Asia What? Melbourne Writers Festival 17

This FREE EVENT, with no bookings required, asks the questions, what are the ‘authentic’ stories of Asians and ‘Asian-ness’? How are Asian narratives crafted, and as settlers, what are their relationships with Indigenous peoples?

Explore these provacations through a day of free discussion, performances, workshops and reflections featuring Bruce Pascoe, Eugenia Flynn, Melanie Cheng, Ra Chapman, Sangeetha Thanapal, Steven Winduo, Shinen Wong and more.

Presented in partnership with the Asian Australian Democracy Caucus – AADC.

Friday, September 1st 2017

@ ACMI Cube (at Federation Square)
10am to 4pm

Indigenous Connections:

What is the relationship to indigeneity within the diverse identities of Asian and Pacific communities? As settlers, what role do Asian Australians play in the ongoing colonial project? Eugenia Flynn, Bruce Pascoe and Steven Winduo investigate and perform readings of their work.

http://mwf.com.au/session/asia-what-indigenous-connections-2/

Genealogies of the Body

What makes bodies ‘Asian’? How do the histories that we carry and the narratives around us shape our bodies? A movement performance by Sangeetha Thanapal and Shinen Wong will be followed by a gentle participatory workshop, giving attendees an opportunity to reflect on their own bodies.

http://mwf.com.au/session/asia-what-genealogies-of-the-body/

Beyond Authenticity

From Japanese geisha stereotypes to the Yellow Peril, what narrative boxes are Asians put in? Hear readings from Allison Chan, Ra Chapman and Melanie Cheng, followed by a brainstorm workshop to share your speculative narratives of Asian Australia.

http://mwf.com.au/session/asia-what-beyond-authenticity/

If you are enthusiastic for more, catch this additional Writing Across Borders event that will be happening after, with the Melbourne Writers Festival in partnership with Writers Immersion and Cultural Exchange (WrICE).

Writing Across Borders:

Enjoy an intercultural exchange with writers from Vietnam, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Through live performance, David Carlin, Daryll Delgado, Francesca Rendle-Short, Nhã Thuyên, Christos Tsiolkas, Ellen van Neerven and others showcase their work with the WrICE program.

More details here: bit.ly/2uEXAOE