Varuna 2023 First Nations Fellowships announced

Varuna, the National Writers’ House has announced the recipients of its First Nations Fellowships for 2023.

The 12 fellowship recipients and their projects are:

• Bebe Backhouse for their collection of poetry ‘if this is the end’
• Alison J Barton for their collection of poetry ‘Not Telling’
• Tahnee Carter for their fantasy/speculative manuscript, ‘Koa’
• Alita Childs for their fiction manuscript, ‘Third and Final Call’
• Rosa Diarmada for their YA manuscript, ‘Salt’
• Julie Gough for their nonfiction narrative, ‘Disclosure’
• Darby Jones for their essay, ‘Unintelligible Bodies’
• Ellen van Neerven for their poetry manuscript, ‘Love Me (More)’
• Maria van Neerven for their collection of poetry
• Lucy Norton for their collection of poetry, ‘even sacred things come undone’
• Barrina South for their manuscript of poetry
• Wesley Stubbings for their screenplay/script, ‘The Seed’.

The judging panel includes two First Nations writers, Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm from Canada and Magabala Books publisher Rachel Bin Salleh.

Each recipient receives a one-week residency at Varuna, including travel costs, and the opportunity to have a discussion with Bin Salleh. The fellowship also includes an optional one-on-one mentoring session and group reading sessions.

For more information about the fellowship, see the Varuna website.

Photos, top row: Bebe Backhouse, Alison J Barton, Tahnee Carter, Darby Jones, Barrina South, Julie Gough. Bottom row: Alita Childs, Maria van Neerven, Ellen van Neerven, Lucy Norton, Wesley Stubbings. Rosa Diarmada not shown.

Category: Local news