Guwayu - For All Times: A Collection of First Nations Poetry

by Jeanine Leane (editor)

Guwayu — For All Times is a collection of First Nations poems commissioned by Red Room Poetry over the past 16 years, and is a radical literary intervention for its breadth of representation, temporal depth and diversity of language.

This fiercely uncensored collection features 61 poems from First Nations poets in 12 First Nations languages, and together they are an exquisite expression of living First Nations culture.

Journey through a range of poetic forms from lyric, confessional, protest, narrative and song, showcasing new voices and established poets.

Guwayu is edited by Wiradjuri poet, Dr Jeanine Leane, produced by Red Room Poetry, a leading arts organisation committed to making poetry in meaningful ways.

"The Australian literary landscape needs this bold, brave intervention to wake it up from the 232-year slumber and the dream of the settler mythscape. Guwayu breaks the silence—feel the beauty—hear our words."
– Dr Jeanine Leane

Featuring:

Evelyn Araluen, Eric Avery, Ethan Bell, John Muk Muk Burke, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Claire G Coleman, Paul Collis, Joel Davison, Joel Deaves, Lionel Fogarty, Declan Furber Gillick, Stiff Gins, Daniel Hansen, Matthew Heffernan, Steve Dibirdi Hodder Wass Bunbajee, Yvette Holt, Gayle Kennedy, Jeanine Leane, Carissa Lee, Lola McKickett, Jacob Morris, Lorna Munro, Melanie Mununggurr, Maureen Jipyiliya Nampijinpa O’Keefe, Bruce Pascoe, Nick Paton, Ryan Prehn, Celestine Rowe, Brenda Saunders, Kirli Saunders, Nicole Smede, Lyndsay Urquhart, Sam Wagan Watson, Adrian Webster, Kaitlen Wellington, Melanie Mununggurr Williams.

Genres: Poetry, Indigenous, Australia, Nonfiction

166 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2020

About the author

Jeanine Leane is a Wiradjuri woman from south-west New South Wales. A Doctorate in literature and Aboriginal representation from the University of Technology, Sydney, followed a long teaching career at secondary and tertiary level. Formerly an Indigenous Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, she currently holds a post-doctoral fellowship at ANU. Jeanine's unpublished manuscript Purple Threads won the David Unaipon Award at the 2010 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards, and, once published, was shortlisted for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize. Jeanine is the recipient of an Australian Research Council grant which will produce a scholarly monograph called Reading the Nation: A critical study of Aboriginal/Settler representation in the contemporary Australian literary landscape.

Reviews

[stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not even exaggerating when I say that every poem, every word, every letter in this collection...was stunning.

[Andrew Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether by virtue of age or this out-of-kilter year, i've found myself drawn back to poetry. Guwayu also hits another spot for me, as I continue to try and read and learn about Australia's first nations people.

There are 62 poems, of which about 1/3rd have either partial or full translations into local languages. Largely I appreciated this, having a chance to hear the sound, but given there's several different languages used across the book, it's hard to do more than just read for the sound than any real sense of how the poem works through the language.

There's a wide range of themes and styles in this book. While I admired some of the word play in the more interpretive ones, I preferred those which spoke to history or politics. That may just be my own background (as an almost exclusive non-fiction reader) but they also seemed to have more poetry as well.

Lorna Munro's 'Big House, Big White Lies' in particular is a stand out (and the editors know it, give its placement near the start of the book.

Big house, big lies, gubbna, white gubbament
Contorted melaleuca
Conveniently furnished with second-hand decadence
Will society ever speak of the secret deals that were made?
In order to showcase marble reminiscent of all the blood that was laid

Still there's many others that are worth the price alone. Nicole Smede's 'Pre-Dawn' is a touching story of an early morning forage from camp, while Nick Paton's haunting 'The Lady at My Window' is one that lingers, especially for a white reader. There some well known names here (Claire G. Coleman, Bruce Pascoe, Jeanine Leane), but many also seem from their bios emerging names who can hopefully build off this edited collection.

[Tayla 🦋]

Picked this as my resource for my Aboriginal Education course. Didn’t disappoint

[Maggins McMurray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of poetry, feeling privileged to have access to these works, sometimes in language with english interpretations.

Whilst reading on the tram, I got to the poems by Evelyn Araluen just as I arrived at an event I didn't know she would be reading at, and got to hear them spoken aloud by her. Such a coincidence, and a real treat!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been reading First Nations poetry and prose as a way of learning. It is a learning I feel I missed out on in school, in life in general. I feel sad to think about lost languages and stories. I feel sad to think about lost ways of living. I feel sad to think about history, which is why I want to know as much as I can find. I’m not afraid to feel it— that sting and consequential discomfort which comes with being a white Australian familiar with the country’s history. The sting humbles you. I think those who are afraid to get stung are cowards. Grow up, get a grip— take a look at what was done.

The passages in Guwayu ring similarly to other collections of First Nations works— there is heartache, bitterness, regret, melancholy. But, there is also hope. It’s a hope for future generations and the relationship to country. “Guwayu” means “still and yet for all times”. It’s self-explanatory; First Nations stories will never not be relevant in the Australian literary landscape.

Guwayu comprises of poetry and prose from an array of Indigenous voices, from many communities and nations. Tackle it slowly and quietly; it encourages reflection and the reader will even experience some stories written in their traditional language. Guwayu and other texts like it deserve a place on every Australian reader’s shelf.

[Laura Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"GUWAYU - FOR ALL TIMES: A Collection of First Nations Poems" is a vital step forward in the world of Australian Literature. For the first time, First Nations people have been able to come together to create a collection of poems written and edited by First Nations people, for First Nations people. The result is this wonderful book, filled with a range of fantastic poetry celebrating First Nations languages and cultures, as well as mourning what has been lost since the British colonised the continent we now call Australia. I can not recommend it enough, and look forward to seeing more such collections.

[liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have very mixed thoughts on this collection, there were some excellent poems but I think the majority came across purely structurally more like speeches or declarations than poems. I am not Indigenous myself, so I have no claim as to the quality of the content discussed though I did learn a fair bit from it. My opinion as a casual enjoyer of poetry is simply regarding the structures- I did enjoy quite a few that were free verse, overall my opinion is simply that a lot of the poets in this collection would find much more success in speech writing or general writing than poetry specifically.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read, I especially enjoyed the poems translated from language. The only this that was a bit odd was the poems were all sorted into themes but then not presented within those themes? Just with a note to say where it belonged. There was probably a reason for it but it just felt like an odd choice when I was reading.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the easiest book of poetry to work through, and quite a number of passages which were in indigenous languages, although they did have English translations, it did make you wish that you could communicate in these languages and wonder what would our nation look like if schools taught these languages rather than European ones?

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of poetry is truely beautiful. Poetry is a really good way to tell stories and in Western society where words are only considered important it is one of the best ways to ensure you are heard. This is especially important when First Nations voices are so often silenced and ignored. Truely recommend picking it up and reading.

[Kate Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary collection of First Nations poems edited by Jeanine Leane. A powerful but challenging read in post-Voice Referendum ‘Australia’ and in the context of / comparison to Pal est ine right now. A book that reflects strength, pride, language and connection to place, but also the intergenerational inequities and cruelties of life in our former ethnographic state.

[Deb Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curious and wide ranging little poetry book, with much of it written in language (mostly with translation/interpretation) which makes for sensitive reading. So many thoughts and feelings expressed so powerfully. I will come back to this for a reread at some stage, it’s a rich collection

[Jaimee P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

😍😍😍
So good!!!

[Shannon McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing 🖤💛❤

[Susie Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

challenges the western canon of poetry and acts as an answer to the way mob have been "archived"

[Skye Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful collection of First Nations poetry that hits every bone as you read. Hoping this is a start of more like this.

[Halle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection. I loved seeing the different poets’ styles while still feeling the same emotion and passion in their works. I have pictures of many pages!

[Jarryd Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, honest and beautiful poems ❤️

[Steven Kolber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joyful blend of First Nation languages and perspectives with poetry acrosss a range of topics. Captures a lot of great content in an accessible and managable manner.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, inspiring collection celebrating aboriginal languages and culture.

[j · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘We ask ourselves in the stillness
Of contemplation
And stay reminded
That beauty still resides here after 228 years
In silence’