Published on 05 August 2020

Southern Deadly Yarns

Award-winning Tasmanian, Bunurong and Yuin author Bruce Pascoe will kick off a new series of virtual author talks on Monday 24 August, examining topics such as truth-telling, recognition and what makes a good yarn.

Bruce – author of the famed Dark Emu and over 30 other books – will be joined by other leading First Nations authors for the free online Southern Deadly Yarns series, which is presented by Neporendi Aboriginal Forum Inc. and Onkaparinga Libraries.

Elijah Bravington, City of Onkaparinga Community Development Officer – Neporendi, said it was a thrill to have Bruce kickstart the series, which will run from August until NAIDOC Week in November.

“Bruce is a strong storyteller and advocate for revealing the concealed truth in contemporary recounts of Aboriginal history, and for re-examining Australia’s past to help shape a better future,” Elijah says.

“His book, Dark Emu, deconstructs colonial myths that have been used to justify the dispossession of Aboriginal Country, culture and kin.

“We’ve locked in three other inspiring authors for this important series, and we’re looking forward to adding some more big names to the schedule soon.”

Registrations for Bruce Pascoe’s free talk on Monday 24 August (6:30pm – 7:30pm) are now open and are filling up fast.

Dr Anita Heiss, a proud member of the Wiradjuri Nation of Central New South Wales, is up next on Tuesday 1 September (10am – 11am) with registrations also open now.

Dr Heiss is one of Australia’s most prolific and well-known authors, publishing across genres including non-fiction, historical fiction, women’s fiction and children’s novels.

Her talk will help celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day, focusing on her children’s novels, her work with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and how we can celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day to play a part in closing the literacy gap.

Tyson Yunkaporta – an academic, arts critic and researcher who belongs to the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland – will present his talk on Friday 9 October (12pm – 1pm).

Tyson carves traditional tools and weapons, and works as a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne.

His debut book, Sand Talk, looks at global systems from an Indigenous perspective. He asks how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation, how this affects us, and how we can do things differently.

Marlee Silva, a Gamilaroi and Dunghutti woman and founder of Tiddas 4 Tiddas, is presenting her talk on Monday 26 October (12pm – 1pm).

Tiddas 4 Tiddas is a social media initiative dedicated to celebrating Indigenous women and girls through storytelling.

Marlee is also a podcaster and the author of the book, My Tidda, My Sisterwhich shares the experiences of many Indigenous women and girls, celebrating the Indigenous female experience through truth-telling.

Stay tuned to the Neporendi and Onkaparinga Libraries Facebook pages for news of when more events and authors are added to Southern Deadly Yarns.

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Bruce Pascoe