Australia’s largest regional writers festival explores the theme of ‘Wild Imagination’.
Featuring Bebe Backhouse, Joel Birnie, Rudi Bremer, Zena Cumpston, Debra Dank, Hakea Hustler, Delta Kay, Cheryl Leavy, Charmaine Ledden-Lewis, Grace Lucas Pennington, Nakkiah Lui, Carl Merrsion, Naomi Moran, Ellen van Neerven, Mark Olive, Alison Page, Kirk Page, Rhianna Patrick, Lucas Proudfoot, Rhoda Roberts and more…
Held on the lands of the Arakwal Bumberbin peoples of the Bundjalung Nation, we pay respect to the traditional owners of these lands and acknowledge them as the original storytellers of this region.
This year’s Byron Writers Festival will feature more than 20 Indigenous writers and storytellers, with a large contingent of local Bundjalung voices joining the festival to lead discussions with a focus on creativity, sharing and learning. The stories of Australia’s eminent and emerging First Nations writers will be at the forefront of the festival held on Arakwal Bumberbin Country of the Bundjalung Nation, where stories have been told for thousands of years.
“The 2023 Byron Writers Festival program platforms leading First Nations thinkers, writers and poets from across the continent. I am especially excited about the focus on Black joy and creativity in keeping with this year’s theme of ‘Wild Imagination’. Festival audiences will be treated to an incredible program that celebrates our voices, and showcases First Nations cultures and communities in all their diversity,” says Grace Lucas-Pennington, writer, editor and Byron Writers Festival Board Member.
The festival will open with a ‘Calling to Country’ hosted by Traditional Owner, Delta Kay and curated by Rhoda Roberts.
“We always sang up Country and announced ourselves,” says Rhoda Roberts. “At Byron Writers Festival this is a Welcome call and response that reflects the ancient ritual and ancestral totemic connections to the modern day, of welcoming all onto our lands and the importance of our library of oral story as well as the vital need for literature in the 21st century, ensuring our stories remain for the coming children.”
Byron Writers Festival 2023 provides many opportunities for audiences to listen to and learn from First Nations experts including Zena Cumpston author of Plants: Past, Present and Future, a work that celebrates the deep cultural significance of plants and shows how this heritage could be the key to a healthier, more sustainable future and Alison Page, co-author of Design: Building on Country, showing how First Nations design is based in ancient belief systems and practices on Country, principles that could revolutionise the way we build in Australia for the better.
Debra Dank has worked in teaching and learning for many years and her powerful tribute to family and Country We Come With This Place has been described by Tara June Winch as ‘a jewel of a book…it belongs alongside iconic desert memoirs’. We Come With This Place recently broke records winning four awards at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and has also been shortlisted for the Stella Prize. Another outstanding memoir comes from Joel Birnie, academic, visual artist, filmmaker, and author of My People’s Songs: How an Indigenous Family Survived Colonial Tasmania. Described by respected historian Lyndall Ryan as a ‘tour de force’ My People’s Songs shows how one of Tasmania’s best known Indigenous families survived colonial policies of extermination and extinction.
Poet and writer Bebe Backhouse, whose debut collection of poetry more than these bones was released in March this year, will take part in a number of discussions throughout the festival including the session ‘Black Joy’ with celebrated writer, commentator and actor Nakkiah Lui, who has established her own publishing house, Joan.
Award winning author Ellen van Neerven learnt as a young footballer that sport can be a painful and exclusive world. They discuss with Grace Lucas-Pennington their latest book Personal Score, a deep dive into sport’s troubled relationship with race, gender and sexuality. Broadcasters Rudi Bremer and Rhianna Patrick will join Rhoda Roberts to celebrate 30 years of the Awaye! show on ABC Radio National, in a special session curated by Blak & Bright. Children’s writers Lucas Proudfoot and Charmaine Ledden-Lewis will entertain and inspire little ones as part of the popular Kids Big Day Out program. Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler will join the Primary Schools program to inspire local kids from across the region.
One of the highlight Feature Events of the festival ‘Bundjalung Nghari – Indigenise’, curated by Rhoda Roberts and presented by NORPA, brings together four Bundjalung storytellers – Koori Mail CEO Naomi Moran, celebrated chef Mark Olive, actor, director and writer Kirk Page and poet and editor Grace Lucas-Pennington – for theatrical readings of their work at Brunswick Picture House.
Throughout the day on Saturday, festival audiences are invited to join Arts Northern Rivers at the ‘Buruugaa Gaandjindii (Weaving Gathering)’ to engage with Bundjalung Elders and weavers, celebrating the launch of the beautiful book Bulaan Buruugaa Ngali, We Weave Together. Culture, art and heritage intertwine in this project preserving Bundjalung women’s age-old weaving practices, elders’ stories, plant species and historical materials and techniques.
“The stories we tell reflect and shape the land we are in. It is why many First Nations voices will be joining the Byron Writers Festival line up once again this year and why Bundjalung voices have a prominent place in our program: to ensure our original storytellers will have a central place in the festival and in the narratives that emerge from the discussions that take place here. It is a privilege and a joy to be presenting so many talented and brilliant First Nations voices at this year’s event,” says Zoe Pollock, Byron Writers Festival CEO and Artistic Director.
This year 50 free community tickets will be offered to First Nations people living in the Northern Rivers region. The tickets will provide access to all sessions at the festival site on Saturday 12 August and will be made available via the Koori Mail. A free shuttle bus will also be made available to community ticket holders and will collect people from the Koori Mail office in Lismore.
Every year Byron Writers Festival fundraises for the important work undertaken by the Indigenous Literary Foundation. Festival patrons are encouraged to make a donation in one the orange boxes that will be circulating the festival site with volunteers or at the ILF tent.
Held on the lands of the Arakwal Bumberbin peoples of the Bundjalung Nation, we pay respect to the traditional owners of these lands and acknowledge them as the original storytellers of this region.
Byron Writers Festival 2023
Festival Dates: 11 — 13 August 2023
All tickets now on sale
including $35 Under35 Sat PM tickets
www.byronwritersfestival.com/festival
