Join us at the museum to listen to Julie Janson, a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal Nation. Novelist, poet and playwright talk about her Historical Novel: BENEVOLENCE, Shortlisted for the ASA Barbara Jefferis Novel Award 2022 and nominated for the NIB and VOSS Literary Awards 2021-22.
Benevolence is a story told from the perspective of a Darug woman, Muraging (Mary James), born around 1813. Mary’s was one of the earliest Darug generations to experience the impact of British colonisation. The novel spans the years 1816–1835 and is set around the Hawkesbury River area, the home of the Darug people, Parramatta and Sydney. A work of historical fiction, the author interweaves historical events and characters and she shatters stereotypes and puts a human face to this Aboriginal perspective.
In November 2022 Julie’s indigenous crime novel Madukka the River Serpent Julie was released and she is currently writing a new novel "The Compassion" a sequel to "Benevolence to be published in 2024.
Julie’s career as a playwright began when she wrote and directed plays in remote Australian Northern Territory Aboriginal communities. She is now a novelist and award-winning poet. Julie is a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal Nation. She is a co-recipient of the Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize, in 2016 and winner of the Judith Wright Poetry Prize, in 2019. Julie’s career as a playwright began when she wrote and directed plays in remote Australian Northern Territory Aboriginal communities. She is now a novelist and award-winning poet.
Her fellowships include: Developing Writer’s Fellowship, Australia Council; Asialink Literature Residencies, Indonesia; Tyrone Guthrie Writing Residency, Ireland; Varuna Fellowships; and Australia Council BR Whiting Residency, Rome. She has been the recipient of a New Work, Australia Council grant and was a guest writer at the 2016, Listowel Writers Festival and Belfast Book Week and the 2019 Georgetown Literary Festival.
Julie is a recipient of a Create NSW Arts grant and an Australia Council of the Arts grant for her crime novel: Madukka the River Serpent, with an Aboriginal woman protagonist sleuth. Julie self-published two novels before the debut of her critically acclaimed book Benevolence (Magabala Books 2020). Julie has written ten produced plays, including two at Belvoir St Theatre – Black Mary and Gunjies and Two Plays, published by Aboriginal Studies Press 1996.
The program is suitable for ages 16+
