Published in Overland Issue 243 Winter 2021 · Prizes / Judges' report / Kuracca Prize Judges notes, 2021 Kuracca Prize Justin Clemens, Jeanine Leane and Elena Gomez ‘Great Grandmother Arrabrilya’ is a beautifully crafted story. Adam Brannigan weaves First Nations language and culture seamlessly as he takes his readers on a lyric journey into a world that rises above western compartmentalisations of time, and hierarchies of life to the deep spiritual heart of place. ‘Great Grandmother Arrabrilya’ defies linearity and the finality of death with its cyclic rhythms that rise and fall in ancient sequential motions that honour both Country and ancestors. This is a story that speaks strongly to the strength, hope, resilience, continuance of First Nations cultures and peoples. ‘The grief tourist’ is a remarkable poem that is arresting from its first line, and stays with you long after you’ve finished reading it. It is a poem that is defiant yet gentle, and palpable in texture and imagery. It is consistent in its lucid and assured voice. With courage and a commitment to radical speaking and action,’ Me, the (failed) revolutionary’ reflects upon the difficult intersections of the personal and the political. With a keen eye for revelatory details and unexpected insights, the prose sustains its lucidity and power throughout. Read the rest of Overland 243 If you enjoyed this piece, buy the issue Or subscribe and receive four brilliant issues for a year Justin Clemens Justin Clemens teaches at the University of Melbourne. His most recent book is Limericks, Philosophical and Literary (Surpllus 2019). More by Justin Clemens › Jeanine Leane Jeanine Leane belongs to the Wiradjuri people from the Murrumbidgee river. She is a poet, teacher, author and essayist who is well published in the areas of Aboriginal writing, writing difference and literary criticism. More by Jeanine Leane › Elena Gomez Elena Gomez is a poet and book editor living in Melbourne. She is the author of Body of Work (Cordite) and a number of chapbooks. More by Elena Gomez › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 18 October 202418 October 2024 · Prizes Announcing the Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers 2024 shortlist Editorial Team Sponsored by Trinity College at the University of Melbourne and supporters, the Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers, established in 2014 and now in its ninth year, recognises the talent of young Indigenous writers across Australia. First prize includes $5000, an optional writing residency at Trinity College, and publication of the successful piece in […] 9 February 202427 February 2024 · Prizes Final results of the 2023 Judith Wright Poetry Prize Editorial Team Established in 2007 and supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize seeks outstanding poetry from new and emerging writers. This year’s judges, Andy Jackson, Autumn Royal, Elena Gomez and Toby Fitch (who is also Overland’s poetry editor) read nearly 700 entries before selecting a shortlist of eight outstanding works. The judges then chose three unforgettable […]
