Papertalk Green wins 2023 Red Room Poetry Fellowship

Charmaine Papertalk Green has won the Red Room Poetry Fellowship for her project Jugarnu Wangga Migamanmanha (Older woman making talk).

Chosen from 50 applications and a shortlist of 10 poets, Papertalk Green receives a $5000 stipend, a two-week residency at Bundanon Trust. Shortlisted poets are commissioned with a shared $5000, with the poems to be published and amplified across Red Room’s digital channels.

An Aboriginal poet of the Wajarri, Badimaya and Nhanagardi Wilunyu from Yamaji Nation, Papertalk Green will use the fellowship to bring to life her concept of storytelling through literature. She said: ‘This opportunity will enable me to extend my poetry practice by examining, engaging and decolonising two forms of poetry—cento and cinquain. I will analyse, slice up and weave or stitch back together 37 years of poems I have written in order to create a new series of poetry. I sincerely thank everyone involved especially the judges and Red Room Poetry.’

Judges Ellen van Neerven, Scott-Patrick Mitchell and David Adès said: ‘We were deeply impressed and moved by this innovative approach. It speaks to creating a personal and cultural legacy that effectively brings the past into the future in a way that gives urgency, on a national level, to one of the most important voices in contemporary Australian poetry. Charmaine’s support material and proposed workshop spoke volumes to her craft, her compassion, and her diligence in creating poetry and community.’

For more information, visit the Red Room Poetry website.

Category: Awards Local news