Authors cut ties after publisher axes First Nations book Bila, a river cycle
Updated ,first published
Several well-known authors have left the University of Queensland publishing house after the First Nations children’s book illustrated by Matt Chun ceased publication.
University of Queensland Press (UQP) on Wednesday Confirmed to Lamestream podcast pulled what was already printed Bila: a river cycle with Jazz MoneyIt is an award-winning poet of Wiradjuri and Irish heritage and is illustrated by Chun.
The University of Queensland Press halted publication of the book in January following Chun’s article “We Don’t Mourn Fascists”, which appeared in its online newsletter about the Bondi Beach terror attack.
In a statement to this imprint, the university said Chun’s statements were “not consistent with the university’s policies and values or its espoused definition of antisemitism.” disputed IHRA definition It has been adopted by some Australian universities.
Speaking to this imprint, Money said: “The book is no less than anything within the IHRA definition of antisemitism.”
Bila: a river cycle It is an adaptation of a poem that appeared in his first published collection. How to Weave a Basket. “It’s about a river that flows from the mountains into the Wiradjuri land and is poisoned by human interference. [it] He takes human form to walk, to walk with people, to learn, to flow into the sea.”
Money says it’s a story about care, Country, sovereignty, and the interconnectedness of all things.
He describes Chun’s work as stunning hand-drawn and hand-watercolor paintings that “capture the essence of water that underpins the entire story and brings to life the complexity and wonder of the Land.”
“That’s the saddest thing for me, it sets the most egregious example of honesty and courage in publishing in Australia because it’s a very gentle children’s book written by an Aboriginal mother about my Country and my family’s Country,” Money says.
“If this can be struck down under this definition, this weaponized definition, then what’s to stop anything that’s more political or more urgent from being destroyed? What’s going to compel a broadcaster to advocate for something riskier?”
Writers including 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award winner Evelyn Araluen, Melissa Lucashenko, Omar Sakr, Sara Haddad, Dženana Vucic and Natalia Figueroa Barroso left the UQP to protest the decision.
One online notification, Araluen said he severed ties because of the university’s “disgraceful and disgusting decision to trivialize the work of an Aboriginal storyteller without due process, communication, respect or consideration.”
“I have passionately defended UQP’s important place in the literary ecology of this colony and have developed deep and lasting relationships with the staff of this publishing house,” he said.
Araluen said he encourages other First Nations storytellers to work with the publishing house and estimates he has given more than $750,000 to the university over the course of his association. “I poured my heart into the work I published with UQP,” he said.
“It is devastating to see that despite the cultural, emotional and intellectual labor put into UQP through First Nations storytellers, our work can be erased by political whim.
“It’s clear that you don’t deserve our words, so we’ll use them to speak honestly about your actions here today.”
Hours later, Money said he also left the publisherand the university’s decision outlined links between UQ and “the right-wing press, political lobbying, university capitulation, environmental degradation and the erasure of Indigenous storytelling”.
He said the attitude of the university and the publisher towards the author and illustrator duo was “shocking”.
“Gaslighting, silencing, obfuscation and outright lies showed me what a once-respected publishing house was truly about,” he said.
Thursday afternoonChun said communication about the book broke down in early March and accused the university of trying to drive a wedge between him and Money. He said the book was canceled on March 30.
Palestinian-Australian writer and academic Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah also cut ties with the publisher after the book was withdrawn.
Abdel-Fattah said the decision was a “total insult” to First Nations artists and writers of color.
“It is surprising that UQP made this decision knowing full well what the ramifications and ramifications would be,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon, Lamestream reported that more than 30 writers had penned an open letter to UQP expressing their solidarity with Money.
Money said he didn’t expect this level of community support and thanked the writers, including Araluen.
Initially Bila: a river cycle It was expected to be released on June 30. The University of Queensland said Money was not restricted.
“We have great respect for Jazz and its work and would welcome the opportunity to work with Jazz again in the future,” the university said in a statement.
The university said it had not yet destroyed several thousand copies of the book it had already printed, although it was considering “recycling options.”
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