Young Dubbo poets win the National Justice Project's Wiradjuri poetry prize

Two Dubbo school students have wowed judges with their words and come out victorious in an annual Wiradjuri poetry contest. Isabelle Ridge and Zac Elbourne-Binns from Dubbo South Public School were announced as the winner and highly-commended in the year five and six category of the Naomi Williams Wiradjuri Poetry Prize. An initiative of the National Justice Project, the prize is named in the memory of Naomi Williams, a Wiradjuri woman from a small town in the Riverina region who was known for her love of writing poetry. The prize is announced every year during NAIDOC week to support young writers and encourage more poetry about life in Wiradjuri Country. "I would like to thank everyone who participated in this year's Naomi Williams Wiradjuri Poetry Prize. Congratulations to each and every one of you," said Sharon Williams, Naomi's mother. "It makes me so proud to be able to continue Nay's legacy in this way. Thank you to my family, the judges and sponsors for your continued support." This year, the prize received 130 poems from across Wiradjuri lands, including Dubbo, Albury, Brungle, Griffith, Ilford, Kalinda, Kandos, Kooringal, and Wagga Wagga. Poets were asked to reflect on the 2023 NAIDOC week theme "Our Elders". Isabelle's poem "Balagabalger Fading Stories" reflected on the importance of keeping the stories of local elders alive and Zac's poem "Revived Knowledge" celebrated the knowledge of Country passed down by elders. Gomeroi poet Alison Whittaker, Wiradjuri writer Anita Heiss and Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist Amy McGuire made up this year's judging panel. They said they were "overwhelmed" with the quality of the entries put forward by the young poets. "We were overwhelmed not only by the number of entries from across many parts of Wiradjuri country, but by the high quality of the writing in all categories," they said. "The words carried with them inspiration, but also moved us to tears on occasion." "From odes to individual Elders, to communal recognition of the knowledge and wisdom Elders bring to their lives, and even the foundations of protest poetry, the passion of the young poets flowed through every stanza." We can hear the stories and culture but the connection is weary you wish it was that simple but you can't see past the voice to where the real stories lie but not the past it is right here are right now the Elders are trying to tell us - It's not what it is now it's what it was before before the bulldozing and being stolen - The kangaroos can't live here anymore? because of the abomination everyone is so brainwashed it is called an economy. - Bring back the billabong give us back the past. so we will understand the stories and the culture will last! Our Elders live by the wambool, Our Elders live on red earth Our Elders are the respected ones that gave our knowledge rebirth - Our Elders help our culture, to return and expand and grow Our Elders teach us what Wiradjuri country was like, a long long time ago - Our Elders saved our knowledge, from dying in great despair if they had not rescued us, we would not know and care Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app here. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.