Dr Dylan Coleman

Dr Dylan Coleman is key note speaker of the Wongaidja Wave Writers Program. She is the  2011 winner of Arts Queensland's David Unaipon Award for her manuscript ‘Mazin' Grace, the story of a young Aboriginal girl's quest to understand her identity. Dylan will discuss her own journey and approach to writing.   

The Writers program is proudly supported by UniSA's David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research

Brenton McKenna

Brenton McKenna is a young Indigenous artist and writer from Broome, in the far north of Western Australia. Ever since he can remember, Brenton has been passionate about art and telling stories. He first developed an interest in comic books and this style of drawing when he was very young. He is the author of Ubby's Underdogs a graphic novel influenced by Brenton's childhood in Broome published by Magabala books. Ubby is a smart, young Aboriginal girl who is twice as tough as the streets she lives on. She is the leader of a rag-tag group of youth known as the ‘Underdogs'. When Ubby meets Sai Fong, a Chinese girl who has arrived fresh off the boat from Beijing, street life in Broome takes on a multitude of new dimensions. From the moment the two girls meet, they find themselves immersed in a series of bizarre adventures influenced by Aboriginal and Chinese myths and legend, and secrets never before exposed. 

Brenton is a guest of our writer's program Wongaidja Wave where he will contribute to the discussion about writing and publishing on Sunday from 3pm. He will also be presenting two illustration workshops.

Workshops - Do you have a character you like to draw? Would you like to learn how to draw your own character and put them in a story? This workshop is for you. Materials are provided and run for an hour. Suitable for all ages. Saturday 25th 3pm  Sunday 26th  11am

WRITERS PROGRAM- WONGAIDJA WAVE

Wongaidja Wave - Voices of Many
(Kaurna meaning/talking/speaking/language) .

In partnership with UniSA's David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research the Spirit Festival is proud to present this diverse Program of Aboriginal writers.

Wongaidja Wave - Voices of Many resisting and reviving- pays respect to Aboriginal people speaking out against injustice through spoken and written word and acknowledges the importance of new voices contributing to cultural and political expression.

To be hosted by Gamilaroi and Anaiwan woman Cathy Craigie Sunday 26th.

 11:00am  Southerly Publication Launch

Join two of Australia's leading Aboriginal poets Ali Cobby Eckermann and Lionel Fogarty, guest editors of this edition of Southerly. Ali and Lionel have travelled extensively throughout Australia meeting Aboriginal writers, they strived to publish many first time writers, and to give an up to date account of the personal and political frontline of Aboriginal Australian literature. This edition of Southerly will be available for purchase at the launch.

1:00pm Dr. Dylan Coleman Key Note Speaker

2011 winner of Arts Queensland's David Unaipon Award for her manuscript ‘Mazin' Grace, the story of a young Aboriginal girl's quest to understand her identity. Dylan will discuss her journey as a writer and the role of writing as a cathartic healing process.

Brenton McKenna WA- Ubby's Underdogs (the trilogy) is Brenton's biggest project yet - his first full-length graphic novel. Brenton will discuss his own path from a keen passion for comic illustration to becoming a published author. He will also provide free illustration workshops over the two days of the festival. Saturday at 3pm and Sunday at 11am materials will be provided. Copies of Ubby's Underdogs will be available for purchase.

Cathy Craigie NSW- Cathy Craigie (NSW author, playwright art/policy consultant) Cathy was responsible for the famous use of comics to get health messages out to Indigenous youth and was a founding member of Radio Redfern (now Goolarri Media) and was also a presenter on ABC's Message Stick.

 3:00 pm Tjanpi Desert Weavers book launch - Katangku Kuruntu kulira kunpu palyanma making strong work with a strong heart

Join a panel of eight Tjanpi Weavers and their invited guests as they launch their much anticipated publications! Tjanpi Desert Weavers, reveals the joys, the triumphs and the challenges behind the development of this inventive enterprise. Tjanpi is a kaleidoscope of images that conveys the contemporary, humorous, quirky, innovative and fun work these talented artists create.
Available for purchase at the Spirit Festival.

Wongaidja Wave will also feature selected readings from the Nunga Writer's Group