Artwork by Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe
OUR PRESS
We are a not-for-profit community-controlled publisher run by our authors and storytellers in Mparntwe Alice Springs. We are the only independent publisher in the NT and we have recently formed the first ever author-run publishing cooperative in the world! We centre First Nations storytelling and truth-telling from remote areas and are committed to a range of copyright justice initiatives from repatriation of stolen stories to building greater protections for First Nations storytellers and their Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights.
We work in partnership with a number of local and national organisations including the Arid Lands Environment Centre, Arplwe Art and Culture Centre Ali Curung, Arts Law and the Co-operative Federation. Our titles are distributed by NewSouth Books to hundreds of outlets nation-wide as well as in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Our titles have previously been showcased at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the largest publishing industry event in the world and the work of our authors has been translated into French, Croatian and Spanish so far!
Running Water Community Press began as a local writers group in the 1990’s and operated under the name of Ptilotus Press from 1996 until 2021. To see the titles we released on the Ptilotus Press imprint, please click here (some are still for sale). We build close relationships with our authors and community to which we are accountable. These relationship-centred collaborative processes are essential to culturally safe participatory publishing. Contracts are tailored to the needs of authors and we prioritise channelling resources back into community.
At present, our press relies on the in-kind work of our members, donations from supporters and project grants. Funds from book sales are put back into publications and our local literary community. All contributions to Running Water Community Press are tax-deductible. If you would like to support our work, see the options here.
If you would like to be a part of our collective work, please get in touch through contact@runningwatercommunitypress.com
OUR BOARD
Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe is a Kaytetye Warlpiri woman from Ali Curung remote community, 400km north of Mparntwe Alice Springs. She is a writer, storyteller and artist. Maureen’s short stories and poems have been widely published including by IAD Press, UWA and Magabala Books. In 2014, she was awarded the Magabala Books Australian Indigenous Creators’ Scholarship. Maureen has performed at writers’ festivals across the country and has published work in Croatia.
Maureen is pictured standing second from the right, with her sister and family, Olivia Nigro and Alex Vaughan during the Water Justice Project on her Country outside Alekerenge in May 2023.
Amelia Kngwarraye Turner is a cultural leader, Angangkere (traditional healer), artist and was leading Akeyulerre’s Healing Centre’s Angkwerre-Iweme (Traditional Healing) Project for over eight years. Her poetry is featured in Arelhekenhe Angkentye: Women’s Talk.
Amelia is pictured to the far left, next to Mparntwe Traditional Owner Elaine Kngwarraye Peckham and Trevor Byrne. This photo was taken at the launch of Living In Hope: the complete memoirs of Frank Byrne in Mpartnwe Alice Springs, July 2022 where Amelia offered the Welcome to Country and poetry readings.
Shirley Knwarraye Turner is a Central Arrernte woman, a mother of four children and three grandchildren. She comes from Anapipe Sandybore Outstation, which is about 85km northeast of Mparntwe. My poetry features in Arelhekenhe Angkentye Women’s Talk and was selected for the Best of Australian Poems 2021 anthology (Australian Poetry). I also wrote a children’s book called Althateme (McGrath’s Dam) (Children’s Ground).
Shirley is pictured next to her eldest sister Amelia Kngwarraye Turner on their Grandmother’s Country at Irlpeme, Telegraph Station during the filming of the Water Justice Project second release, April 2024.
Tisha Carter is an Anmatjere woman from Ti Tree community, 200 kms north of Mparntwe Alice Springs. She has worked for the Akeyulerre Healing Centre in Mpartnwe Alice Springs for over eight years looking after the Elders and organising bush medicine and smoking workshops. Her poetry is featured in Arelhekenhe Angkentye Women’s Talk.
Tisha is pictured third from the left during a road trip across the Tanami Desert with the Byrne family and press mob to return Living In Hope to Frank Byrne’s burial place and launch the book with his families and fellow Stolen Generations in Joy Springs community in October 2022.
Trevor Byrne is an Arrernte Gooniyandi man who lives at Iwupataka homelands, 30km west of Mparntwe Alice Springs. He is the eldest son and representative for the late author, Frank Byrne. Trevor has dedicated his life to supporting his people in the local community across numerous roles and currently works with the housing support team at Tangentyere Council.
Trevor is pictured to the far right, standing alongside his family members, after the launch of Living In Hope: the complete memoirs of Frank Byrne in Mparntwe Alice Springs in July 2022.
Valencia Byrne is an Arrernte Gooniyandi woman who lives at Iwupataka homelands, 30km west of Mparntwe Alice Springs. She is the daughter and representative for the late author, Frank Byrne. Valencia is a matriarch in her family and community and she currently works offering case support to women and children at the local women’s shelter.
Valencia is pictured standing in the centre between her grandmother’s and father’s graves, alongside her children, family members and press mob, during the visit to Joy Springs community in October 2022 to return Living In Hope to Country.
Olivia Nigro was born on the unceded lands of the Gadigal people (Sydney) to a migrant family. Over the past 15 years they have been active in justice movements as a writer, researcher, community organiser, campaigner and media strategist. In their academic life, Olivia works with senior Wiradjuri academic Aunty Juanita Sherwood in the areas of health, decolonisation and cultural safety. Olivia has been visiting the central desert since 2008 and has lived in Mpartnwe Alice Springs for eight years. An active member of the press since 2018, they have worked with authors and local community to create Running Water Community Press.
Olivia is pictured centered between Maureen Nampijinpa O’Keefe on the left and Theresa Penangke Alice on the right during a press meeting on Country at Anthwerrke, August 2022.
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