Running water story

We called this press Running Water Community Press because water makes everything grow. People grow from knowledge and when we tell the truth, our spirit grows. Truth-telling lets our spirit flow free, like clear running water. It’s about cleansing the spirit and chucking away all the rubbish in our lives, the colonial rubbish. We need to be healed. When the water flows in every direction, it brings life to everything. It also carries debris and our life is like that too. We carry debris. Our spirit has got to run clear like that running water. It lets go of all the debris and it runs clear in the end. It is about cleansing and healing at the same time.

Seed story

Our stories are like seeds. When the seeds drop into the water, the water will carry those seeds far and wide. The seeds plant into the ground and grow. Our press wants to be running water for First Nations stories, to carry those stories and allow them to flow in every direction, nourishing and cleansing everything. The seeds grow and become big trees.

Tree story

A tree that is standing by the water side reaches down into the deep ground where water is running. The roots are collecting the water. It grows above the ground, branching out. And it grows below the ground, deepening its roots. Our press was born in the heart of the continent on Central Arrernte Land. It is our dream that it can branch out from here whilst deepening it’s roots at the same time.

Our dream

We want to grow a strong publishing structure for the future of our First Nations storytellers and writers. For today, tomorrow and the next generation to come. We want community-controlled publishing that is for First Nations peoples by First Nations peoples. We want to build First Nations publishing power, copyright justice, excellence and most of all to be the owners and custodians of our own published stories. To keep doing this and expanding our work, we need operational funding. 

We are seeking support

We are seeking operational funding to employ up to four staff. Can you assist us in grant writing and pitching for funding? Here are other ways you can support! Tell your friends and family about our work. Follow us on social media. Re-post and share our content. Buy our books via NewSouth Books. Make a one-off tax-deductible donation. Even better, make a regular tax-deductible donation to support our operational costs. Host a fundraising event for the press or one of our books that you love. If you have other ideas, let us know!

Running Water Community Press
BSB: 015-881
ACC: 4196-46804