Highly Commended in The National Writing Competition for her Poem, ‘petal by petal’

colleen Poetry , ,

It is a feeling of affirmation to be awarded second place, highly commended  in poetry  in the National Writing Competition “Giving Women Writers a Voice” 2022.  My poem ‘petal by petal’  written from  loss, grief  and deep love, over several months  earlier in the year, is very special and gives me validation in my creative life. Thank you to all  involved.

The Society of Women Writers NSW Inc

National Writing Competition
We are delighted to announce the winners of the National Writing Competition 2022. Congratulations to the authors and thank you to our judges.
Short Story Fiction – judged by Jenny Strachan
Winner – Alexandra Dunn ♦ Violet
Highly commended – Paulette Gittins ♦ Forget it Jake
Commended – Julie Howard ♦ Recipes for Sisters and Wives
Short Story Non-fiction – judged by Paula McLean
Winner – Carmel Bendon ♦ Birds of a Feather
Highly commended – Judy Rowley ♦ The Only Way
Commended – Gwen Wilson ♦ Loving in the Shadow of Tito
Poetry – judged by Eileen Chong
SPONSORED BY GINNINDERRA PRESS
Winner – Josephine Shevchenko ♦ Undying the Sea
Highly commended – Colleen Keating ♦ petal by petal
Commended – Mocco Wallert ♦ A Stranger in my house
May be an image of text

Olive Muriel Pink by Colleen Keating, runner up and Highly Commended in SWW competition

colleen Olive Pink, Poetry Awards , , , , , ,

At the SWW Gala Luncheon  on Wednesday I was  thrilled to receive two highly commended awards.

The first for my book Olive Muriel Pink, awarded the Highly Commended in the Society of Women Writers Poetry Award 2022

The second is a Highly Commended Award for my poem in the National Womens Writers Competition for Poetry. Giving Women Writers a Voice

 

 

 

After so much research, reflection, writing, editing and critiquing with my poetry groups and later with the publisher Ginninderra Press to bring my epic poem Olive Muriel Pink to the world it has finally been given the Highly Commended Award in the Society of Women Writers Poetry Award: a prestigious award and no small feat as it was up against many deserving books Short Listed.

Congratulations to all who made the short list , and especially big congratulations to the winner, my poet friend Pip Griffin for her well deserved book, The Secret Diaries . Virginia and Katherine.

It is a long lonely journey to get a literary work to this point and everyone deserves the recognition that comes their way this day at this rewarding and affirming Gala Luncheon

A great turnout of many amazing fellow female writers for the Gala Luncheon with the key note address given by researcher and writer Anne Summers. A sobering address in which Anne gave us much of the detail of a recent research paper she has researched and written on  Domestic Violence titled,

≠ Violence or Poverty;

The dire choice faced by nearly half a million women

   

 

JUDGES REPORT 

The  Society of Women Writers NSW   Biennial Poetry Book Awards 2022 

 Highly Commended

Colleen Keating’s Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and Idealistic life.

A poetic journey transforms meticulous research into vivid images 

and crisp, engaging writing, bring to light an extraordinary pioneering 

Australian woman’s life and achievements in this substantial 

biographical poem. 

Colleen Keating’s biographical poem brings to fresh attention, and in a new form the life and work of an extraordinary Australian, an anthropologist, committed to working with and bringing to the awareness of colonial Australia, the deep knowledge and connection to the land of the Warlpiri & Arrernte peoples. During her life, Olive Oink worked to disturb the ‘Great Australian Silence’ about the Aboriginal people and Keating’s engaging work restates and re-envisage this important work for modern day Australians.

This biographical poem is a sustained accomplishment. It is a complete narrative, rich in detail and authenticity that captures not only the board and more nuanced details of Olive Pink’s life, but also the landscapes and people in which /with whom she moved. In addition, the poem is a skilful evocation of the times (including both world wars), of loss, of prejudice, of misogyny, of dedication to a cause /a belief. Always lucid in detail, at times the blank verse lines are like sketches and paintings that Pink loved – accurate, but sparse like the arid desert in which she moved – and imbued with the vivacity and splashes of colour that characterise Australia’s land/outback.

Thank you, Colleen, for the opportunity thread your poetry .It was a privilege. Best wishes with your work in the future.

Dr. Carmel Bendon

Dr. Carmel Bendon is a writer and presenter  on  “all things medieval, “ lives in sydney, Australia. She has a 
phD in MedievalLiterature and lectures in English  literature, Medieval Studies and Spiritual. She is ye author of Mysticism and Space , Grasping at Water and more recently  The Mystics Who Came to Dinner.

 

 

Flannel Flower Heaven by Colleen Keating

colleen Bush walks, Grandchildren, Hildegard of Bingen , , ,

Flannel Flower Heaven

   

Here’s me in Flannel Flower heaven. 

In Wyrrabalong National Park North . 

It is along  the Coast Walk from Crackneck Lookout to  the Trig Station. 

This is now a pilgrimage experience for me ( i will explain later)  

This pocket of  White Flannel Flowers  attracts many walkers each October. 

The walk includes wonderful ocean vistas and a few vegetation environ-changes

along the way. 

The show of flannel flowers begins slowly, and in the early stages can be easily missed . . . one here, one there,  and suddenly once you have seen these few you begin to see them everywhere.. . . .their presence, breath-taking. 

They clump gracefully together and move gently in the breeze. 

They cluster in masses growing from unobtrusive grey furry wavy leaves.

Stems grow  up and buds appear and then the flowers emerge and blossom.

Ten star petals velvety to the touch each with a delicate pointed tip, exposes a downy pin cushion centre conducive to  bees, butterflies, beetles to land for a feed.

Viewing these plants leaves me with a visceral sense of joy and satisfaction . 

I felt bewildered last year when I snuck along this track during lockdown  (in my 5 km permission radius) to find it had had a back burn, I guess to clear the bush  against fire for the houses further down the hill.  

Now I felt uplifted  this year, 2022, that I had returned with hope for this Flannel Flower Pilgrimage. 

This is not an illusory emotional response but a physiological one

triggered  by the sense in my brain of well being,   

given by the release of neuro-chemicals, endorphins and dopamine.

I wanted more.   I could not get enough.

Every corner I turned and I was not disappointed.

A walk in this Wyrraablong National Park with its Spotted Gums, its few old river Gums (one i take my grandchildren to, for it has the most generous arms for climbing and holding little kiddies,)   for the its banksias, Acacias and wattles and for its Flannel Flowers this week

is one of the places, 

special places for Michael and I, 

that encourages ‘Forest breathing:’  the Western term

for what Japanese call ‘shinrin yoku’. 

This is the practice of  walking and being mindful of the surroundings, letting your senses take in the sights, sounds, smells ,tastes and feel of the forest and bushland.

The health and well-being benefits of ‘forest bathing’ are well documented. There are good research  articles about this.  Today  walking here, reminding each other to be aware is enough, to be very present . The small white nodding heads of the flowers seem to be speaking to us.

They take us out of ourselves and for an uplifting and refreshing time,

we are with them in the world of nature.  

Of course we do not need this marvellous stand of Flannel Flowers or even a forest or the bush to  find ourselves immersed in ‘forest breathing’. 

The mystic and Abbess, Hildegard of Bingen said as far back as the 12th century,  that nature and the green colour in our eyes is very healing.  She was speaking well before modern medicine and she found this way for women who came to her for help. She would say to those feeling depressed, feeling down, feeling overwhelmed:

“Go out into nature ,  find the green: into a park, a paddock, even to a tree  . . .
Feast your eyes on the green, the thousand shades of green.

for its healing powers.  and now japanese Doctors even prescibe a wlk in a forest for healing and for well being. 

(The story for those who have read to the end of this.. . )

My mother loved the sea: my father preferred the hills and bush and so they bought a weekender near both, as the saying goes ‘where the forest meets the sea’.

When Mum went off with the family to the beach it turns out my quiet Dad would put our dog, Skipper in the car and drive to Kincumber Mountain.

He told me once that was his favourite place. 

My father  died  suddenly one day while mowing the lawn and he died young. It was a tragedy in our family life. 

Later as healing of loss and grief progressed I decided to visit Kincumber Mountain to help me find something. . . maybe lost . . . I knew not what. . . 

It was a late spring balmy evening,  I got out of the car and found myself immersed in a forest of flannel flowers and my father was there  .  . .we were there together .  His presence filled me mayup for the lostness in spirit we were talking.   it was  i understand an out of mind experience. It might have been a second, a minute or an hour . I do not know but we walked together. Michael came later and took a photo of me in those wild flannel flowers  nearly as tall as me and I seem lost in them and in that photo I feel my father is there. 

When I started my healing business  ‘Touchstone’ that flannel flower photo was one of my motivating photos . . .maybe about the mystery, or the more then . . but it stayed on my self all the years of my work inspiring me.)

Many years later when I was facilitating a retreat, over lunch with a friend who was Artist-in-Residence and one who understood these things, I shared my Flannel Flower experience with my father.  He listened with joy  and understanding . . .and I felt heard.

  He arrived the next day with  a framed painting of his, saying:

I have always wanted a good home for this painting and I now know where it belongs. He presented one of his signature paintings of flannel flowers.

 It was an amazing generous gift I have always treasured.

So this is the explanation why Flannel Flowers are my spiritual flower. 

PS. I have never gone back to Kincumber Mountain. I never wanted to spoil that moment and today I don’t need to go there.  But this walk along the Coast track is a beautiful reminder.

 

Wildflowers and Natural Sculptors in the Bush by Colleen Keating

colleen Bush walks , , , ,

Mid October, Spring here in our Southern Hemisphere,  perfect for immersing ourselves in the Australian Wildflowers. We visit the Ku-Ring-Gai Wildflower Garden and another day the Bobbin Head National Park. And walk with our eyes alert to the hues of colour, scent of eucalypt and many of the wildflowers .  

Today we walk to observe the natural beauty of our landscape with its sense of place. Of course the First peoples  looked at these plants differently as they were aware of living in this world finding its riches in foods and medicine and  ritual for their spirituality . In a way my spirituality is also braided by the colours, sounds and aroma of this bush  and  they weave into my life and well being today.

Australian Wildflowers

Often under-rated.

They bloom in the wilderness  

naturally

in a rustic habitat

around fallen branches and leaves  

half hidden by logs and undergrowth

not showy

not trying to be spectacular as English flowers are

easily missed unless you take time to look

easily  ignored by the settlers on arrival in their white sailed ships

and easily replaced  by their familar gardens

some needing fire to crack their seed

some able to resist drought

 wait decades for their time to self-propagate 

a natural world that has survived for hundreds of thousand  of years 

not needing humans at all 

yet human have needed them for food , medicine and ritual

and  today we need them for our eyes that search for beauty 

 as Hopkins writes “The World is Charged with the grandeur of God” 

in a world that needs beauty to remind  us of the mystery in a world  where

“Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;

and all is seared with trade, smeared with toil

And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell”

 

Wonderful memories of the Mountain Devil from our Blue Mountain Days  Labertia Formosa here is the flower and the second photo see if you can spot the devil with his horns. In the old days made into real deveils with pipe clieaners and material. (Well before conservation !!)

”

 

Finally we enjoyed spotting Natural Sculptures in the bush. We are unable to walk the Sculptors by the sea this year as we will be out of the city so we are making up for it with

SCULPTURES IN THE BUSH

 

 

 

 

The Launch of Olive Muriel Pink: her radical & idealistic journey by Colleen Keating

colleen Olive Pink, Olive Pink Botanic Garden , , , ,
In the golden light of late afternoon
in the Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Alice Springs
my book Olive Muriel Pink was launched
by Professor Anne Boyd AM composer extraordinaire .
With the music of Riley Lee on shakuhachi, the Japanese flute,
the birds singing
and a poised rock wallaby on the hill behind. 
Thank you Anne for your affirming words in launching my poetic journey 
with Miss Pink and congratulations on the world premiere of your Opera on Miss Pink 
set in her peaceful garden.
It was a packed week of events bringing
The Australian woman Olive Pink, visionary and justice warrior
from obscurity to centre stage .
Thank you to Ginninderra Press for publishing this poetic journey
and thank you to Ian Coleman (Curator OPBG) for making the garden space to celebrate.
Pleased it is now twice honoured with being short listed
by SWW for non-fiction and poetry .

On Arrernte country by Colleen Keating

colleen Olive Pink, Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Poetry , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

     

Celebrating the Olive Pink Extraverganza: Revealing a woman ahead of her time,
with garden tours, local plants sales,  poetry readings, art, music,  book launch, dinner under the stars, World renowned Riley Lee playing his  shakuhachi the Japanese bamboo flute with his circular breathing gives us pause to stop . . . draw breath
for the world premiere of Professor Anne Boyd’s Opera based on a day in the  life of this amazing visionary.

Together on Arrernte country 

a garden   a meeting place
a desert oasis
on Caterpillar Dreaming 

from all across the land
an artist   a poet     composer
and writers come together                                                                                  

to walk  read  play music and share
their story  found in the visionary
and activist    Olive Muriel Pink

her voice for Aborigines
dispossessed of their land
their lore  their sacred soaks 

silenced in her life time
 now sings   and dances
 in her arid garden

planned with her cartographer’s eye
with water-wise rocky channels   gutters                                                               
ponds  troughs  mulch

and terrarium effects
encouraging her 600 ‘gallant ones’   *
with havens for bird song

taming the razor earth
for seed    like one cracks lithic earth

breaks flint for life to birth

along rock paved paths   we track
up the Hill to sit and watch
the setting sun caress the nose 

of the giant Dingo 
Alhekulyele   keeping watch  
from the beginning of time                                      

in a palette of moody cloud
and glint of light on schist
dancing to a subtle world

that echos in the harmonics                                                                                                                        
of sharp brittle quartzite
softened by waves of mulga 

with hum in hot and humid air
bonsai-like trees stunted by flinted soil  
even  the desert sun  is curbed 

by slanted shades of green
every leaf dimmed  and curled 

for protection

a landscape that lures with music   
singing the creation  
of every rock  leaf   every insect 

and on red desert rock
a dragon goanna suns itself
head  held high with ancient knowing                                                                                                    

we are but travellers here
our solemn response
poetry   art   stories   and a world premiere

 of an Opera ‘a day in the life of Miss Pink ‘
a woman   dismissed    put down
silenced   suppressed and stifled

now a young spirit woman sings
and dances  with bird and tree and rock
across the garden

opening another crack
in the great Australian silence
birthing a deeper knowing

of who we are.

  • Arid vegetation that live with less than 13’ of rainfall a year
  • a;-kool-ya   Mt.Gillen

 

 

 

 

Thursday September  28TH    DAY 1

And we are lured by this primordial music  Olive Pink Extravaganza 
at least we come easier than Miss Pink in her day
her dusty rattled train called the Ghan 
took days . . .

we traversed hundreds of kilometres  
in a few hours above breathtaking
orange, red, rocky, salty patches,  
meandering rainbow serpents  
traces of river beds 
and wonderful mirages 
with illusions of an inland sea
to meet kindred spirits 
and with books opera art poetry 
song  plants  bush medicine and story 
 of the elders and story of 
the newly inspired 
we are thrilled to have our hired car and Desert  Palms Resort 
cabin for the next 10 days.

 

 

Friday  30th September 2022   Day 2

 9am

The Olive Pink Art show . ..  we offered to help set up 

arriving in the garden it broke the ice to meet everyone and the story began.

Garden walks, music, art ,poetry, a rock wallaby grazing with its baby

 half out of its pouch mimicking it mother with head moving up and down,

our dragon goanna sitting on top of a rock the thousands shades of greens 

and the rock, their structure, textures and pallets of colour

and  the landscape, always changing in the ever changing light.

Back at our pad for a rest and back by 3pm to go on a botanist walk with the famous Peter Latz.

After that Michael and I went for a walk to plan for Thursday if I have to do it by myself.

 5.30

We went to the opening of the Art Show on Olive Pink by Cheryl Kensett and her friend Jane was a lovely meeting for us as we felt kindred spirits  on our journey and for Cheryl  on our an adventure.  The woman who opened the show said that their parents were introduced to each other by Miss Pink and on a special occasion Olive Pink entertained them with her famous white china.

 

Saturday 1st October    DAY  3   launch day   

2pm

Olive Pink and her garden walk. We set out with about 15 people with Anne Boyd, Gillian Ward  and the curator Ian Colman. It was interesting  to find out  more and amore. Every time we walk we find new colour, new light , texture , smells   animals . Today the main birds were an amazing silver-green  winged parrot. And lots of warblers that live in families. Later Michael and I sat entertained by two courting galahs on a lower branch of a superb ghost gum. 

4pm

Back from our walk we waited for the elders  who knew Olive and had stories to tell,. They arrived slowly  . . .  Josie  Petrick, (98) OAM. A husband and wife who wee introduced by Olive  Des and Pat Nelson, , an indigenous woman who lived in town who knew Olive  . . each took the mic and told us many fun stories. 

5.30 My launch 

Acknowledgement to country by Ian Coleman,

  Introduction of Anne Boyd by Michael Keating

  Professor Anne Boyd Launch of book 

  Colleen Responds  with thanks  and reads three poems ( this will be available to read on another  page –      –Olive Muriel Pink

Eden sings his created song inspired by Olive  

World renowned Riley Lee with his shakuhachi  plays  music including  2 antiphons composed by Hildegard of Bingen! and several traditional pieces.

The music was Riley Lee playing the Japanese Flute called the Shakahati and the moment of serendipity  was when he said he chose music of another strong spirited  woman he felt connects with Miss Pink even though she comes from another world and that was Hildegard of Bingen.

7pm

Dinner Under the stars.  Panel introduced  and hosted by  Clare Kincliff

Miss Pink from Obscurity to Centre Stage. 

An artist discovering Miss Pink – Cheryl  Kensett, the Opera Composer Professor Anne Boyd, writer and curator Gillian Ward, and myself poet Colleen Keating.

 

 

Sunday  2nd October DAY  4

 11 am

 

    

 A poetry walk. This was with Ian Coleman , Anne Boyd and myself. It was very small,  a really nice woman joined us  called Gae, a local woman who has several times gone out to talk with Olive at the cemetery  and she enjoyed our walk and my reading of some poems along the way and bought my book .  

At 1.30 we went into the Red Kangaroo Book Shop to hear Cath Bishop talk on her book about Annie Lock , an amazing  story of another amazing woman. 

We came home and had a rest .

Back to the garden for a talk with Cheryl about her paintings on Olive and her other two exhibitions which she shared via slides Dancing Miss Pink and Seeds. 

A  sunset walk  with Ian, Anne  and Connie a past very well informed gardener and about 10 visitors . I read a poem along the way.

And sold three more books. 

A VISIT TO RED KANGAROO  BOOK SHOP IN THE CENTRE OF ALICE SPRINGS TOWN

SO EXCITING AND PROUD  TO SEE MY BOOK OLIVE MURIEL PINK IN THE FRON WINDOW AND ON THE SHELVES.

 

 

 

 

Monday 3rd October  DAY 5

Spring walk

Finally a rest day with a walk around the garden at 3pm  and enjoyed the spring colour .

All the little wildflowers many of them in the memory of the soil are recovering 

What vision Miss Pink had and here it is coming to fruitition. 

 

 

Tuesday 4th October DAY 6

my plan is a walk in the garden.

a visit to the Art gallery

and a sunset visit to Olive Pinks grave site.

My most special thanks goes to Michael 

He is home to me 

And this past 10 days our pilgrimage, our journey, our  advaenture 

could not have been taken without Michael by my side

    1. Setting out                        2. Settling into the garden                  3. Update

 

 

Launch of Olive Muriel Pink

BUSH MEDICINE WORKSHOP IN THE OLIVE PINK BOTANIC GARDEN

It was very special to join with a group of Arrernte women and children as they set up for a  Bush Medicine Workshop .

Bush medicine refers to ancient and traditional  Aboriginal botanicals for the use of physical and spiritual healing that has been in practice for thousands of years.  They had three medicines available 

one to sootheand nurture dry skin,

one to soothe joint and muscle joints

another a chest rub for colds and flu and to relieve breathing in congestion

I cant remember which we were preparing at the workshop nut it was very informative.

 

Plant sale  what a wonderful event. Olive Pink would be thrilled. It was like a boxing day sale a long queue at 7.30 in the morning to buy tiny propagrated seeds of the arid native plants for the area. Imagine the work done in the garden spreading out making a native garden of the whole of Alice Springs. 

OPENING OF THE OLIVE PINK ART SHOW BY CHERYL KINSELL

 

TUESDAY  4th October  DAY  6

ARALUEN ART & CULTURE  CENTRE, TELEGRAPH STATION,  CEMETERY,  ANZAC HILL FOR SUNSET

Tuesday Today we went to the Araluen Art Centre and stood before 13 original Albert Namatjira 

paintings and many others from the Hermannsburg Painting School .  Then we enjoyed an exhibition called The Desert Mob.It was a lovely art Gallery and an enjoyable visit. 

Next we drove  out to the Telegraph Station. We had our water and muesli bar and noticed in messages Elisabeth was awake so I rang her as Michael walked out onto the dry Todd River to search out the tiny spring hidden  It was miniature smaller than a garden pond but there was about 50 little birds  flitting around the water and then flying back to a tree high on the rocky outcrop .

We came home and had a rest  and then as the sun was setting we headed out to visit Olive Pink’s grave site . Michael captured a photo of me sitting by Olive and the beams of light shine down as the sun was sitting,

 

       Albert Namaatjira  1902 – 1959 Finke river MacDonnell Ranges 1936

 

Teleegraph  Station :A sculpture of tree and rosck .  One could never create the beauty of this.

 MY FAVOURITE PHOTO

 

Olive Pink facing west to watch forever the setting sin over Mt Gillen 

Anzac Hill just to finish off the day

 

WEDNESDAY  5th  October DAY 7

REST DAY: DRIVE OUT OF TOWN STANDLEY CHASM AND SIMPSONS GAP

What an amazing morning Michael and I had. We set out early  and on the spur of the moment decided to drive further out to Standley Chasm first and then fold back later in the morning to walk into Simpsons Gap.   The idea was to miss the bus loads of tourists who come to be in the chasm around about midday to see the sun fill it with the light to make the rock fiery red.  As I hoped by going early we might miss the crowds.

 

STANDLEY CHASM  ANGKERLE ATWATYE

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL PLACE OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA. IT IS SACRED TO WOMEN’S DREAMING OF THE ARRERNTE PEOPLE. 

It was about a 20 min walk along a dry river track winding  upwards toward the chasm . The rock that were closing in around us was a stunning red /orange/black / cracked along fault lines piled on and on just stunning . We loved the trees mostly ghost gum spectacularly white trucks but even with a variety of colours when you take time to look.  What made us smile many of them growing sideways . Michael had to watch his head as the trunks canopied the track. Some of the trees caught our attention in the way they had found a symbiosis with the rocks. 

We entered slowly into the chasm realising the sacred  and feminine place it is .

There was  one bus load of school girls ahead of us with a guide. So our entry into the chasm was full of chatter  They took a group photo and chattered on and slowly moved back down and out and a silence fell in the whole chasm.we got half an hour by ourselves . Just sitting and listening and looking and being full of awe and wonder in an amazing silence.Then came a couple who nodded to us and sat and she whispered to the man  it was spellbinding .  High on the red rock were a few small ghost gums standing tall and spectacular stands of bright white Flannel Flowers. Only a small amount of water at the top end but the reflections we played with were very satisfying.

Then the groups started to trickle in and the noise picked up  Admittedly when we got back down many buses had arrived and campervans were there  and they were taking their time having morning tea for the big  foot traffic is midday or 11.30 when the sun comes thru and lights it up but I much preferred the peace rather then a crowd and the red light.  

We walked back very slowly lingering along the way and in the car and trekked back to Simpson’s Gap .

We were not alone but the small groups were quiet and with the red rocks their colour and texture , with the white sand, the ghost gums and  river gums their bulbous roots digging down into the dry river beds , the purple flowers that fanned our path , the salty grey bush and  and black thorny bush and the flowers and small bushes that seem to live on rock including the few trees whose roots climb down the rock in search of crack to root in  it was a time of breathtaking scenery.

THE SIMPSONS GAP.

A 15 min walk along a sandy dry river with amazing trees that survive  . Loved the No Swimming sign.

The drive back to Alice was interesting again as the sun had changed and the light on the Caterpillar Range was astounding.

 

 

 

Back home for a rest and sandwich and coffee.

 

Thursday 6th October Day 8

POETRY READINGS IN THE GARDEN WITH A TOURIST GROUP HERE FOR OPERA

REFRESHING SWIM BACK AT DESERT PARK 

TROUBLESOME WOMEN FORUM

An interesting day unfolded.It was our hottest day so far.  It seemed a bit like overwhelm to begin with . Ingrid from Galah Journal had got in contact with me via Kangaroo Books wondering if I would have time to give to her 25 people arriving from all over Australia as they would not come to my poetry reading on the Friday. So today we drove to the Mecure and met Annabelle,  the editor of the Galah Journal   and walked them along the path and into the garden where I showed them some features and at differnt shady spots we read poetry.They were young and excited and didn’t seem to notice the heat. They loved the experience, amazed at the garden and even more excited to  be attending the opera on the Friday night.  They were an enthusiastic group all subscribers to Galah  gave them a communalityand many meeting for the first time and their enthusiasm was infectious.

 

Afterwards a very happy walk around the garden reading poetry  we decided to take  advantage of our Desert Park R esort and had a most refreashing  swim.

 

We were so lucky we chose this accomodation, walking distance to the garden, on the Todd and quite a resort

 

At 4.30 we made our way out to the Aviation Museum which was the chosen venue for the Forum

Troublesome women.

I had been invited weeks before on email to represent  Olive Pink. It seemed so far in the distance I said yes olf course and now it was a reality to be faced and conquered,

Fortunately I had prepared a paper which I will put on the Olive Pink page . The other speakers were Dr.Eleanor Hogan who had written about two fiesty women of the outback Daisy Bates and Ernestine Hill  and Dr. Cath Bishop  who had written a very authoritive book on a Missionary called Annie Lock.

The venue acquired was the Aviation Museum and it was packed maybe 80 people up the stairs of an areoplane even .  

It turned out to be great fun and The Red Kangaroo Book Shop were there with lots of my book and I sold quite a few of my book to  people wanting to know more about Olive.

 

 

 

 

Friday 7th October Day 9

BREAKFAST IN THE GARDEN TO MEET OUT PHILANTROPIST FOR THE OLIVE PINK OPERA

LUNCHTIME POETRY READING AND STORY OF MISS PINK AT RED KANKAROO

OPERA IN THE GARDEN  

This morning we were invited to breakfast in the garden with all the Olive Pink Glitterti  and especially to meet Julie Marcus,  the Anthropologist who uncovered Olive Pink from the silent forgetting of women anthropologists of the 1930’s and 40’s. and to meet Pam Usher, the very generous philanthropist who had just flown in from Melbourene. Without her generosity the Olive Pink Extravaganza and the Olive Pink Opera could not have been staged to the very high stndard it is and consequently my book would not have been launched and given the high profile it has received . So Michael and I were invited to order breakky and enjoy this Olive Pink moment.  

Anne Boyd (composer) and her partner David,  Cheryl Kensett (artist) and her friend Jane,  Gillian Ward  (writer and curator of Olives paintings )  Julie Marcus  (Anthropologist and writer)and her partner  Andie, Ian Coleman the Curator of the park and our special guest Pam User who has made outr coming together possible.

 

12.00  We spent the next hour and a bit at The Red Kangaroo Bookshop. I gave a prepared 6 min  talk adjusted from my SWW talk about Olive. And then we had a wonderful warm chat with questiona and I read poems from the book to help tell the Olive Pink story. 

 

 

4.30 we were back in the garden for the Opera. I was so excited allmy committment were over and now I could relax and enjoy. We were included in the VIP group free champas, finger food and a few talks from Anne and we as the Glitterata were introduced to those who had paid $198  to meet Anne Boyd the composer and all of us.

Before the opera.

Anticipation had been building all week. The ground was levelled and smoothed. We saw the hugh truck arrived to deliver the seating and stage. The next two days it was built . The set was erected with  the tent for Olive  and the sheets hanging on her line.   There were sound and lighting  worked on .  Musicians were practicing, a dress rehearsal made the garden a haven of activity colourful costumes  for the elders

.

3  50 pm.   Michael and I arrived and sat in the gaden so we were parked with our car there. Most were bused in after parking at the Convention Centre. 

An ambulance arrived and parked . The catering arrived to set up . Musicians and singers trickled in and then the first bus load  arrived and action was on . There was picnic boxes and champayne for sale and a real buzz began. Michael and I joined the VIP group who had paind extra for free champas and nibbles and to meet the composer of the Opera  and all of us. Anne said a few words about the Opera and we sold quite a few books.

5pm  VIP party begore the Opera

 

 

Amazing evening. A highlight of my Olive Pink journey. It was hard to believe I was part of this evening of an opera in her garden.My favourite scene  after Olive had finished her life’s work

 

 from my poem, Dangerous Miss Pink.

As Olive walks away  with her Warlpiri gardener, Johnny Jampijinpa Yannarilyi
‘I used every means with pen and ink
to bring injustice to public attention
and keep it to the fore.’

Her lips curl. A hesitant smile.
‘They called me dangerous.’
He levels out some of the stones.
They sit ahile in the stillness.

She turns, puts her hand on his arm ,
‘The garden is glorious.
I am leaving. But you must stay,
and insist you keep getting proper pay’

They walk further
sit on a chiselled stone seat
and watch the colours on the hill
as the sun begis its journey home.

 

A moment of union and cameraderie  of the three writers who have researched and written about Olive Pink,

from left: Colleen Keating :  Olive Muriel Pinl: her radical and idealistic journey.

                    Gillian Ward:  Olive Pink : artist, activist & gardener : a life in flowers

                   Julie Marcus: The Indomitable Miss Pink  (from Anthropology point of views.)

 

Farewell to the Red Centre : from our flight home 

 

 

 

BOOK LAUNCH OF OLIVE MURIEL PINK WITH PROFESSOR EMERITA ANNE BOYD AM

colleen General, Olive Pink, Olive Pink Botanic Garden , , ,

 

Great news . . .  we are on our way to Alice Springs for a week of events  including the above launch of my Poetic Journey with Olive Pink

It will be a celebration  of the life of a  little know Australian  woman , visionary for the Indigenous people in her day, Anthropologist, Gardener and curator of the first Arid Botanical Garden in the world.

Dinner under the stars with Professor Emerita Boyd and Olive Pink

colleen General, Olive Pink, Olive Pink Botanic Garden , , , , ,

Dinner under the stars

with

Professor Emerita Anne Boyd AM and Olive Pink

ABOUT

Dinner under the stars at Olive Pink Botanic Garden

with leading lights in Olive Pink’s journey

‘From obscurity to centre stage’.

Featuring Professor Emerita Anne Boyd AM,

Gillian Ward,

Cheryl Kensett,

and Colleen Keating,

authors and artists who have been inspired by Olive Pink, and helped take her life to centre stage. What was it about Olive Pink that inspired them? Why is she relevant today? Questions panel compare and Olive Pink Opera Producer Claire Kilgariff will be posing. Ticket is for event only. Purchase dinner from the Bean Tree Cafe’s new dinner menu.

DATE

Saturday 1 October 2022 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM (UTC+09:30)

LOCATION

Olive Pink Botanic Garden
27 Tuncks Road , Alice Springs NT 0870

IN-STORE POETRY READING AT RED KANGA by Colleen Keating

colleen General, Olive Pink, Olive Pink Botanic Garden , , , , ,

   

 

   IN-STORE POETRY READING
with the author of
   Olive Muriel Pink: Her radical and idealistic life 
Colleen Keating
Friday 7th October, 12noon – 1pm
Bring your lunch!

A rare opportunity: an in-store poetry reading from Colleen Keating

One of the great joys we have at Red Kangaroo Books is the opportunity to host writers on behalf of our readers—and this is a special event!
Colleen Keating, author of Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, will be here at Red Kanga to read with us some of her work from the book. This is fabulous timing in conjunction with the Olive Pink Opera, a key highlight of the. Desert Song Festival.

Olive Pink’s life floats off the page – very much the character I’ve come to know and admire while translating her experience into music across this past decade.  Colleen Keating gives us a seriously beautiful work based on research that brings Olive vividly to life.  It is wonderful to see the astonishing story of this Australian woman Olive Pink, given the attention she so deserves.
Such a visionary.

Emeritus Professor Anne Boyd AM  Composer of the Olive Pink Opera

Troublesome Women of Central Australia: An event in Alice Springs

colleen General, Olive Pink, Olive Pink Botanic Garden , , , , , , , , ,

                  

                                  Troublesome Women of Central Australia
Thursday 6th October, 5.30 – 7.00 pm

Central Australian Aviation Museum 6 Memorial Ave, Gillen
Free event, no bookings required

Who were Olive Pink, Annie Lock, Ernestine Hill and Daisy Bates?

Join authors Cath Bishop, Eleanor Hogan and Colleen Keating for a lively evening of conversation and readings from their books about these complex white women who thought Aboriginal lives mattered and challenged boundaries of female behaviour.

And visit Olive Pink’s grave

                in the cemetery next door

                                     if you haven’t already!