World Literary Awards

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Debra Dank

デブラ・ダンク

Debra Dank

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
Barkly Tableland (Northern Territory)
Nationality
Australian
Languages
English, Kriol
Residence History
Northern Territory → Queensland → New South Wales → Victoria → South Australia

Career

Occupations
Memoirist, Educator, Academic, Lecturer
Active Years
2011-2025
Affiliations
University of the Sunshine Coast, University of South Australia
Nominations
Stella Prize shortlist (2023), Queensland Literary Awards Queensland Premier's Award for a Work of State Significance shortlist, Queensland Literary Awards People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award shortlist, Prime Minister's Literary Awards Nonfiction Award shortlist (2023)

Education

Deakin University
Narrative Theory and Semiotics
Degree: PhD
Period: 2015-2021
Year of Graduation: 2021
Country: Australia
Master of Education also obtained
Deakin University
Degree: Master of Education
Year of Graduation: 2015
Country: Australia

Awards

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Book of the Year
2023
Work: We Come With This Place
Organization: State Government of New South Wales
Result: Winner
Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction
2023
Work: We Come With This Place
Organization: New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
Result: Winner
UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing
2023
Work: We Come With This Place
Organization: New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
Result: Winner
Indigenous Writers' Prize
2023
Work: We Come With This Place
Organization: New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
Result: Winner
Australian Literature Society Gold Medal
2023
Work: We Come With This Place
Organization: Australian Literature Society
Result: Winner
Queensland Literary Awards Nonfiction Book Award
2023
Work: We Come With This Place
Organization: Queensland Literary Awards
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

We Come With This Place

2022 Memoir

A memoir by a Gudanji/Wakaja and Kalkadoon woman from the Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory, employing nonlinear storytelling as practiced in her community.

Indigenous identityNonlinear narrativeCommunity storytelling

Ridimbat Langa Ola Biginnini = Reading with Children

2011 Dual-language children's book

Parallel text dual-language book in Kriol and English to promote reading with children.

Literacy promotionIndigenous languages

Bibliography

  • Ridimbat Langa Ola Biginnini = Reading with Children (2011)
  • We Come With This Place (2022)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Nonlinear storyingCommunity-based narrative
Recurring Motifs
Connection to CountryCultural transmission

Legacy

Recognized as a significant voice in Indigenous literature after winning multiple awards for We Come With This Place in 2023.

In Popular Culture

  • An extract was included in a 2023 NSW Higher School Certificate examination.

Trivia

  • First author to win four awards at the 2023 NSW Premier's Literary Awards.