Issue 40: Caption
gabin-gidyal beginning
there is no beginning
not in that way
but some people
those who don’t understand
begin where it ends where it changes
galabarra in half
at the time
when the world split
wumba evening star
of all the stars
and the many eyes of ancestors
there is one
to be followed
to spill blood
an excuse
venus a goddess to guide
burnt into the sky
a mother of war
followed by a rotting ship of men
to tahiti
some scientific excuse
to figure the size of the unknowable
gabaa strangers
with whips and hands that snatch and steal
that touch the flesh on islands
that are not their home
that spread
a plague upon the tides
nirin edge
upon the ship
glittering instruments
maps shaky and blurring
no fill and all edges
the ship falls from high
yiray sun
the strangers assemble glass and shining metals
attempt to calculate the sky
but captain and his couldn’t see venus across the sun
a false passage
guwanguwan bloody
under red seal red wax
mugugalurgarra keep secret
in ink impure
the words
search between Tahiti and New Zealand
for a Continent or Land of great extent
gibirrgan (southern cross)
it begins to shift
a sky on fire
stars can be followed by others too
storms and reefs gather
bunun carried by wind
across great seas
that hulking sickness comes
wambunbunmarra greed
the first steps
the first theft
first shots
first to run
madhu enemy
the first one of the eastern seas
bangal-guwal-bang belonging to another place
the first to burn
the first taken
worth collecting
safe behind glass
on strange far shores
made by hands deemed disposable
yaambuldhaany liar
terra nullius
an empty land
where steel and flag grow
from these new footprints
an old soil
to steal to sack to poison
giyalang belonging
evening star
seen by all
venus a mother whose vision brings tears
to here,
where here it is enough
to care and be cared for
to belong
gungunga hiding inside
many skies exist in the same stars
those that hold all of time
old people and people not yet here
and a map hidden inside a home always known
followed by strangers to lead a darker sky
poles that grow from greed
flag of strange relation
transit for glory
without a captured star
but many stars taken
giyira future, the womb
an unbroken forever
the end of time and the beginning again
written in stars always known
Jazz Money is a queer poet, filmmaker and educator of Wiradjuri and European heritage. Her poetry work has been published in journals including the Australian Poetry Anthology, Australian Poetry Journal, Rabbit, Runway, Lieu and Meniscus.
In 2019 Jazz was a First Nations Fellow at Varuna, supported by Copyright Agency, and had poetic works included in contemporary art group shows Relics of Survival (Bus Projects, Melbourne) and m-othering (Counihan Gallery, Melbourne). She was the winner of the 2019 First Nations Australia Writers Network inaugural Aunty Kerry Reed-Gilbert Poetry Prize Under 30s. In 2018 she came first in the University of Canberra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Poetry Prize, and was shortlisted for the Nakata Brophy Prize.
As an educator and student Jazz has been fortunate to work with Indigenous communities in South East Australia, Pacific North West America and Lower Mustang Nepal.
Jazz is currently based in Sydney, where she works as a Digital Producer, collaborating closely with contemporary Australian artists. Her freelance video work has been shown at Artbank (Sydney and Melbourne) and her work with artists and activists can be found online. Jazz is grateful to live on the sovereign lands of the Gundungurra and Darug nations, and acknowledges the custodianship of Elders past and present of the many Countries she walks upon.
Issue 40: Caption
gabin-gidyal beginning
there is no beginning
not in that way
but some people
those who don’t understand
begin where it ends where it changes
galabarra in half
at the time
when the world split
wumba evening star
of all the stars
and the many eyes of ancestors
there is one
to be followed
to spill blood
an excuse
venus a goddess to guide
burnt into the sky
a mother of war
followed by a rotting ship of men
to tahiti
some scientific excuse
to figure the size of the unknowable
gabaa strangers
with whips and hands that snatch and steal
that touch the flesh on islands
that are not their home
that spread
a plague upon the tides
nirin edge
upon the ship
glittering instruments
maps shaky and blurring
no fill and all edges
the ship falls from high
yiray sun
the strangers assemble glass and shining metals
attempt to calculate the sky
but captain and his couldn’t see venus across the sun
a false passage
guwanguwan bloody
under red seal red wax
mugugalurgarra keep secret
in ink impure
the words
search between Tahiti and New Zealand
for a Continent or Land of great extent
gibirrgan (southern cross)
it begins to shift
a sky on fire
stars can be followed by others too
storms and reefs gather
bunun carried by wind
across great seas
that hulking sickness comes
wambunbunmarra greed
the first steps
the first theft
first shots
first to run
madhu enemy
the first one of the eastern seas
bangal-guwal-bang belonging to another place
the first to burn
the first taken
worth collecting
safe behind glass
on strange far shores
made by hands deemed disposable
yaambuldhaany liar
terra nullius
an empty land
where steel and flag grow
from these new footprints
an old soil
to steal to sack to poison
giyalang belonging
evening star
seen by all
venus a mother whose vision brings tears
to here,
where here it is enough
to care and be cared for
to belong
gungunga hiding inside
many skies exist in the same stars
those that hold all of time
old people and people not yet here
and a map hidden inside a home always known
followed by strangers to lead a darker sky
poles that grow from greed
flag of strange relation
transit for glory
without a captured star
but many stars taken
giyira future, the womb
an unbroken forever
the end of time and the beginning again
written in stars always known
Jazz Money is a queer poet, filmmaker and educator of Wiradjuri and European heritage. Her poetry work has been published in journals including the Australian Poetry Anthology, Australian Poetry Journal, Rabbit, Runway, Lieu and Meniscus.
In 2019 Jazz was a First Nations Fellow at Varuna, supported by Copyright Agency, and had poetic works included in contemporary art group shows Relics of Survival (Bus Projects, Melbourne) and m-othering (Counihan Gallery, Melbourne). She was the winner of the 2019 First Nations Australia Writers Network inaugural Aunty Kerry Reed-Gilbert Poetry Prize Under 30s. In 2018 she came first in the University of Canberra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Poetry Prize, and was shortlisted for the Nakata Brophy Prize.
As an educator and student Jazz has been fortunate to work with Indigenous communities in South East Australia, Pacific North West America and Lower Mustang Nepal.
Jazz is currently based in Sydney, where she works as a Digital Producer, collaborating closely with contemporary Australian artists. Her freelance video work has been shown at Artbank (Sydney and Melbourne) and her work with artists and activists can be found online. Jazz is grateful to live on the sovereign lands of the Gundungurra and Darug nations, and acknowledges the custodianship of Elders past and present of the many Countries she walks upon.
Runway Journal acknowledges the custodians of the nations our digital platform reaches. We extend this acknowledgement to all First Nations artists, writers and audiences.
Runway Journal is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Runway Journal receives project support from the NSW Government through Create NSW.
Runway Journal acknowledges the custodians of the nations our digital platform reaches. We extend this acknowledgement to all First Nations artists, writers and audiences.
Runway Journal is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Runway Journal receives project support from the NSW Government through Create NSW.