Words to Sing the World Alive Celebrating First Nations Languages

Words to Sing the World Alive celebrates First Nations languages from across the continent. Forty First Nation writers and thinkers, journalists and lawyers, artists and astronomers come together to reveal their favourite and significant words. Words that evoke the power of childhood and the wonder of Country; that explore the essence of mother, of fire, of time. Words that are imbued with family and belonging, and that surprise with their connections. Join contributors including Kim Scott, Tara June Winch, Daniel Browning, Terri Janke, Jeanine Leane, Nardi Simpson, Dan Bourchier, Ellen van Neerven, Alice Skye, Bruce Pascoe, Anita Heiss, Thomas Mayo, Evelyn Araluen, Claire G Coleman and Mykaela Saunders as they share their words to sing the world alive.

Jasmin McGaughey is a Torres Strait Islander and African American author and editor. She has completed a Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing at the University of Queensland and a Master of Philosophy (in creative writing). She has spent time as a black&write! editor intern, was a winner of a 2019 Next Chapter Fellowship with The Wheeler Centre and won the 2021 Nakata Brophy Short Fiction and Poetry Prize. Jasmin’ s passions have always been writing and reading and she is the proud author of Ash Barty’ s Little Ash series.

Introductions ix KURUSIPAGIZ 1 Aunty Rose Elu GIYIRA 7 Jazz Money NGUMAMBINYA 13 Anita Heiss AMAI 21 Thomas Mayo GIBAM GARANDALEHN 27 Ellen van Neerven MUNATHIYA 33 Adam Thompson BUWALWOEYDHAY 39 Jimi Bani TJUKURRPA 45 Elizabeth Ellis NGINHA-GULIA NYIANG 51 Jeanine Leane BARKA 55 Paul Collis YURNARNGU 61 Charmaine Papertalk Green GED 67 Terri Janke PRESERVING NGUNNAWAL LANGUAGE THROUGH MEDIA 75 Dan Bourchier BARAYGIR 83 Daniel Browning KOOROONDEE 89 Vicki Couzens AND DARK THE NIGHT 97 Samuel Wagan Watson MIRRI 101 Karlie Noon A PARADOX OF EMPOWERMENT 107 Kim Scott LEARNING BUNDJALUNG ON THARAWAL 121 Evelyn Araluen NGALIIBULANYUGIYAN(BA) 127 Merinda Dutton TIDDA 133 Yasmin Smith BINGYADYAN GNALLU BIRRUNG NUDJARN JUNGARUNG 139 Bruce Pascoe WAARKI 143 Jack Latimore BALARR 151 Jenna Lee GUGARRA 157 Jacob Morris YILAALU 163 Nardi Simpson YUGARIE 171 Mykaela Saunders WUMARAGUNDAL 179 Cheryl Leavy WALA 191 Taneshia Atkinson NGUNUNGGULA 199 Kirli Saunders WIDJIWA 207 Alice Skye (Anderson) BUNI 211 Sasha Kutabah Sarago YARRAMAN 217 Kev Carmody SPEAKING NUKUNU WARRALA 221 Jared Thomas BILYA – BILA – BEELIAR 229 Claire G Coleman NGULLINGAH JUGUN 235 Bronwyn Bancroft DUMULARRA 243 Judy Watson & Otis Carmichael DECOLONISING THE SHELF 249 Tara June Winch WUURRI-LAY 257 Amy Thunig HELD WITHOUT WORDS 263 Timmah Ball About The Poet’ s Voice 267 Notes 269