Theory of Water | A Night of Poetry and Discussion

The Powerful Stories Network along with the Ritual and Performance Research Cluster at the Vere Gordon Childe Centre at the University of Sydney are delighted to invite you to an evening of poetry and discussion of award-winning First Nations author, Leanne Betasamosake's new work Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead.

When: Monday, October 27, 5:30 for a 6:00 pm start

Where: Nelson Meers Auditorium, Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney

Registration: Free, but please RSVP here

Hosted by Anne-Marie Te Whiu, this event will start with some poetry from Wiradjuri writer and librarian, Nathan mudyi Sentance, followed by a discussion of Leanne Betasamosake Simpson's latest work, Theory of Water, which has already been hailed as “a book of immense regenerative power, written by one of the few truly incendiary, indispensable writers working today" (Omar El Akkad), and a "tremendous gift for those seeing a shared map for reciprocity, accountability, and resilience” (Eve Ewing).

This event is sponsored by the Powerful Stories Network, the Ritual and Performance Research Cluster at the Vere Gordon Childe Centre for the Study of Humanity Through Time, and History and the School of Humanities at the University of Sydney.

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a renowned Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg musician, writer and academic, who has been widely recognized as one of the most compelling Indigenous voices of her generation. Her work breaks open the boundaries between story and song, bringing audiences into a rich and layered world of sound, light, and sovereign creativity.

Working for more than two decades as an independent scholar using Nishnaabeg intellectual practices, Leanne has lectured and taught extensively at universities across Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Europe and has over twenty years experience with Indigenous land based education. She holds a PhD from the University of Manitoba and is a member of Alderville First Nation.

Leanne is the author of eight books, including A Short History of the Blockade and the novel Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies which was short listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction and the Dublin Literary Prize. Her collaboration with Robyn Maynard, Rehearsals for Living is a National Best Seller and was short listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction. Leanne is also a musician. Her latest release Theory of Ice was named to the Polaris Prize short list, and she is the 2021 winner of the Prism Prize’s Willie Dunn Award. Leanne’s new work, Theory of Water is a national best seller and and was shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust prize for nonfiction.

Nathan mudyi Sentance is a Wiradjuri writer and librarian from the Mowgee clan who grew up on Darkinjung Country. He writes about memory, resistance, and history-making in colonial institutions. His work has appeared in Cordite Poetry, Griffith Review, Australian Poetry Journal and Meanjin. He was a finalist for the 2025 Gosford Art Prize and won the 2024 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize.

Picture credit: Joy Lai

Anne-Marie Te Whiu (Te Rarawa) is a Sydney based Australian-born-Māori who works as a freelance poet, editor, cultural producer and weaver. Her central praxis focusses on artistic collaboration and platforming the sovereignty and amplification of Indigenous and POC artists. Anne-Marie has directed, programmed and curated festivals and events for over 20 years and has guest edited multiple poetry collections and journals including the Woven anthology, Whisper Songs by Tony Birch, Solid Air: Australia & NZ Spoken Word and most recently the Cordite Journal: 116 Remember alongside Palestinian scholar and writer Micaela Sahaar. Anne-Marie’s work has been published broadly in anthologies, journals, magazines and exhibitions across Australia and Aotearoa and she has been awarded several fellowships including the Creative Australia Individual Projects Fellowship, Neilma Sidney Travel Fund, The Next Chapter Fellowship as well as The Next Chapter Alumni Fellowship. Mettle (UQP 2025) is her debut poetry collection. 

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