More than 50 people gathered at Wollongong Art Gallery to see two award-winning First Nations writers – Thomas Mayo and Kirli Saunders OAM – launch two new Dreaming Inside anthologies on Saturday, September 21.
“Please take this beautiful collection, give it to every single person you know,” Kirli said when introducing Scribbly Gums and Blossoms – Young People Dreaming Inside: Voices from Cobham and Reiby Youth Justice Centres.
Kirli praised the Ngana Barangarai (Black Wallaby) team for sharing the stories of young people from Cobham, which holds young men from Sydney, and Reiby Youth Justice Centre, for girls and boys under the age of 15.
Red Room Poetry’s Luke Patterson and Nicole Smede read poems from the new book.
“They’ll make you think about the young people who can’t share that story out in space and you're bringing voice to their stories by reading them out in the world,” Kirli said.
Thomas Mayo, a renowned advocate for First Nations rights, then launched the new anthology Two Poets Dreaming Inside: Voices from Junee Correctional Centre. This book came about during the creation of Volume 12 of Dreaming Inside, when two inmates produced enough writing to warrant their own book.
The event was called "Two Launches? Too deadly!" but Ngana Barangarai creator and project director Dr Aunty Barbara Nicholson had a surprise in store for her audience.
“I really appreciate the attendance here today, it’s great to see so many people here with us,” Wollongong’s 2024 Citizen of the Year said in her Welcome to Country.
Aunty Barb then announced the launch of a third book: Dreaming Big: Voices from Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.
Brisbane Youth Detention Centre’s assistant principal Kelly Fechner had asked about hosting a Black Wallaby program at the centre, which prompted Aunty Barb to visit it and then, with Luke Patterson’s support, bring Dreaming Big to life.
Hosted by the South Coast Writers Centre, the book launch also featured Wadi Wadi dances led by Layne Brown. Author Luke McNamara hosted an art auction, with three paintings by inmates at Junee Correctional Centre raising $1100. A raffle – with prizes including tickets to the Queen’s Nanny at IPAC and dinner at Port Beirut Cafe – also helped raise money to continue the writing program for First Nations inmates.
To buy a Dreaming Inside anthology, shop online at the South Coast Writers Centre website. To find out more about the Black Wallaby Project, follow the Dreaming Inside Facebook page.
