author, poet, satirist, social commentator

 
 

ABOUT ANITA

Photographs: Wayne Quilliam

Dr Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and is one of Australia’s most prolific and well-known authors of Indigenous literature.

Her published works include the historical novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937, the poetry collection Token Koori, satirical social commentary Sacred Cows, non-fiction text Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) – Publishing Aboriginal Literature, and a children’s book entitled Me and My Mum. Anita has also edited editions of Southerly, Five Bells and the anthology Life in Gadigal Country.

In 2008, Anita co-edited with Peter Minter The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, which showcases 81 different Aboriginal writers, playwrights, storytellers, poets, songwriters and leaders.

In 2007 Anita released three titles: Not Meeting Mr Right (Random House) for which she won the Deadly Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature. Her poetry collection also released this year I’m not racist, but… (Salt Publishing) won the Scanlon Prize for Indigenous Poetry and the kids novel Yirra and her deadly dog Demon (ABC Books), was launched at the 2007 Sydney Writers Festival by Her Excellency Marie Bashir, Governor of NSW.

Anita has performed her works nationally (Sydney Writers’ Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, Adelaide Writers’ Week, Byron Bay Writers’ Festival, Message Sticks, Brisbane Writers Festival, Somerset Festival of Literature, Watermark, and Wordstorm, among others) and internationally in Spain, Austria, the USA, Canada, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, China and New Caledonia. She has also been published widely in journals, anthologies and on-line.

Anita was Communications Adviser for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board (2001-2003), was a member of the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) Committee of Management from 1998-2004 and was Deputy Director of Warawara Department of Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University from 2005-2006.

In 2003 in recognition of her literary achievements Anita was awarded the ASA Medal for Under 35s for her contribution to Australian community and public life. In 2004 Anita was awarded the NSW Indigenous Arts Fellowship and was listed in The Bulletin magazine’s “Smart 100”. She was also nominated for a 2004 Deadly Award for Outstanding Achievement in Literature.

In 2004, Anita wrote and directed her first short-film “Checkerboard Love” as part of the Lester Bostock mentorship program through Metro Screen, Sydney. In the same year she was also writer in residence at Macquarie University.

Anita has made guest appearances on the ABC's Einstein Factor, Message Stick, Vulture Critical Mass, A Difference of Opinion and The Catch up and 9am with David and Kim.

Anita is currently the Coordinator of the AustLit - Black Words subset. She is a Director of Gadigal Information Services and Koori Radio in Sydney and Chair of the Australian Society of Authors.




Anita’s international presentations include:


• Canada - Authors’ tour: Honouring Words: International Indigenous Authors Celebration Tour, Vancouver - Winnipeg - Cape Croker - Ottawa, Canada, 18 October - 2 November, 2002. • Spain - Reading: Kosmopolis International Festival of Literature, 11-15 December, 2002. CCCB Barcelona, Spain.
• USA - Lecture tour: Peace and Justice series, Bretheren Colleges Abroad, Sept 17-25, 2003. Topic: Aboriginal Australian Identity: the struggle for place, with Michael McDaniel for Macqaurie University. University of La Verne, (California), Macpherson College (Kansas), Manchester College (Indiana), Juniata College (Pennsylvania), Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania) and Bridewater (Virginia).
• New Caledonia - Readings and Panels: 1st Salon du Livre, Poindimie, 17-19 October 2003.
• New Caledonia - Readings/Panels: Convention De La FILLM, Noumea, 19-24 October, 2003
• Paris - Presentation at UNESCO, meeting on protecting women’s heritage, 8-10 December, 2003
• USA - Lecture tour: “Indigenous Australia: a snapshot”, 2005, for Macquarie International. Lectures presented at Arizona State Uni, Colorado State Uni, Michigan State, Marist College, Monmouth College, North Carolina State (Pembroke).
• USA - Lecture tour: “Indigenous Australia: a snapshot”, 2006, for Macquarie International. Lectures presented at Uni of Colorado, Colorado State Uni, Muhlenberg College, Dickinson College, St Norbert College, North Central College, University of Pensylvannia North Carolina State (Pembroke).
• Norwich,UK - New Writing Worlds UK, University of East Anglia – symposium guest, workshop leader and panelist. 13-18 June, 2006.
• Fiji – Pacific Epistemologies Conference, University of South Pacific – 2006, invited plenary speaker.
• Auckland – Comparative Approaches to Indigenous Literary Studies Symposium, University of Auckland, Invited speaker, Paper: “Aboriginal writers and concepts of place, sense of place and connection to country.’ 2006



Anita’s authored websites:

• Barani (yesterday): the Aboriginal history of the City of Sydney (Winner of the NSW Premier’s History Award -Audio / Visual- 2002)



Anita has published poetry in:


• Meanjin
• Southerly
• Idiom 23
• Muse
• Ulitarra
• Australian Short Stories
• Social Alternatives
• Aboriginal Studies Association Journal
• Left Bank, Magazine for Artists of the Diaspora and Indigenous Peoples, USA.
• The Opening of Borders, Poetry from XXI World Congress of Poets, Sydney Untreated: poems by black writers, compiled by Josie Douglas, Jukurrpa Books, Alice Springs, 2001.
• Reunion - poems by XXI World Congress of Poets, Sydney 2003.
• Poetry International
• Correspondences Oceaniennes, Le Corps



Anita has published short stories in:


• Girls Night In 4, Penguin, 2005
• Single Life
• Idiom 23
• RANT Publications
• Ulitarra



Anita has published book reviews in:


• Bulletin Magazine
• Australian Book Review
• Australian Humanities Review
• Meanjin
• Ulitarra
• Southerly
• The Courier Mail
• Goodreading
• Sydney Morning Herald
• Messagestick



Anita’s Prizes and Awards


• 3rd place in the Clarissa Stein National Poetry Competition (1994).
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Overseas Study Award (DEET) to visit Indigenous Publishing Houses in Canada (May - August 1995).
• ACSANZ Post-Graduate Award (Canadian High Commission) to attend the 2nd Aboriginal Publishers Conference in Banff. 1998.
• Winner: 2002 NSW Premier’s History Award (Audio Visual) for Barani: the Aboriginal History of the City of Sydney
• Shortlist: 2002 NSW Premier’s History Award (Young People’s History) for Who Am I? The diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937,
• Winner: Inaugural Australian Society of Authors Medal (Under 35) for contribution to Australian community and life (2003).
• Microsoft / Bulletin Magazine, ‘Smart 100’ (Arts and Entertainment), 2004
• Nominee: Deadly Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Literature, 2004

Anita has been awarded the following scholarships / fellowships /grants


• Ken Brindle Memorial Scholarship (1989).
• Writer’s Grants from the Australia Council for the Arts (1994/1996).
• ANZAC Fellowship (NZ Department of External Affairs) to New Zealand to meet with Maori authors and publishers. June 1997
• NSW Indigenous Arts Fellowship, 2004

Anita’s Film Credits:


• Writer / Director, “Checkerboard Love” (5 mins) produced by Metro Screen NSW, 2004 as part of the Lester Bostock Mentorhsip Scheme.
- Premiered, Chauvel Paddington, Sydney, 28.7.04
- Screened, “Tranby Festival”, Sydney, 17.9.04
- Screened, “Caught Short Film Festival”, Sydney, 7.10.04
- Screened, “Viva La Gong International Film Festival” Wollongong, 25.10.04
- Screened, “Moving Pictures”, NAIDOC Week Event, AFTRS, 7.7.05
- Screened as part of the Brisbane Writers’ Festival, 2006



Anita has MC’d the following events:


• Black Lives, Black Writing, 1997 Sydney Writers' Festival, 1997
• Klub Koori, 1997
• In the Spirit of Reconciliation, Spring Writing, NSWWC, Sydney. 1999
• Beyond Federation to A Treaty, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, 2001
• Indigenous Literatures Night, Wollongong City Gallery, 2001
• Launch of Stories Without End, Gleebooks, 2003
• Indigenous Writers’ Night - Celebrating the Voice, Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Wollongong, 2003
• Local Government Awards, NSW Parliament House, April, 2005
• Insp!re Conference Dinner, CCDNSW, Sydney University, 2005
• NAIDOC Natterings with Richard Frankland, Gleebooks, 2007



Anita is a member of:


• Gadigal Information Service (Koori Radio)
• Australian Society of Authors
• PEN International (Sydney Branch)
• Children’s Books Council of Australia (NSW Branch)