Writing Blak Legacies: A First Nations Literature Gala

RMIT Culture is supporting the Wheeler Centre and Blak & Bright in an evening celebrating First Nation literature!

Commemorate the depth and cultural importance of First Nations literature with a special gala event to celebrate the unveiling of the First Nations Classics series by the University of Queensland Press.

This year, the University of Queensland Press proudly presented the inaugural volume of the First Nations Classics series, acknowledging the profound and indispensable literary contributions made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers throughout the decades.

To celebrate the publication of this momentous series, RMIT Culture is delighted to be supporting the Wheeler Centre and Blak & Bright, to bring you a vibrant evening of contemplation, recitals, and performances featuring a multitude of esteemed authors and contributors from the series.Hear from Evelyn Araluen, Larissa Behrendt, Ellen van Neerven, Alison Whittaker, Jeanine Leane, Archie Weller, Kev Carmody and Tara June Winch, alongside series editor Yasmin Smith and series designer Jenna Lee, with a special musical performance by Nardi Simpson. The event will be hosted by the acclaimed author Tony Birch.

Together they will honour the 2023 NAIDOC theme 'For Our Elders', recognising the importance of intergenerational knowledge and storytelling and bringing renewed attention of timeless works of literature that are as important, engaging and relevant today as they were on first publication.

Kev Carmody and Tara June Winch will appear via video.

As part of the event, in foyer of the theatre we will install Yawa, a four player arcade game created in a collaboration between N'arweet Dr Carolyn Briggs AM, Jarra Karalinar Steel, Narayana Johnson, Troy Innocent, Duncan Corrigan. Yawa is a four-player cooperative game where players explore an abstract map of Country and collect words in the Boon Wurrung language.

Presented by the Wheeler Centre and Blak & Bright. Supported by RMIT Culture.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information