Barrina South

"On the updraft of the mist we gather lineages, like a fine silk web that connect us invisible to others, but taught to us as children with the Welcome to this Country I begin drawing the fine thread together lyrebird and The Gully"

Barrina South is a Barkindji woman living on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country. As well as being an emerging poet, she is a visual artist and academic committed to Aboriginal women’s autobiographical narratives. She has facilitated several workshops on her visual art and academic research MA (Hons) Sociology.
Apart from being widely published, Barrina is an established Curator with a long career in both Federal and State cultural institutions, experienced in collection management, curatorial and public programs. More recently she has held senior roles in the New South Wales Public Service protecting and conserving Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage, including the repatriation of ancestors back to Country.
Currently, Barrina is a member of the Canberra Critics Circle, establishing herself as a critic, as she believes there is an urgent need for more Aboriginal voices who can review and critique Indigenous written works, and those of non-Indigenous people.
Barrina is passionate about politics and in her pursuit to effect positive change stood a candidate in the 2004 New South Local Council elections for the Queanbeyan-Palerang local government area.
She acknowledges the many opportunities she has worked hard for, including those listed in the acknowledgements, but particularly values the experiences she enjoyed as Artist in Residence at the Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and Swarovski Crystal World, Wattens, Austria.

Author's books

Makarra by Barrina South
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Makarra

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The poems in this collection were written over the past few years in various locations: riverbanks; hospital corridors; writers retreats; oceans; in the leaf litter photographing fungi; by the fire with my two dogs; hotel rooms on business trips. I am inspired by all the poets that have walked beside me and have written words to fuel the fires for positive change and peace. Yellow Tailed Black cockatoos have just flown over and, as always, I run to catch a glimpse. My dogs have learnt their cry and join me on the back deck. These birds often arrive marking key episodes in my life, including this last piece of writing for this collection. Makarra is reflected in my poems, rain nourishes my words, water cleanses my thoughts and refreshes the path of the life journey ahead of me.

Winner ACT Literary Awards 2025
Shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2025
Shortlisted for the Mary Gilmore Award 2025
Highly Commended in the Anne Elder Award 2025
Highly Commended in the 2025 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards

 

 

 

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