecting nor wanting any recognition for it.
The Silver Swan is given out even less often. Three times now, in thirty-three years, effectively. It's kind of like the Mumfan in that it's a recognition that you have made people's lives better for no reason other than you could, and goes beyond that to say that you have made fandom better by being yourself, by being a positive influence. And not just WA fandom, but Australian fandom as a whole.
Grant Stone has set up a university library of SF books and material, gotten SF on the ciriculum, has hosted a regular SF radio show since the 70's. He is not only a nationally important figure, he is known internationally for his work for SF fandom.
He is one of the founders of Swancon, and has even bailed out one Swancon by writing a cheque for their hotel deposit from his own bank account (if I remember the story correctly). He is welcoming of old friends and new fans alike, and is a solid part of the community. While not a writer, artist, or performer, the nearest fan you would know that I can think of that is comparable for having positively touched so many lives with his love and enthusiasm of the fan community is Ian Gunn.
Eidolon got the second Silver Swan. There are other Australian magazines that went longer, came out more regularly, and are better known. But Eidolon's dedication to quality set it apart from the majority. It launched and established many of the current leading lights of Australian SF, including people like Terry Dowling, Sean Williams, and Shaun Tan. That one of the editors now works for Locus in the US, thanks to the work on Eidolon, should give you an idea of how highly it is thought of. When it ended, some of the most powerful editors and writers in the international SF scene were sorry to see it go. The nearest equivalent currently in Australia is Borderlands - Ellen Datlow regularly hassles them wanting to know when the next issue will be out.
If I had been given the Mumfan I would have been incredibly moved and touched beyond words. It has more heart behind it that any other award I know of. I don't know, maybe you need to be West Australian to truly understand the significance of it. I do, but then again there's a reason I've called myself a Perth fan for over a decade now.
That I've been given the Silver Swan is completely overwhelming. In the Australian SF scene, while lesser known, it's up there in importance with the Peter McNamara and Chandler Awards. I'm still getting teary when I look at the certificate. It says that I haven't merely helped out a few people, but I've positively affected an entire community.
To me what it means, given the high quality of character and achievement of the previous recipients, is that I have a hell of a lot of work to do yet before I can feel truly worthy of it.
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To be given the Mumfan means that you, just by being you, improved the lives of the people around you, and in your community, in countless small ways without ever expecting nor wanting any recognition for it.
The Silver Swan is given out even less often. Three times now, in thirty-three years, effectively. It's kind of like the Mumfan in that it's a recognition that you have made people's lives better for no reason other than you could, and goes beyond that to say that you have made fandom better by being yourself, by being a positive influence. And not just WA fandom, but Australian fandom as a whole.
Grant Stone has set up a university library of SF books and material, gotten SF on the ciriculum, has hosted a regular SF radio show since the 70's. He is not only a nationally important figure, he is known internationally for his work for SF fandom.
He is one of the founders of Swancon, and has even bailed out one Swancon by writing a cheque for their hotel deposit from his own bank account (if I remember the story correctly). He is welcoming of old friends and new fans alike, and is a solid part of the community. While not a writer, artist, or performer, the nearest fan you would know that I can think of that is comparable for having positively touched so many lives with his love and enthusiasm of the fan community is Ian Gunn.
Eidolon got the second Silver Swan. There are other Australian magazines that went longer, came out more regularly, and are better known. But Eidolon's dedication to quality set it apart from the majority. It launched and established many of the current leading lights of Australian SF, including people like Terry Dowling, Sean Williams, and Shaun Tan. That one of the editors now works for Locus in the US, thanks to the work on Eidolon, should give you an idea of how highly it is thought of. When it ended, some of the most powerful editors and writers in the international SF scene were sorry to see it go. The nearest equivalent currently in Australia is Borderlands - Ellen Datlow regularly hassles them wanting to know when the next issue will be out.
If I had been given the Mumfan I would have been incredibly moved and touched beyond words. It has more heart behind it that any other award I know of. I don't know, maybe you need to be West Australian to truly understand the significance of it. I do, but then again there's a reason I've called myself a Perth fan for over a decade now.
That I've been given the Silver Swan is completely overwhelming. In the Australian SF scene, while lesser known, it's up there in importance with the Peter McNamara and Chandler Awards. I'm still getting teary when I look at the certificate. It says that I haven't merely helped out a few people, but I've positively affected an entire community.
To me what it means, given the high quality of character and achievement of the previous recipients, is that I have a hell of a lot of work to do yet before I can feel truly worthy of it.