In their collection of stories ‘Always Will Be', Dr Mykaela Saunders speculates on what Tweed Heads would look like if it honoured Koori ways of doing. Winner of the 2022 David Unaipon Award, this is a book that's challenging expectations of what First Nations futurism and speculative fiction can be.

Songbird is an intimate play about heartbreak, forgiveness, shared memories and music. It was written by Western Australian playwright Shakara Walley almost 10 years ago, but now Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company is bringing it back.

Jay Minning is the frontman of the country's most remote rock band - the Desert Stars.  Today, he shares a Pitjantjatjara word you might use when things don't go to plan. 

Michael Hutchings is the Head of First Nations Programming at Sydney Opera House. From Generations and Dynasties, to Unwrapped, to Vivid Sydney and DanceRites the his plate at the Opera House is incredibly full right now. After a year in the role, Michael discusses how he’s putting his stamp on the Opera House.

This week, language legend Jay Minning shares a Pitjantjatjara word that helps keep him grounded.

Elaine Crombie is a powerhouse performer, and she's putting those skills to use in stand-up comedy. Elaine shares what’s drawn her to stand-up, and how the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars are teaching her to pay-it-forward.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation has spent years working with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country to create books, resources and programs in which First Nations kids can see themselves, their culture and their languages. That work has just been recognised on the world stage, with the charity winning a major international award for children's and young adult literature, worth $725,000. Indigenous Literacy Foundation CEO Ben Bowen shares what the win...

With songs about the hunter-gatherer life, surviving British atomic testing, and a profound connection to culture that spans back 2,000 generations – Desert Stars are a band with a lot to say. Lead guitarist Derek Coleman, drummer Ashley Franks, frontman Jay Minning and bass guitarist Justin Currie discuss what inspires them as musicians, and play live in the ABC RN studios on Gadigal Country.

Following the success of Alone Australia's first season the reality show is back, and this time the stakes are even higher. Ten survivalists are taking on the wilderness of Aotearoa/New Zealand, documenting their own isolated battles and striving to be the last person standing to win $250,000. Executive producer Riima Daher and cast member Jason Allwood explain how the this latest season conveys a custodial relationship with land and rethinks connections with community. Watch Alone...

Jay Minning isn’t just the lead singer of Desert Stars, he’s also a passionate advocate of his language — Pitjantjara. For Word Up, Jay takes you to his Country and shares a word that makes him feel good. 

In 2022, the bush food industry was worth around $80 million, and that figure is expected to double by next year. But as the popularity of native foods surges who is actually benefiting? Three people try to answer these questions, each incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to native foods.

Che Kelly is a Miriwoong man and he’s been Word Up's language legend for the past month, sharing his knowledge and his passion for his language. But what you probably don’t know about Che is that he’s got spectacular hair. So that’s Mirriwoong word he’s sharing this week: 'hair'. 

For author Julie Janson, the arts have always been a form of protest for seeking recognition and justice. Her latest novel, Compassion, isn’t just a retelling of frontier history from a First Nations female perspective: it’s also inspired by the life of her own great-great grandmother, Mary Thomas. Like Julie’s protagonist Nell James, Mary was a horse thief in the 1800s. She’s also so much more.

Che is our language legend on Awaye this month. He’s been learning and teaching Miriwoong at his local language centre in Kununurra - Mirima Dawang Woorlab-Gerring. This week, Che explains why he loves rainbows.

Jay Wymarra is a comic, a drag queen, and self-proclaimed Black nerd, and they're about to take his new show AmaJayus to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Part comedy, part ghost story, it follows the conflicts and fashion choices of a queer black boy who cannot be put in a box. Jay explains how their comedy has evolved through the years and the freedom that comes with being mediocre.

Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival embraces the diversity of Blakfulla expression, from oral storytelling to epic novels and plays to poetry. It’s something festival director Jane Harrison is passionate about. As a multi-disciplinary writer herself, Jane believes in growing the ecology of Blak writing.

Set within the era of Adam Goodes’s war cry – and named for the number he immortalised – Nathan Maynard's new play ‘37’ is a reminder that it matters where you stand. With the show currently on at Melbourne Theatre Company, director Isaac Drandic talks through the process of bringing football to the stage.

Che Kelly is our language legend this month. He's learning and teaching Miriwoong at Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring - the —local language centre in Kununurra. Last week, Che asked you to look up to the skies. This week, he wants you to look straight down at your feet.

Crystal Love Johnson is an artist, a performer, an activist, an educator and a mentor. As a Sistergirl elder – the word often used for First Nations trans women – she’s seen and done pretty much everything. Her art collective Yangamini, which consists of trans and non-binary artists, is taking part in the Sydney Biennale. Together, the collective strengthens gender-fluid bush knowledge and challenges sexual repression, racialised governance, and mining extractions in the settler Northern...

Australian Dance Theatre is the oldest dance company in the country — next year they’ll celebrate their 60th year. And their new show Marrow is choreographic course correction for a nation searching for a new direction. With the show set for its world premiere at Adelaide Festival in just a few days, artistic director and Wiradjuri man Daniel Riley explains what message he hopes people can take from this new work.

Trawlwoolway and Wiradjuri artist Canisha is a soulful singer with an edge. Last year, she performed alongside the likes of Kobie Dee, Briggs and Chasing Ghost. You might’ve seen her at St Kilda Music Festival or Treaty Day Out this year. Her debut EP is called 'Don’t Be Scared' and proves Canisha is not afraid to be lyrically vulnerable…. Or to lean into a sincere love of pop music. She'll some of the stories that defined the EP, and perform live from Awaye's studio.

Che Kelly in Kununarra is our language legend this month. He's learning and teaching Mirriwong at his local language centre Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring Last week, Che told you a little about his nan and shared the Miriwoong word that means ‘to look around’. Now he’s sharing a different Miriwoong word: one that’ll lift your eyes to the skies.

Thomas Weatherall's Blue is not a typical coming of age story, and when it debuted at Sydney Festival last year it was a stand-out. Now it’s gone to Adelaide on Kaurna Country and been entrusted to new hands — Callan Purcell. Callan discusses how he's making the show his own.

In 1994, Boomalli Aboriginal Artist Co-operative received a letter proposing an exhibition during that years’ Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras event. The aim was to showcase images and works from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or Queer. The exhibition was also an opportunity to awareness of the issues being faced by that community. These artists were a minority, within a minority and their artistic expression would create a...

Chey Kelly is a Mirriwong man from Kununarra in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. There he's been learning and teaching his language, as part of a language nest at Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring. For Word Up this week, Chey introduces you to his Country and shares a commonly used word.