Un firmament d’histoires (Actes Sud) with Ali Cobby Eckermann and Jeanine Leane

With the support of AFRAN and DFAT, prominent First Nations poets Ali Cobby Eckermann and Jeanine Leane, travelled to Europe from 25th September to 11th October, for the launch of Un firmament d’histoires : la littérature aborigène et îlienne du détroit de Torres, including an anthology of First Nations poetry translated in French (by E. Castro-Koshy and Philippe Guerre) with poems also translated in French Sign Language by Anthony Guyon and Marie Lamothe on. The book is published by Actes Sud.

Ali Cobby Eckermann is a Yankunytjatjara poet and artist from South Australia. Jeanine Leane is a Wiradjuri

writer, poet, critic, and essayist from southwest New South Wales.

Un firmament d’histoires foregrounds the richness, diversity and contemporary significance of Australian First Nations literature and includes the first anthology of First Nations poetry translated in French and French Sign Language.

A launch event was held at the Consulat cultural Centre in Paris on 26th of September, and series of events subsequently took place in Paris and in Brittany, in Brest, Plougastel-Daoulas, and Douarnenez. The authors read their poetry and spoke about their work and First Nations poetry in France to a wide range of audience, including students during an unconference that was held at the University of Western Brittany on 7th October.

During the launch event in Paris on 26th September, readings by Ali Cobby Eckermann and Jeanine Leane were accompanied on piano by composer and pianist Jesse Plessis and dancers and choreographers Emilie Buestel and Marie Doiret from dance company Sauf le Dimanche. Feedback from audience members, participants, and students for the events was outstanding. Both authors were very interested in the story/stories of Brittany, and very pleased by the way they were welcomed in France: they hope to be able to come back to France for residencies.

The events supported cooperation, and cultural, literary, and intellectual exchanges between France and Australia and beyond, as the two poets also contributed to events with Tahitian poet Flora Aurima Devatine, a Chamoru poet (from Guam) Craig Santos Perez.

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