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It’s cold outside, but inside the Wheeler Centre, we’re gathering for four consecutive Mondays of Indigenous storytelling.

Oral storytelling is almost a lost art in these days of blogs, high-speed broadband and e-books. But it’s a rare pleasure to pause in our busy lives and immerse ourselves in the magic and power of the spoken word. Australia has a rich oral tradition, which we’ll rekindle in these evenings, with the crackling atmosphere of fireside tales.

Bunjilaka curator Genevieve Grieves and Miles Franklin shortlisted writer Tony Birch will curate – and co-host – a series of intimate evenings around the themes of Country, Sky, Water and Fire.

These elements are rich sources for creating meaningful stories that engage with the Australian landscape, either personally or politically. The stories will be a mix of traditional and contemporary, reflecting the diversity of concerns and inspirations for Indigenous writers today.

Our hosts will be joined by a hand-picked selection of superb storytellers, including both performers and writers.

For Sky, we’ll be joined by Bruce Pascoe, Larry Walsh and Dub Leffler.


Sky

The stars are fused to the water by their own brilliance.

We are all blurred by this pale green blaze
and the confusion of elements reaching into each other; this
dream of water and midnight.

Bruce Pascoe

Featuring

Tony Birch

Tony Birch holds the Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature at Melbourne University. He is the author of three novels, five short fiction collections, and two poetry books. In 2023 he will release a new novel, Women and Children. ... Read more

Bruce Pascoe

Bruce Pascoe is a Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man born in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. He’s the author of the best-selling Dark Emu, Young Dark Emu: A Truer History, Loving Country: A Guide to Sacred Australia and over thirty other books including the short story collections Night Animals... Read more

Dub Leffler

Dub Leffler is a writer, illustrator, musician and mixed media artist. He has worked in many facets of the arts including film, television, muralism and art education. He is an eclectic mix of Aboriginal, French, Syrian and Irish. His Aboriginal heritage is from the Bigambul people of South West Que... Read more

Location

The Wheeler Centre

176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000

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Acknowledgment of Country

The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to the people of the Kulin Nation and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past and present.