Nandi Chinna is a Kimberley-based writer and environmental activist. She is an award-winning poet and facilitates workshops on the art of Poepatetics—the practice of walking and writing in order to connect with the natural world and foster creative responses to nature.
She used the WMGTST exhibition to seek people’s first stories of rivers and waterbodies, in her Riverography project. Chinna also started conceptualising her poem Spinifex 15 years ago when she first visited the Kimberley region, and finished it last year after moving to Fitzroy Crossing. For WMGTST she worked with fellow artist Jane Donlan to create the Spinifex fibre textiles piece.
Her latest poetry book, The Future Keepers (Fremantle Press 2019) was shortlisted for the 2020 Prime Ministers Literary Award, and Highly Commended for the Victorian Premiers Prize 2020. She has also contributed to birdlife and the art text clearinghouse project with Lethologica Press.
Nandi and Jane talk about their collaboration Spinifex