Comic timing
Have you noticed that sometimes all.the.things happen at once? Sometimes these things are good things, sometimes these are challenging things. Right now, I am in the midst of things that are both good and challenging (in good ways).
While in the throes of copyediting stories for New Australian Fiction 2023, another incredible opportunity (and deadline) came my way. The exciting news I alluded to in Issue 12 is the stuff of dreams: I have been programmed into the 2023 Emerging Writers’ Festival!
I'll be contributing to Wayward Trance, a 'digital comics exhibition [where] six artists use illustration to zoom in on details, both remembered and imagined, marking geologies, mysticisms, repetitions and fragility.'
The exhibition runs for the duration of the festival (14–24 June) and will be archived online once the festival is over.
In the next issue, I will talk about the creative process and my experience with visual storytelling.
Reconciliation
Time to right wrongs
National Reconciliation Week kicks off tomorrow (27 May). The dates are the same each year, with the start and end marking milestones in the reconciliation journey—the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision, respectively.
One of many steps to reconciliation is the restoration of traditional names for places and geographic features. I was pleased to see a recent post by DJARRA, whose lands, waters and skies I call home, announcing the name change of Jim Crow Creek to Larni Barramal Yaluk. The campaign towards changing the name inspired a portrait of place I wrote in 2021 after spending time observing, note taking, and just being beside the creek. I look forward to revisiting the same spot, with its name rightfully restored, for more reflection and perhaps another encounter with the farmer who gets a mention in my piece (the site is currently down, but should be back soon).
Reconciliation, of course, requires more than changing place names or robotically dropping Acknowledgements of Country at the start of meetings and events. This year’s theme is Be a Voice for Generations, encouraging us all to be a voice for reconciliation ‘in tangible ways in our everyday lives—where we live, work and socialise.’
Tangible steps I will take towards reconciliation include:
paying the rent (I’m in arrears)
voting ‘yes’ later this year in the referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament
undertaking the online module: Truth Telling: Racism and Reconciliation (available to RMIT students)
reading more works by Indigenous writers to broaden my understanding of culture, lived experience, and narrative approaches to time and structure. On my list are:
Terra Nullius (2017) by Claire G. Coleman
Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World (2019) by Tyson Yunkaporta
Carpenteria (2006) by Alexis Wright.
The Raptorial is one!
What a year! Issue 1 launched on May 20, 2022 and there was no stopping its flight, with an as yet unbroken monthly publication streak (albeit sometimes just scraping through on the last day of the month).
There have been tweaks to the format along the way, but the present structure, which includes Raptorial Writes and Raptorial Bites, feels like I have found my groove, with a departure from the focus in earlier issues on writing and editing tips, and calls to action to drum up business for my writing and editing service, WordOSaurus. But, the shingle still hangs and WordOSaurus Mex and the crew are always here to save your copy from extinction, one word at a time.
Thanks to those who’ve been reading since the beginning, and those who’ve jumped on board along the way. Special shout out to Kristen Tytler, a fellow PWE student for contributing considered, insightful comments on the Raptorial Bites discussions threads. Kristen isn’t as self promoting as I am, so even if you follow her on socials, you may not know that she is a recent recipient of the Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowship. Congrats Kristen—I can’t wait to read what you’ll cook up on the hot desk! And I promise to catch up on all the stories and continue the discussions soon (semester break will be all about dipping into the Raptorial Bites archives). Hip hip hooray!
Raptorial Writes
A monthly writing prompt
Set a timer for 10 minutes and write. Recall an exchange (with a person or an animal) that made you laugh —perhaps one that still makes you laugh. Use mostly dialogue (or animal sounds as appropriate) and a smattering of sensory elements to capture the mood, the moment, the comedic timing, and the LOLs.
I’d love to know how you go! Post your writing to Instagram using #RaptorialWrites, or feel free to share it in the comments here. Happy writing!
Raptorial Bites
A monthly short story book club
This month, something a little different with story by way of poetry. Have a read of Circuit Breaker (2020) by Layli Long Soldier and Ellen van Neerven and join the conversation on the Raptorial Bites thread. The poem is one of 63 in the anthology Guwayu — For All Times, which features 36 First Nations poets and writing in 12 First Nations languages.
You can also browse past Raptorial Bites and join conversations at any time — comments remain open, and admittedly, I have a little catching up to do!
Great post, Mek. Loved the focus on reconciliation week & of course your exciting news! I loved the poem Nurumbang yali - Country speaks - by Jeanine Leane.
‘History does not have the
first claim. Nor the last word.’ ❤️ Breathtaking.