writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM – finding home PROGRAM 17 –20 SEP 2015 OLIVE PINK BOTANIC GARDEN,

ntwriters.com.au 1 The NT Writers’ Centre brings you

EYE OF THE STORM in Alice Springs, and

WORDSTORM in Darwin on alternate years. We also offer year-round workshops, talks and opportunities for writers at all stages of their craft, including residencies and mentorships.

Membership is $55/$45 conc. per year Darwin 08 8941 2651 Alice Springs 08 8952 3810 [email protected] www.ntwriters.com.au

NT Writers’ Centre Executive Directors – Sally Bothroyd and Michelle Crowther Eye of the Storm Creative Producer – Dani Powell Assistant Program Coordinator – Fiona Dorrell Production Team – Rob Hoad, Cy Starkman, Kristy Schubert, Eye of the Storm would like to Aaron Fredric acknowledge the Alice Springs Office as the traditional owners of the Ph 08 8952 3810 land we are meeting on, Mparntwe, [email protected] Alice Springs. CONTENTS – WELCOME 3 writers’ festival EYE OF THE CONTENTS STORM WELCOME 3 TICKETS 4 WELCOME FINDING HOME 5 Welcome to Eye of the Storm 2015. FEATURE EVENTS 6 As Minister for Arts and Museums, THURSDAY 8 I am delighted to support the Eye FRIDAY 9 of the Storm writers’ festival in Alice SATURDAY 11 Springs, presented by the Northern PROGRAM PLANNER 16 Territory Writers’ Centre. SUNDAY 18 The Eye of the Storm celebrates the WORKSHOP PROGRAM 21 tradition of storytelling located in Alice Springs and connects the WRITERS & with the writing STORYTELLERS 23 community across Australia. This Festival is an important oppor- tunity for writers to gather, celebrate their craft, and share ideas and stories in the culturally rich centre of Australia. It is the Northern Territory’s contribution to the national conversation about “Finding Home”. The Northern Territory Government is very proud to provide support of $165 000 per annum to the Writers’ Centre to develop and showcase contemporary Northern Territory writing. I invite you to enjoy every minute of Gary Higgins this very special event. Minister for Arts and Museums CONTENTS – WELCOME 3 Welcome delegates to 2015 NT Writers’ Festival – the Eye of the Storm. It’s with pleasure that I welcome delegates to this festival as it’s great to see people come to Alice Springs and be inspired by our fantastic land- scapes. It’s also great to see local tal- ent showcased and have locals learn traditional to the contemporary. It’s from locals. So I congratulate the NT important to have and to cultivate Writers’ Centre who have organised creativity in our community, as it this event, they have ensured an im- is helps us to both preserve and pressive program filled with talented celebrate our culture and diversity. writers to engage our imagination. I hope you enjoy your time at the In Alice we have a thriving creative festival and in Alice Springs. arts scene. It’s made up of many Damien Ryan different genres and forms, from the Mayor, Alice Springs

Tickets ONLINE: ntwriters.com.au IN PERSON: Red Kangaroo Books, or at Festival until sold out. (Of Cows, Women and War online only.) All events have limited capacity so pre-book to avoid disappointment. SPECIAL OFFERS – online only NTWC Member Festival Pass All events (except From Alice to Mpartnwe & Walking, Writing and Ways of Seeing) $150 Non Member Offers: Official Festival Book Seller Become NTWC member and get 79 Todd Mall, 9am-5.30pm week days 1x panel free. $55/$45 conc. and 9am-3pm weekends and pop-up shop at OPBG during Festival 3 x Panels and Presentations $35 www.redkangaroobooks.comwriters’ festival EYE OF THE STORM2 x Night PROGRAM Events $35 2015 TICKETS – FINDING HOME 5 Finding Home When I came on board to develop the Eye of the Storm this year I picked up the threads of conversations, meet- ings, early planning and thinking that had been undertaken by the outgoing These questions are what we hope to Executive Director of NT Writers’ stimulate through this festival, to give Panos Couros, last year in consulta- focus to thinking and reading and tion with a group of local writers conversation over these four days and passionate about this place and the beyond. stories and writing that comes from it Alice Springs, or Mparntwe, is home by those who live here and those who to the Arrernte people and this was have traveled through. foremost in my mind as I developed I embraced the theme of Finding this program. I hope you can come Home, a theme both evocative and to some of the events where home provocative. Themes of home and be- is considered particularly from the longing and the search for sanctuary perspective of Aboriginal people filter through so much of the literature in this region, such as Doris Stuart of our time as people migrate, or are Kngwarreye’s exclusive tour through forced to move on account of conflict, her homeland, Mparntwe, on Friday dispossession or poverty. For some or book talks by Veronica Dobson and this has meant homelessness while Margaret Heffernan, on Saturday others see themselves belonging to morning following a session featuring an international community without writers and storytellers of the region – borders, a community enriched by Apmere Ngura Ngurra Ngurraji Home. digital publishing. I hope you can start with these special Where indeed is home? Is it the place events as a foundation for this Eye of of our ancestors, the house we grew the Storm festival and join with local up, or more a state of being where and guest writers and storytellers on the seeking stops and one is finally at the journey of Finding Home. home in the world? Of course there Dani Powell is no answer, only perspectives. Creative Producer, Eye of the Storm writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 TICKETS – FINDING HOME 5 Of Cows, Women and War Feature Performance events Of Cows, Women and War was written From Alice to Mparntwe by Ajak Kwai and Bagryana Popov, Guided tour of Arrernte country based on the unpublished book by Alice Springs is built on Arrernte Ajak Kwai, with music written by country, at a place called Mparntwe, Kwai. The stories touch on all the belonging to the Mparntwe-arenye areas of Dinka people’s lives before people. and during the war in Sudan. Stories Doris Stuart Kngwarreye, Apmereke- of landscapes and courting rituals, of artwye for Mparntwe, would like to family tradition and pride. Stories of invite you as writers and storytellers to forced marriage, and why cows are a join her on a guided tour, through her curse for girls. Stories of loss, and the homeland, Mparntwe. high price women and children pay Cost: Priceless. Kngwarreye sees these in war. tours as part of her sacred duty of Performed by Ajak Kwai looking after country and feels that Director/Dramaturg: setting any price for this experience Bagryana Popov will cheapen it. However any dona- Music by Elliott Folvig tions will be gratefully accepted and and King Marong will be used to cover costs and to assist Designed by Doris and her families to continue to Adrienne Chisolm live and work for their country. Assistant Director: Writing: Participants are asked to Bridget Balodis respond with writing to be read in Image by Nik Harrison October at Watch this Space artist- run contemporary gallery. Come and taste Mogahid’s This tour will depart from the Alice delicious zalabia (Sudanese Springs Public Library following Ellen donuts) before the show van Neerven’s book talk. from 5.45pm at the Gazebo.

Depart Alice Springs Public Library Olive Pink Botanic Garden (outdoors) Friday 18 Sep Saturday 19 Sep 1.30pm-4pm 6pm for 6.30pm start-7.30pm By donation $45/$40 NTWC/conc Limited capacity. Bookings essential. Limited capacity. Bookings essential. ntwriters.com.au ntwriters.com.au

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 FEATURE EVENTS 7 Walking, Writing and Ways country which may begin to build a of Seeing sense of the Centre’s multi-layered A walk along the Todd River history: the landscape of the totemic Walking in nature has been variously ancestors, its settlement through con- appreciated and embraced as stress- flict, the river’s desert ecology, and a relieving, spiritual and inspiring. But generation lost. walking can also be a cultural act, Through the act of walking, and even political, and its role in how we your writing of it, you may find your perceive our world is profound. For own way into this unique part of things look different at 4km an hour. Australia, and yourself. This workshop considers walking The walk will be lead by Dr Glenn and writing as a fresh way of seeing Morrison – a journalist and author and producing places through text. living in Alice Springs since 1998, It encourages writers to slow down, Glenn has recently completed a PhD to let walking help shed the usual about walking and ideas of frontier filters through which we see, and to and home in the literature of Central perceive the world anew. Australia. This guided walk will follow the Todd River for 4 kms along its shady banks Sunday 20 Sept from the CBD to the historic Alice 8am-11am Springs Telegraph Station. Along the $45/$40 NTWC/conc way four local writers – Linda Wells, Limited capacity. Bookings essential. Dr Veronica Dobson, Dr Peter Latz ntwriters.com.au and Pat Ansell-Dodds – will each More information upon booking. offer a particular perspective of the

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 FEATURE EVENTS 7 Thursday The Dirty Word Night This year The Dirty Word Event 17 September plays host to the Alice Springs heats of the Australia Poetry Slam! Festival Opening Two minutes, just you, no props, one Gather before the sun goes down mic … your chance to tell it how it is. at Olive Pink Botanic Garden to The winner will fly to Sydney to open the 2015 Eye of the Storm represent the arid zone in the writers’ festival. Be welcomed to Australian Poetry Slam finals at the Arrernte country by Pat Ansell- Sydney Opera House. Dodds and hear writers from the festival line-up read short pieces on The Dirty Word provides a platform the festival theme ‘Finding Home’. for all poets and people, storytellers Featuring Candy Royalle, Ali Cobby and strangers to come together and Eckermann, Maureen Nampijimpa hear each other tell poems, stories, O’Keefe, Michael Mohammed truths and laughs. Ahmad, Rod Moss, Kim Mahood Everyone is welcome at The Dirty and Jo Dutton, with music by local Word. Come on down and share singer/songwriter Catherine Satour your story! and special guest Sudanese singer, Contact Laurie May at songwriter and storyteller Ajak Kwai. [email protected] for more information. Olive Pink Botanic Garden (OPBG) 5.30pm - 7pm Totem Theatre, Anzac Oval Reserve Free 8pm sign up for 8.30pm prompt start $10/$5 NTWC/conc

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 THURSDAY – FRIDAY 9 Friday 18 September

From Alice to Mparntwe Guided tour of Arrernte country See Feature Events (p.6).

Depart Alice Springs Public Library 1.30pm-4pm Limited capacity. Bookings essential ntwriters.com.au

Public Library program

Thursday 17 September Creative Book Making combining writing and visual elements – Diane Lucas. Ages 6-12. 3.30pm-5pm Free Bookings required Book talk – Ellen van Neerven Heat and Light Friday 18 September Ellen van Neerven is a Yugambeh Baby Rhyme Time with author writer living in Brisbane. Her short Diane Lucas. Diane Lucas will lead story collection Heat and Light won the this special presentation of Baby 2013 David Unaipon Award and was Rhyme Time based on her own shortlisted for the 2015 Stella Prize, songs and stories for babies. For the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, parents and babies aged 0-2. and the Dobbie Literary Award. 10.15am-10.45am 12pm-1pm Free Free No bookings required No bookings required writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 THURSDAY – FRIDAY 9 Friday sets, the wine bar opens and a stellar 18 September line-up of poets from the Centre Book launch – Meg Mooney and festival guests reflect on home, Being Martha’s Friend country, identity and place. Meg’s third poetry collection is about Bar open from 5.45pm. friendship and belonging, and coun- try and time. The collection focuses Bean Tree café, Olive Pink on Meg’s friendships with Aboriginal 6pm-7.30pm people from remote communities in $20/$15 NTWC/conc Central Australia, and trips out bush with these people. Mix tape memoirs Night Emerging Writers’ Festival are Event bringing back the memories with the hugely popular Mixtape Memoirs. Hear six writers – Ellena Savage, Sophie Allan, Dea Anugrah, Celestine Rowe, Leni Shilton, Kelly-Lee Hickey – reflect on ‘Music from Home’ and mull over the music that defines them. From lullabies to high school graduation songs, wedding waltzes to the musical Gallery, Olive Pink Botanic Garden soundtrack the whole family knew 4.30pm-5.30pm by heart, these brilliant writers will Free share the soundtracks of their lives. Join us for a night of performances The Poetics of Night and music, and learn about where Place and Home Event these writers came from, and how Poetry readings their defining musical memories have Let accomplished musicians Michelle shaped who they are today. Goodwin and Bec Matthews set the Totem Theatre, Anzac Oval Reserve scene and stir the air with cello and 8.30pm-10pm kora (African harp) while the sun $20/$15 NTWC/conc

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SATURDAY 11 Weekend Program All daytime events at Olive Pink Botanic Garden (OPBG) Tuncks Rd

Saturday 19 September

Apmere Ngura Ngurra Book Talks: Veronica Dobson Ngurraji Home & Margaret Heffernan Presentation This special session features read- Alice Springs or Mparntwe is on the ings from the published writings traditional country of the Arrernte of Veronica Dobson: Arelhe-Kenhe people who are connected through Merrethene: Arrernte Traditional Healing kinship and ceremony with Aborigi- and Anpernirrentye Kin and Skin – Talk- nal people throughout the region. ing about family in Arrernte (with John Join with Aboriginal people to listen Henderson, IAD Press, 2013), as to stories of Central Australia – old well as the recently completed sup- stories remembered and new stories ported autobiography of Margaret written – and to hear about what Heffernan. Both respected Arrernte home means to them. Including elders, linguists and educators, their writers Sylvia Neale and Margaret stories rekindle the spirit and provide Kemarre Turner, and stories from wisdom and inspiration to everyone contributors to the recent Central who wants to better understand the Land Council book Every Hill Got a complexity of living in contemporary Story, Christobel Swan, Rene Kulitja, Central Australia. Meg Mooney and Rosemary Plummer Narrurlu and Franny Coughlan will support this more. session. MC: Josie Douglas

Gazebo, OPBG Gazebo, OPBG 9.30am-10.45am 10.45am-11.30am $15/$10 NTWC/conc Free

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SATURDAY 11 Saturday Exhibition – Joshua Santospirito, 19 September Yankunytjatjara Wangka Project Yankunytjatjara Artwork from the children’s books Wangka Project illustrated by Joshua Santospirito will Multimedia presentation be displayed throughout the festival Join us for a special multimedia on the Gallery walls at Olive Pink presentation and reading of child- Botanic Garden as well as the Alice rens’ books in the Yankunytjatjara Springs Pubic Library. language, recently revitalised by the artwork of Joshua Santospirito. The Yankunytjatjara Wangka Project, in collaboration with the Mimili Anangu School, Mimili Maku Art Centre and the Mobile Language Team, has been striving since 2012 to maintain the Yankunytjatjara language of the Western Desert region by working closely with senior Yankunytjatjara speakers to record the language and build it into the school. The Yankunytjatjara Wangka Project has developed great resources such Book Talks: Deeper Water as a website – wapar.com.au – and Jessie Cole & Nona and Me the books you will see today. The Clare Atkins project hopes to continue up-skilling Described by the Australian as ‘a fine language teachers in the classroom and elegantly written novel from an to utilise the resources and build on impressive writer’ Deeper Water is the their language skills. story of a young woman awakening to the untold possibilities of life and love after she saves a stranger from a Gallery, OPBG raging creek and takes him into her 11.45am-12.15pm family home where they must stay Free until the waters recede.

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SATURDAY 13 Nona and Me is a young adult novel Making Home/ about a fifteen-year-old growing Making Visible up in the remote NT community Presentation/Panel discussion of Yirrkala, who finds herself torn Writing and storytelling give us between her Aboriginal sister and portholes into the lives of others, her new friends in the nearby mining enabling us to venture outside the town of Nhulunbuy. margins and into new terrain. This presentation looks at two programs working to make visible the people, places, concerns, that reside in the fringes, and off the beaten literary track. Join members of SWEAT- SHOP, housed at the University of Western Sydney, to hear about the literary work emerging from their ground-breaking programs and Ellen van Neerven who will talk about black&write! – a bold, inspiring na- tional project designed to nurture tal- ent, flex the creative imagination and change the landscape of Indigenous writing in Australia. Ellen van Neerven Luke Carman Michael Mohammed Ahmad Peter Polites Chair: Jo Dutton Gazebo, OPBG Gazebo, OPBG 12.30pm-1.30pm 1.45pm-2.45pm Free $15/$10 NTWC/conc

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SATURDAY 13 Saturday as he takes us through a series of 19 September paintings about life here that find Drawing Story resonance with a series of Western Presentation/Panel discussion masterpieces. Join us for a multimedia extravan- ganza of visual narratives, featuring Rod Moss writer/artists whose works weave Jan Bauer together time, place and history Joshua Santospirito from the everyday. We’re delighted Craig San Roque to launch Joshua Santospirito’s new graphic novella, Swallows – a story of migration and the mapping of stories in our landscapes and cities, and revisit his previous graphic novel The Long Weekend in Alice Springs with Craig san Roque.

Gallery, OPBG 3pm-4.15pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc

Book launch Inside My Mother Ali Cobby Don’t miss the graphic reading of Eckermann & The Burning Elephant German artist Jan Bauer’s stun- Christopher Raja ning debut novel The Salty River – an autobiographical comic book about Announcing two exciting new titles a 450 km walk along the Larapinta from Giramondo Publishing. Trail and on to Yuendumu – and an Inside My Mother is the new poetry unexpected love story . . . And follow collection from prize-winning the narrative trail of award-winning Yankunytjatjara/Kokatha poet Ali local writer and artist Rod Moss Cobby Eckermann – ‘both a political

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SATURDAY 15 and personal collection, angry and Of Cows, Women Night tender, propelled by the need to and War Event remember’ (Readings). Performance The Burning Elephant is the debut novel See Feature Events (p.6) of Christopher Raja, which tells of the tensions in a family against the OPBG backdrop of the social tensions in 6pm for 6.30pm start-7.30pm India before and after the assassination Limited capacity. Bookings essential. of Indira Gandhi and the violence ntwriters.com.au that leads to migration to Australia.

Rooftop Rants Night and Readings Event A special late-night festival edition on the rooftop of Epilogue featuring Sweatshop writers Peter Polites and Luke Carman, and short readings from Kim Mahood, Ellen van Neerven and Jessie Cole, local spoken word performer Steve Hodder Watt and performance poet extraordinaire Candy Royalle. All of this mixed with steel string and clas- sical guitar and the soulful harmonies of Dion and Jonathan from Apakat- jah playing original acoustic desert music. With a finale appearance by Ajak Kwai and Elliott Folvig from Of Cows, Women and War to take you through the roof – if there was one. Food and drinks available.

Bean Tree café, OPBG Epilogue Lounge, upstairs 4.30pm-5.30pm 8.30pm-10.30pm Free $20/$15 NTWC/conc writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SATURDAY 15 FRIDAY 18 SEP writers’ festival Baby Rhyme Time Diane Lucas PROGRAM Alice Springs Public Library No bookings required. PLANNER 10.15am-10.45am Free Author talk – Ellen van Neerven Heat and Light VENUES 12pm-1pm Free Alice Springs Public Library cnr Leichhardt Tce & Gregory Tce From Alice to Mparntwe Guided tour of Arrernte country Olive Pink Botanic Garden (OPBG) Alice Springs Public Library Tuncks Rd 1.30pm-4.00pm Bookings required. Totem Theatre Wills Tce, Anzac Oval Reserve Book launch Meg Mooney Epilogue Lounge Gallery, OPBG 1/58 Todd St (Todd mall) 4.30pm-5.30pm Free Monte’s cnr Todd St & Stott Tce The Poetics of Place and Home Poetry readings THURSDAY 17 SEP Bean Tree café, OPBG Creative Book Making 6pm-7.30pm $20/$15 NTWC/conc Diane Lucas Mixtape Memoirs Alice Springs Public Library Emerging Writers’ Festival event Bookings required. Totem Theatre 3.30pm-5pm Free 8.30pm-10pm $20/$15 NTWC/conc Festival Opening Olive Pink Botanic Garden 5.30pm-7pm Free Workshops The Dirty Word Workshop Program Sat-Sun pp.21-22 Totem Theatre Bookings essential: ntwriters.com.au 8pm sign up/8.30pm start $10/$5 NTWC/conc

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 PROGRAM PLANNER 17 SATURDAY 19 SEP SUNDAY 20 SEP Apmere Ngura Ngurra Ngurraji Walking, Writing and Ways Home of Seeing Presentation A walk along the Todd River Gazebo, OPBG 8.00am-11.00am $45/$40 NTWC/conc 9.30am-10.45am $15/$10 NTWC/conc Bookings essential: ntwriters.com.au Book Talks: Veronica Dobson & Emerging Writers’ Festival Margaret Heffernan breakfast Gazebo, OPBG Bean Tree café, OPBG 10.45am-11.30am Free 8.30am-9.30am Free Yankunytjatjara Wangka Project Home Truths Multimedia presentation Panel Gallery, OPBG Gazebo, OPBG 11.45am-12.15pm Free 9.45am-11.00am $15/$10 NTWC/conc Book Talks: Jessie Cole & Finding Home and Healing Clare Atkins Panel Gazebo, OPBG Gazebo, OPBG 12.30pm-1.30pm Free 11.15-12.30pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc Making Home/Making Visible Book Talks: Lorna Hendry & Presentation/Panel discussion Mark MacLean Gazebo, OPBG Gazebo, OPBG 1.45pm-2.45pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc 12.45pm-1.45pm Free Drawing Story Sunday Shorts – Akeyulerre Presentation Gallery, OPBG Gallery, OPBG 12.45pm-2pm Free 3pm-4.15pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc Walking Home Book launch Panel Ali Cobby Eckermann & Gazebo, OPBG Christopher Raja 2pm-3.30pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc Bean Tree café, OPBG Leaving Home 4.30pm-5.30pm Free Gazebo, OPBG Of Cows, Women and War 3.45pm-5pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc Performance LitKwiz, Last Words, Last Drinks OPBG Closing night event 6pm for 6.30pm start-7.30pm Monte’s $45/$40 NTWC/conc 7.00pm-late Bookings essential: ntwriters.com.au $25/$20 NTWC/conc Rooftop Rants and Readings Epilogue Lounge, upstairs 8.30pm-10.30pm $20/$15 NTWC/conc writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 PROGRAM PLANNER 17 Sunday Home Truths Panel discussion 20 September What part does writing play in how we see a place and what is the Walking, Writing and Ways responsibility of the writer in this of Seeing: process of place-making? What is A walk along the Todd River the difference between writing as an See Feature Events (p.7). outsider and writing from the inside? Journalists, scriptwriters, novelists, Bookings essential. poets: who is telling the home truths 8.00am-11.00am and how exactly are they doing it? Limited capacity. Bookings essential. ntwriters.com.au Kim Mahood Clare Atkins Emerging Writers’ Festival Steve Hodder Watt breakfast Bob Gosford Meet other emerging writers for Chair: Rohan Barwick breakfast at the Bean Tree Café to Gazebo, OPBG talk about your work, hear about 9.45am-11am publishing ideas and publications, $15/$10 NTWC/conc review last night’s show and readings … Meet the crew from Finding Home and Healing the Emerging Writers’ Festival and Panel discussion the writers they’ve brought to Alice. Many writers and storytellers have Buy your own breaky and the Bean spoken about home as a healing Tree Café will give you a free coffee. place but what if home cannot be All welcome. recovered or returned to? In this session writers talk about the experi- Bean Tree café, OPBG ence of dislocation, dispossession and 8.30am-9.30am displacement from home and ask, Free can a sense of home be rebuilt?

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SUNDAY 19 Ajak Kwai Sunday Shorts – Akeyulerre Kruger family/Gerard Waterford Short films showing the activities Christopher Raja of Akeylerre Inc, a local service de- Ali Cobby Eckermann veloped by Aboriginal people to ac- Chair: Penny Drysdale knowledge and promote Indigenous knowledge, practice and expertise Gazebo, OPBG recognised as being integral to the 11.15am-12.30pm well being of the community. Story- $15/$10 NTWC/conc tellers and writers from Akeyulerre will be reading at ‘Apmere Ngura Book Talks: Wrong Way Ngurra Ngurraji Home’ (see p.11). Round Lorna Hendry & Five Boxes Mark MacLean Gallery, OPBG Wrong Way Round is the story of a 12.45pm-2pm family who packed their lives into a Free camper trailer and took off around Australia for a three-year adventure. Walking Home Five Boxes is a book about digging Panel discussion through the contents of his teenage What is it to find a place on foot? To bedroom thirty years after writer walk the country, to follow the creek, Mark MacLean left his home in to cross this country before cars were England. It’s a book about our stuff heard? What is it to know a place at and the things we hold on to. 4 km/hour and what stories come from this perspective and pace? From a love story set on the Larapinta Trail, a long walk from Bonney Well to Barrow Creek, across to the sites of the Mediterranean, and back to the urban drains of Newcastle, in this session we’ll be talking all things walking and the imprint of walking on writing and story. (continued over)

Gazebo, OPBG 12.45pm-1.45pm Free writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 SUNDAY 19 Sunday LitKwiz, Last Words, Night 20 September Last Drinks Event Closing night event Maureen Nampijimpa O’Keefe Hear the last words from the lips of Rosemary Plummer Narrurlu the poets, have a drink with fellow Craig San Roque writers and newfound friends. Then Mark Maclean leave words aside and let the acoustic Jan Bauer rhythms of master Gambian percus- Chair: Glenn Morrison sionist King Marong and Safara pull Gazebo, OPBG you onto the dance floor before the 2pm-3.30pm 2015 Eye of the Storm closes … til $15/$10 NTWC/conc next time. Litquiz Leaving Home Think the lovechild of Rockwiz and Panel discussion Spicks and Specks raised on a healthy Place of departure, place of arrival, diet of literature – from kids’ books place of return. This session considers to young adult fiction, it’s multiple- staying and leaving, the rooted and choice from poetry to pulp. Two uprooted, and the influence of each teams to get us started. One will on writing. Writers talk about home emerge as the brains trust that new bound to country and the boundless teams are (or anyone is) invited to home whose roots reach out to grow challenge to emerge as the ultimate in other places and ask, in this era of winner. uprootedness, with fewer people living Come early, sign up at the door and out their lives where they are born, either strut your literary genius or what does it mean to be ‘at home’? bluff your way to the top. Lorna Hendry Then stick around for King Marong Jessie Cole and Safara. Kim Mahood Dinner menu and drinks available. Jo Dutton 7.00pm til late Chair: Alex Barwick $25/$20 NTWC/conc Gazebo, OPBG Monte’s 3.45pm-5pm $15/$10 NTWC/conc

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WORKSHOP PROGRAM 21 Editing will make your words and Workshop ideas shine. In this workshop we will program look at the three different stages of editing and talk about how (and when) Workshops will only go ahead with to apply them to your own work. sufficient numbers, please register early! Bookings essential – ntwriters.com.au Gallery, OPBG Saturday 9:45am-11:15am Creative Non-fiction – $35/$30 NTWC/conc Kim Mahood Literary journalism, stream-of-con- Children’s story-making – sciousness rant, tell-all memoir, dis- Diane Lucas cursive essay – creative non-fiction has In these workshops Diane Lucas will entered the literary arena as one of the use words, song, clay and puppetry to most dynamic forms of contemporary help younger people find ways to tell, writing. What is creative non-fiction? write, draw stories, inspired by the How does the writer negotiate the issue place around them. More informa- of subjective truth and other people’s tion about what to bring provided privacy. How ‘creative’ is it possible to upon booking. be before the work becomes fiction? These are some of the questions up for 4-8 year olds Sat 10.45am-11.45am discussion in the workshop. Participants 8-14 year olds Sat 12.30-1.30pm will also analyse a piece of writing to Blakeman Shelter, OPBG identify the techniques of creative non- $10/$5 NTWC/conc fiction, and carry out one or two short writing exercises. Unte nthenharenye? Where do you come from? – Chifley Alice Resort Mark MacLean Saturday 1pm-4pm Australia is a nation of movers. We $65/$60 NTWC/conc fly in and fly out; we tree-change and sea-change; we move to connect with Spit and polish: editing your the bush or to flee the carnage of own work – Lorna Hendry lives gone wrong in different towns Do you have the first draft of a novel, and cities. Wherever we go, we leave or a manuscript you want to self- behind a past and come to terms with publish or submit to a publisher? a new place that we might call ‘home’. writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WORKSHOP PROGRAM 21 This workshop focuses on writing Writing about country – about what we use to build a sense Meg Mooney of the place around us – the things Nature writing is an established around us through which we learn genre in Europe and North America to see that place as ‘home’. It might but there is still not an extensive be a mosaic, or the tree you planted body of work published in this genre after the birth of your child, or the from Australia. For local writer Meg lover’s name carved into a wooden Mooney, writing about Central lintel. This is a practical workshop Australia’s sandplains, ranges, gorges, with writing, reading and sharing as plants, animals, and its people, has its focus. been part of the process of finding home. At this workshop, Meg will Hut 1, OPBG share writing from her favourite na- Saturday 11.00am-1.00pm ture writers, in both prose and poetry, $50/$45 NTWC/Conc for discussion. Participants are asked to bring their own writing about Tell your story without country, for reading and discussion. words – Jan Bauer In this workshop graphic novelist Jan Blakeman Shelter, OPBG Bauer will take you on a crash course Saturday 2pm-4pm in the basics of visual storytelling $50/$45 NTWC/Conc and explain to you why it is so impor- tant that you sign up for this right now. It’s all about me: writing a This is your launch pad to start draw- memoir – Lorna Hendry ing your own comics so bring whatever Everyone has a story to tell. In this you like to draw with and get inspired. workshop we will talk about how to Pencils and paper provided. identify, refine your story and craft it into a compelling memoir. We’ll Gallery, OPBG discuss the ethical considerations of Saturday 12.30pm-2.30pm writing about real people and events, $50/$45 NTWC/Conc and look at how you can bring your personal style to your writing.

Gallery, OPBG Sunday 10am-12am $50/$45 NTWC/Conc

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WORKSHOP PROGRAM – WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 23 Dea Anugrah is a writer based in Eye of the Jakarta, Indonesia. His poems and Storm 2015 stories have appeared in various Writers & publications, including Koran Tempo, storytellers Media Indonesia, Murmur, and Griffith Review (Aus). His book of poetry, Misa Arwah & puisi-puisi lainnya was published in February this year. Dea is currently working on a short story Michael Mohammed Ahmad is collection. the director of SWEATSHOP and a doctoral candidate in the University Clare Atkins’ debut novel Nona & of Western Sydney Writing and Me was written while living in Society Research Centre. His debut Arnhem Land, and has been short- novel is The Tribe (Giramondo 2014). listed for the 2015 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Sophie Allan is a freelance writer Award for Older Readers and the and editor, and the Founding Editor- 2015 Inky Awards. She has worked in-Chief of Chart Collective, a as a scriptwriter for television series publication that explores the ways including Wonderland, Winners and our stories are woven into environ- Losers, All Saints and Home & Away. ment and place. Jan Bauer is a graphic novelist from Pat Ansell-Dodds is an Eastern Hamburg, Germany. His first book, Arrernte woman and winner of the The Salty River (2015) is an autobio- 1990 NT Literary Award for an essay graphical comic book about Jan’s walk about her father’s country, Undoolya, on the Larapinta Trail in Central and her connection to that place. Australia. When not walking the desert Patricia was taken from her parents or drawing comics Jan works as a near Ti Tree when she was about freelance animation artist and as an four years old. Writing her story illustrator. He has taught at Bauhaus helped Pat understand what hap- Universität, Weimar and currently pened to her family and to acknowl- teaches at the Berliner Technische edge her identity as an Undoolya Kunstschule, Hamburg. Jan is support- (Arrernte) and Anmatjere woman. ed by the Goethe-Institut Australia. writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WORKSHOP PROGRAM – WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 23 Luke Carman is the associate Dr Veronica Perrule Dobson AM director of SWEATSHOP and a is an Eastern Arrernte woman doctoral candidate in the University highly respected for her cultural of Western Sydney Writing and and linguistic knowledge. Veronica Society Research Centre. His co-authored a dictionary of Arrernte. debut book An Elegant Young Man She is the author of Arelhe-Kenhe (Giramondo 2013) won a NSW Merrethene: Arrernte traditional healing Premier’s Literary Award this year. (2007), and a co-author of Iwenhe tyerrtye : what it means to be an Aboriginal Ali Cobby Eckermann is a Yanku- person (2010) and Anpernirrentye kin nytjatjara/Kokatha woman born and skin : talking about family in Arrernte on land. Her first book of (2013). poetry little bit long time was published by the Australian Poetry Centre Penny Drysdale is a poet living in 2009. Her publications since in Alice Springs. She works on include: Kami, 2010; His Fathers Eyes, social justice and cultural projects, 2011; Ruby Moonlight, 2012 (which including for the Akeyulerre won the Deadly Award for Outstand- Healing Centre established by ing Achievement in Literature); Love Arrernte elders. Penny won the NT Dreaming & Other Poems, 2012; To o Literary Awards Poetry Prize in Afraid To Cry, 2013; Inside My Mother, 2015. She has just completed her 2015. first manuscript of poetry entitled ‘dew and broken glass’. Jessie Cole grew up in an isolated valley in Northern NSW. Her first Jo Dutton is the author of three novel Darkness on the Edge of Town novels. On the Edge of Red (Transworld was shortlisted for the 2013 ALS 1998) Out of Place (Random House Gold Medal, and her work has also 2006) and From Alice with Love (Allen appeared in Best Australian Essays, and Uwin 2013). She is currently Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, Island completing a fourth novel, Wrecked. Magazine, The Lifted Brow, Good Weekend, and the Guardian. Her Sue Fielding is an Alice Springs latest novel, Deeper Water, is ‘a based poet. Her work is published compelling examination of our in local and national publications, relationship with nature’. (ABR) including Fishtails in the Dust (Ptilotus

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 25 Press), Metabolism: the Australian Poetry Margaret Heffernan is respon- Members Anthology, Australian Love Poems sible for developing the written 2013 and Sotto magazine. She was the form of Arrernte, in collaboration Café Poet-in-residence at the Bean with linguist Gavan Breen. Tree cafe in Alice Springs during Margaret developed the Arrernte 2012. Sue is currently undertaking a orthography at Batchelor where she MA and working on a collection of received her diploma in linguis- poetry. tics, then went on to teach at IAD. Margaret has recently completed her Michael Giacometti has been autobiography, supported by Gerard published in Meanjin and several Waterford and Franny Coughlan. anthologies, including Cracking the Margaret wrote down her own spine: ten short Australian stories and stories to help young people under- how they were written (Spineless stand their traditions as part of Wonders 2014). In 2008 he became keeping Arrernte families and the first (and only) person to walk language strong. across the Simpson Desert, solo and unsupported, from east to west. Lorna Hendry was a graphic Currently he is writing a collection designer until she took off in a 4WD of haiku and an outback gothic to travel around Australia with novel. His collection of short stories her partner and two young sons. will be published by Spineless That trip turned into a three-year Wonders in 2016. He lives in Alice adventure and along the way Lorna Springs. discovered a passion for writing. Her memoir, Wrong Way Round, was Bob Gosford is a lawyer and writer published by Hardie Grant in April who has written for Crikey.com since 2015. Lorna is now a freelance 2006 and has run the Crikey.com writer, editor and teacher. blog ‘The Northern Myth’ since 2008. He has written widely on NT Kelly-lee Hickey is an award and Australian politics and diverse winning writer, performer and other topics including doping in community cultural development sport, ethnobiology and one of his artist living and working in the favourites, the road-kill along our Northern Territory. She has worked highways and back-roads. extensively using collective narrative writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 25 and story telling to connect Dr Peter Latz is a botanist and communities in urban and remote author of Bushfire and Bush Tucker: areas in both Australia and Aboriginal Plant Use in Central Australia Indonesia, with projects including (2004). Born in Alice Springs during A Stitch In Time and Vessels for Stories. World War Two, Peter grew up in Hermannsburg where he developed a Rene Kulitja was born at life-long passion for bush tucker, the Ernabella in 1958. She is a well-know central Australian landscape, and its artist – her painting has featured on a animals and plants. His latest book Qantas plane. Rene is a chairperson is a biography of Moses Tjalkabota, of Maruka Arts, an arts centre her an Arrernte man and first Aboriginal parents helped to establish in 1984. pastor of Central Australia, called She is a contributor to the Central Blind Moses: Aranda man of high degree Land Council’s recent book Every and Christian evangelist (2014). Hill Got a Story. Diane Lucas came to live in Ajak Kwai’s haunting melodic Kakadu in 1983. Her connections voice is distinctly African, whether with Indigenous people and country, she is singing in Arabic, Sudanese and having children, have greatly or English. Music is the vehicle for influenced and inspired her life and her stories of extraordinary life writing. She has five children’s books experiences as a refugee. Ajak has published and a CD of songs, and is written and performed with many a contributing author to the recent well-known Australian musicians in- book, A Natural History and Field Guide cluding Nicky Bomba, Martin Tucker to Australia’s Top End. and Chris Basile. Ajak released an album in 2008. Ajak’s vibrant afro Mark MacLean writes about soul style songs have seen her in connections to place. Stories such as demand with many festivals includ- ‘Unte nthenharenye?/Where do you ing Byron Bay, Apollo Bay, National come from?’ (from his collection Folk Festival, Port Fairy, Melbourne The New Landscape) are drawn from International Festival. his time living in Central Australia in the 1980s and 90s. His book A Year Down the Drain describes the people he met and the places he discovered

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 27 exploring the stormwater drains of the dry country: writing and drawings from Newcastle, NSW. In his new book, the Centre, a collaboration with artist Five Boxes, Mark reflects on our Sally Mumford, Ptilotus Press, 2005; connection to the past through our and The Gap, co-winner of The Picaro possessions. Poetry Prize in 2010.

Kim Mahood is the author of Craft Dr Glenn Morrison is a journalist, for a Dry Lake, which won several author and musician living in Alice awards for non-fiction including The Springs. He came to Central Australia Age Book of the Year and the NSW in 1998 to play at the opening of a new Premier’s Literary Award. She wrote pub and stayed. Glenn has been writ- the much-circulated essay ‘Kartiya ing about the region ever since and has are like Toyotas’, and is a regular won several major awards for his work. contributor to the Griffith Review. She He recently finished a PhD in cultural is currently working on a non-fiction studies at Macquarie University on book due for publication in 2016. walking and the idea of home in the literature of Central Australia. Laurie May is a Central Australian poet hailing from the Gulf of Carpen- Rod Moss has maintained a consis- taria. Forever searching for an under- tent practice of painting and writing standing of her own identity Laurie since settling in Alice Springs in the explores themes of family, poverty and early 1980s. His works have featured heartache and the ‘new’ Australian in local exhibitions, interstate and in identity. Laurie represented Alice in the America. His two published works Australian Poetry Slam in 2012 and of memoir, Hard Light of Day (2010) has gone on to perform at festivals and and One Thousand Cuts: Life and Art in stages and run workshops throughout Central Australia (2013), document life Australia and New Zealand. in and around Alice Springs. Both have won the Territory Book of the Meg Mooney is a natural scientist Year and the first also won the Prime and poet who has been in Central Minister’s non-fiction Book of the Australia for 28 years. Meg is launch- Year. ing her latest book, Being Martha’s Friend, Ginninderra Press, at Eye of the Storm. Meg’s other books are For writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 27 Rosemary Plummer Narrurlu is Maureen Jipyiliya Nampijimpa a Warumungu woman who grew up O’Keefe is a Warlpiri woman, born at Alekarenge in the Barkly Table- and raised in Ali-Curung, south- lands. Her writing has appeared in east of Tennant Creek. Maureen’s Southerly and Northerly, in anthologies short stories and poems appear in and collected works such as Selected This Country Anytime Anywhere and Poems from Tennant Creek (2000), This in the Red Room’s The Disappearing Country Anytime Anywhere and Bruno’s App. Maureen was a guest poet at Song and other stories from the Northern the 2011 Sydney Writers’ Festival Territory. In 2014 Rosemary was and last year was a recipient of an Cultural Adviser on the Northern Australian Indigenous Creator Territory Library’s Tennant Creek scholarship with Magabala Books. Baby Board Book, and narrator on She is a translator and interpreter. the accompanying DVD. She is a contributing storyteller to Every Hill Peter Polites is associate director Got a Story (Hardie Grant, 2015). of SWEATSHOP. His work has appeared in Overland, The Lifted Brow Sylvia Purrurle Neale is an and Seizure. He is currently working Eastern Arrernte woman, grandmoth- on a manuscript that is part noir, er and great-grandmother, born in part melodrama, part queer and all Alice Springs. Sylvia has always been Western Sydney. involved in her Arrernte community and she says she is still learning the Bagryana Popov is a theatre maker knowledge and spiritual wisdom from who works in an interdisciplinary her community. She doesn’t regard way, collaborating with highly ac- herself as a poet but as someone who claimed artists and with communi- puts her thoughts and feelings down ties. She directed two sell-out seasons in writing. Her work is published in of Cafe Scheherezade at fortyfivedown- Voice from the Heart (1995) and This stairs, Sarajevo Suite at La Mama, and Country Anywhere Anytime (2010). Of Cows, Women and War, co-created with Ajak Kwai (La Mama Explora- tions 2014). Internationally she has directed for the National Theatre of Macedonia, and performed in Bulgaria and Hungary.

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 29 Christopher Raja migrated to anthologies and appeared alongside Melbourne from Kolkata in 1986, many of Australia’s and the world’s and now lives and works in greatest poetic voices. Melbourne and Alice Springs. His short story ‘After the Wreck’ was Dr Craig San Roque is the author adapted for radio and broadcast on of Placing Psyche, Exploring Cultural ABC Radio National in 2007. His Complexes in Australia (Spring Journal co-authored play The First Garden Books, 2011), the almost ‘cult classic ‘ played at the Olive Pink Botanic graphic novel with Joshua Santo- Garden in 2011 and was published spirito The Long Weekend in Alice Springs by Currency Press in 2012. The and performance text Sugarman/ Burning Elephant (Giramondo, 2015) Dionisos. His new performance work, was written under a New Work grant including Persephone’s Dog planned for awarded by the Literature Board of September 2015, revisions European the Australia Council. cultural myth.

Celestine Rowe is originally from Joshua Santospirito is a multi- the western desert community of media artist, musician, mental health Papunya. She writes lyrical activist nurse and writer who lives in Hobart, slam poetry and has been winner and Tasmania. His prime obsessions runner up in Central and South revolve around language, culture, Australian slams. Currently, she is anthropology and psychology. Josh’s working with Rhyming the Dead – published works include The Long a project by the Sydney-based Red Weekend in Alice Springs (2013) and Room Poetry Company. Swallows part one (2015). He has also been published in several magazines Candy Royalle is a performance such as Meanjin, and Island. artist, poet, storyteller, educator, creative collaborator and vulnerabil- Ellena Savage is an editor at ity advocate. She shares confronting, The Lifted Brow, a columnist at political, human and heart wrench- Eureka Street, and a PhD candidate ing narratives to audiences all over at Monash University. Her essays and the world. Candy has been awarded criticism, which have appeared in numerous prizes. She has been the pages of periodicals such as The published in multiple journals and Guardian, Meanjin, Overland, Junkee, writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 29 and The Australian, examine the Margaret Kemarre Turner intersections of politics, feminism, belongs to the Akarre people and literature. (Arrernte) and was born in the Spotted Tiger region of Harts Range Leni Shilton has lived in Central in Central Australia. Margaret Australia for many years where she Kemarre Turner is an elder, qualified has worked as a creative writing interpreter, artist and author, and has lecturer, a prison educator and a taught language, culture and cross- bush nurse. She is a poet and her cultural courses at the Institute for work is published in journals and Aboriginal Development. She is the anthologies, most recently in Women’s co-author/translator of Iwenhe Work, Art Monthly, Axon and Swamp. Tyerrtye: What It Means to Be an She is currently completing a PhD Aboriginal Person (2010) with Barry in creative writing through Southern McDonald and Bush Foods: Arrernte Cross University. Foods of Central Australia (1996) with Shawn Dobson and John Henderson. Doris Stuart Kngwarreye’s family has lived alongside the Todd Ellen van Neerven is a Yugambeh River for countless generations. writer living in Brisbane. Her short Alice Springs, or Mparntwe, was her story collection Heat and Light won the father’s traditional ground. She is an 2013 David Unaipon Award and was Mparntwe-arenye woman – shortlisted for the 2015 Stella Prize, Apmereke-artweye (traditional the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, owner) for Mparntwe and speaks and the Dobbie Literary Award. Central Arrernte. Gerard Waterford is a social Christobel Swan is one of the worker and counsellor with Central last remaining speakers fluent in Australian Aboriginal Congress in the Pertame (Southern Arrernte) their Social & Emotional Wellbe- language. For more than 30 years she ing Program. He has completed a has worked as a translator and inter- Bachelor of Arts majoring in History. preter in the health and legal sectors. Gerard co-authored Alone on the Soaks: She is a contributor to the Central The Life and Times of Alec Kruger (IAD Land Council’s recent book Every Hill Press, 2006). Got a Story.

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 31 Steve Hodder Watt is a Lardil man from Mornington Island, thanks to: Queensland. A writer and performer NT Writers’ Centre Board of Steve co-wrote Barracking, the story Directors, Alice Springs Advisory of racial interactions and bonding Group – Leni Shilton, Michael through AFL football. Steve’s spoken Giacometti, Kimberley Zeneth, Pat word pieces have been published Ansell Dodds, Penny Drysdale, Meg in Going Down Swinging and the Red Mooney, Jo Dutton, Glenn Morrison, Room’s The Disappearing App. Sue Fielding and Ktima Heathcote – Steve has worked in Indigenous Alice Springs Town Council, Kate Media and publishing in Central Burbeck and Felicity Thorne at Alice Australia for over 20 years. Springs Public Library, Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Bean Tree Café, Dan Linda Wells is a teacher, writer and Murphy, Lucy Stewart and all our story teller in Alice Springs where partners and sponsors listed over page she runs Foot Falcon Tours, a walk- who enabled this festival to happen. ing tour of the town that takes in Special thanks to our wonderful heritage sites, historic buildings, the volunteers and panel facilitators, local natural environment and the streets media, the Alice Springs community, of the CBD. Linda is a writer of and all participating writers. poetry and fiction and also the au- thor of Still a Town Like Alice, a com- missioned and entertaining history Program artwork: Images from Jan of Alice Springs from 1986 to 2008. Bauer’s graphic novel The Salty River, published by Twelve Panels Press. Kimberley Zeneth’s (nee Mann) first book was Awake During Anaesthetic Design by Tina Tilhard. (National New Poets Program 2009). In addition to a Fiction Fellowship at Varuna, projects include poetry installation ‘Skin of the Text’ for Fringe and Wirranendi Sculpture Trail commissioned by Adelaide City Council.

writers’ festival EYE OF THE STORM PROGRAM 2015 WRITERS & STORYTELLERS 31