A while has passed since Songlines: the power and promise was launched in November 2020 – but life has been too busy to blog. With a break in the covid border closures, we went to Canberra to the National Museum of Australia for the big party.
My amazing Aboriginal co-author, Margo Neale, is Head of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Senior Indigenous Curator & Advisor to the Director. Margo is responsible for the extraordinarily successful exhibition, Songlines: tracking the seven sisters, which is now in Perth and then to tour the world for years.
Songlines was shortlisted in the non-fiction section of the Victorian Premiers Literary Awards. The reviews have been terrific. Here are some photos from the launch. First – the invite:
Arriving was a wonderful moment – Songlines was launching at last.
We then went on stage, here with chair, Alison Page (Indigenous author and filmmaker), co-author Margo Neale and Bill Gammage (author of The Biggest Estate on Earth). Photo: George Serras, National Museum of Australia:
We really enjoyed the audience participation! Photo: George Serras, National Museum of Australia.
With Alison Page, Bill Gammage and co-author, Margo Neale. Photo: Damian Kelly:
I love seeing piles of books for sale! I didn’t have to do the selling.] Photo: Damian Kelly.
Nothing is more enjoyable than signing books – lots of books! Photo: Damian Kelly:
Songlines is launched and all feedback is fantastic – from the publisher and, more important, readers.