Writers @ Stanton: Clare Wright

How the people of Yirrkala changed the course of Australian democracy.

In 1963—a year of agitation for civil rights worldwide—the Yolŋu of northeast Arnhem Land created the Yirrkala Bark Petitions: Näku Dhäruk. ‘The land grew a tongue’ and the land-rights movement was born.

Näku Dhäruk is the story of a founding document in Australian democracy and the trailblazers who made it. It is also a pulsating picture of the ancient and enduring culture of Australia’s first peoples, and a masterful, ground-breaking piece of history. Näku Dhäruk is also the culmination of Clare's Democracy Trilogy that began with The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka and continued with You Daughters of Freedom.

Discover this compulsively readable account of a momentous episode in our shared story with author Clare Wright, who will be discussing her newest book in-conversation with fellow writer Paul Daley.

About the author

Professor Clare Wright OAM is an award-winning historian, author, broadcaster and public commentator who has worked in politics, academia and the media. Clare is currently Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement at La Trobe University. In 2020, Clare was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for ‘services to literature and to historical research’.

Paul Daley is a multi-award winning journalist and an author of fiction and non-fiction books. He has been a finalist in major Australian literary awards including the Prime Minister’s History Prize and the NIB Award. He is a feature writer and columnist for `The Guardian where he largely writes about national identity, history and Indigenous issues. His most recent book is `Jesustown (Allen & Unwin, 2022), a critically praised novel about Australian frontier violence, anthropology and cultural theft.

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