Bell wins Hazel Rowley Fellowship 2023

Writer and anthropologist Diane Bell has been awarded Writers Victoria’s $20,000 Hazel Rowley Literary Fellowship for her proposed biography of the relationship between Ngarrindjeri woman Louisa Karpany, née Kontinyeri (c1840–1921) and George Mason (1811–1876), sub-Protector of Aborigines at Wellington, South Australia.

Judge Della Rowley said the panel was ‘impressed with Diane’s approach to her subjects’. ‘Diane proposes a narrative structure that interweaves colonial chronology with oral history and storytelling,’ said Rowley. ‘We are thrilled that in this, the year of a referendum on an Aboriginal Voice to Parliament, the fellowship will be used to tell this important cross-cultural story. Diane will tell a story of respect and affection, of connection to country, and of enduring significance for their descendants.’

Bell’s proposal was selected from a shortlist of nine announced in January. The highly commended prize of $4000 was awarded to Carolyn Dowley for initial archival research for a biography of Wongutha woman Sadie Canning, MBE, a member of the Stolen Generations, and Western Australia’s first Aboriginal nurse and matron.

Established to commemorate the life and writing of biographer Hazel Rowley, the fellowship encourages Australian authors to aim for ‘a high standard’ of biography writing.

The 2022 fellowship was awarded to Naomi Parry Duncan for her proposed biography of Gai-mariagal man Musquito.

Category: Awards Local news