…to 14 May 2023: Personal Journal 1

 

As promised in my earlier post, I am posting this activity journal to hold myself accountable. Since this is my first monthly journal, I will start from 3rd April when I made myself known as an author and donated some of my books to the Max Weber Library in Blacktown. I hope you enjoy reading it, and I welcome constructive comments and suggestions that add value to my learning and initiatives.

Start of the Beginning: 3 April 2023

I donated my books "Ma Ra Buddha" (Part 1 and 2) and "Hamro Ghar Hamro Pariwar" to the Max Weber Library in Blacktown. Joelmon Zungar, Librarian of Multicultural Services, and his Manager Joy Burke received the books. The books were catalogued and made available to readers on the library's bookshelves. The library has a Community Language Collection/Section that offers a range of materials in 105 different languages. The Nepalese language is one of the sections. I discovered that Krishna Niraula, the Past President of the Blacktown Nepalese Community-Australia (BNC-Australia established in 2016), played a significant role in setting up the Nepalese section in the library. The section includes Nepalese books and DVDs/movies.

Observation and reflection:

• I wonder how many libraries across NSW and Australia have similar community language collections including Nepalese section?

• Although I don't have specific data, I'm certain there are many published Nepalese writers currently living in Australia as citizens, permanent residents, or students (even though many have published their books in Nepal). I was surprised not to find a single book from them in the library.

• It would be wonderful to have at least one book from all Nepalese writers (Australia-based) on the library shelves. This idea can be replicated in other libraries that already have a community language section, promoting Nepalese writers and literature across NSW or Australia as a whole.

• I realized the need for in-depth conversations among writers, journalists, and groups/associations related to Nepalese literature and language. Research and data collection in various aspects are crucial to determine a way forward.

Plan of action:

As a first step, I will initiate Meet and Greet activities to establish contact with writers and authors in Australia, starting from Sydney. My main objective for these meetings will be to share ideas and learn from their experiences. If possible, I will make an appeal for collective action to bring Australia-based Nepalese Writers and literature to the forefront in Australia.

Book donation: 17 April 2023

To support the plan of increasing the number of books by Nepalese writers (AB) in the library, I organized a book donation event with Mr. Maheshwar Sharma, Central Vice-President of the International Nepalese Literature Society. He visited the Max Weber Library and handed over several Nepalese books, including his own book titled "Sambedanako Akar" (Shape of Sensation - Collection of Poems), to Ms. Samanth Cadwallen, Acting Library Manager.

Thanks to this donation, the Nepalese Book section in the library now includes "Sambedanako Akar," "Agni" (The Blaze - Epic), "Sagarmathako Gahirai" (Depth of Mt. Everest - Collection of Poems), "Aparichit Anuhar" (Strange Face - Collection of Short Stories), and "Eklo Maharathi" (Lone Warrior - Collection of Poems). I was deeply touched by his kindness and sincerity, as he remembered to include other writers and their books in the donation.

 

Meet and Greet

1.     Meeting with Ms. Sanu Ghimire - Saturday, 15 April

As part of my plan to develop contacts, I met with Ms. Sanu Ghimire Jyotsana, the author of "Sydney Sapana" (Sydney Dream), at the Max Weber Library in Blacktown. We had an engaging discussion about the situation of Nepalese writers in Australia and the potential for Nepalese literature in mainstream Australian literature. I learned that she had played a significant role in establishing the International Nepalese Literature Society NSW in 2011 and served as the Founder General Secretary from 2011 to 2015.

I shared my observations about Nepalese literature and writers (AB) with her. We discussed the need for initiatives as aware authors to collect writers' data/profiles and develop an evidence-based seminar paper. She readily agreed to lead and support the data collection and work on seminar paper. I was truly inspired by her enthusiasm and open-mindedness.

2.       Meeting with Bhimsen Sapkota - 3 May 2023

As part of my Meet and Greet activities for building rapport and networking with writers, I visited author Bhimsen Sapkota at his home in Riverwood. I learned that he had served as both the Central Vice-President and President of the International Nepalese Literary Society (INLS) and INLS-NSW, respectively.

During our short meeting, I shared my vision of promoting Nepalese literature and writers (AB) in mainstream Australian literature by creating opportunities. I also shared my plan to promote the Nepalese section of the Max Weber Library. He generously gave me some of his inspirational and yoga books for the library.

It was a brief but inspiring meeting with the multitalented personality Bhimsen Sapkota, also known as Acharya Rajan Sharma. His portfolio reveals that he is a life coach, yogi, NAATI trainer, astrologer, cultural ambassador, and marriage celebrant.

 

International Nepali Literature Society (INLS)'s event: Saturday, 8 April 2023

It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday when I decided to attend the Children's Literary and Cultural Program organized by the INLS-NSW Chapter. Although I didn't have a formal invitation, I took a chance to meet some key figures of the society, including the President, with whom I had been trying to make contact and have a conversation.

The program successfully inspired and engaged Nepalese children in learning and practicing Nepalese music, songs, dance, and literature at the Glenfield Community Hall. The chief guests, Illya Bhattarai and Ravi Kiran Nirjiv, graced the event with their presence.

To my surprise, Illya Bhattarai (didi) instantly recognized me, even though we hadn't met in about 10 years. Unfortunately, I couldn't organize a second meeting or invite her for lunch as she didn't provide me with her contact number. (I had planned to have a brief interaction session with her to discuss a manuscript written by Ms. ABNW (I want to keep her name private as I'm unsure if she was interested/ready in the discussion at that moment.) and collect feedback for improvising/editing.)

Nevertheless, attending the event had positive outcomes:

• I met with Sanu Ghimire Jyotsana, and did a follow-up meeting with her took place on 15 April. Stay tuned for further updates in the coming months.
• I also met with Mamta Tiwari, the President of INLS. Although our meeting was unscheduled, I received her poem collection, "Jivanka Tarang" (Waves of Life).

I would like to express my appreciation to Maheshwar Sharma and Pratigya Adhikari for making me feel comfortable among the unknown crowd of over 100 people, including children.

Observation and reflection:

Since the event was focused on children, it seemed irrelevant for adult writers/authors to recite their poems intended for an adult audience. It would have been wonderful if they had recited children's poems or stories. Nonetheless, I congratulate the organizing committee for leading such an initiative.

 

Samjhana Pathsala- Nepali Language School: 23 April 2023

I participated in the school's Term-2 Lesson Plan discussion meeting called by Prakriti Shrestha. Other attendees included Partigya Adhikari and teacher Bijaya. Samjhana Pathsala, a Nepalese language school for children, is affiliated with the Blacktown Nepalese Community (BNC)-Australia and has been operating every Sunday afternoon for the past few years at Meadows Public School in Seven Hills, NSW.

During the discussion, we covered various topics, including curriculum development, parental involvement in school management and classes, and youth development activities such as sports and creative writing. We also emphasized the importance of storytelling sessions in classes.

 

Observation and reflection:

·      The school management committee and BNC should be acknowledged for their efforts in running the school with limited resources and support. I noticed a need for school registration, additional classrooms to accommodate the growing number of students and programs, and investment in teacher training. Hopefully, these issues will be addressed by the BNC in support of the parents.

·     To my knowledge, there are a few more Nepalese schools in Sydney, including Sabdamala Nepalese Language School, which, in my opinion, is one of the outstanding community language schools. I believe there should be some kind of cooperation between Nepalese community language schools that aim to promote Nepalese language in Australia, at least in terms of knowledge and experience sharing.

·     Imagine if we had precise data on the number of Nepalese language schools in Australia. I'm unsure if anyone has already collected such data, at least for NSW. However, I believe it's time to start collecting it.

·     It would be wonderful if some writers (AB) took the initiative and dedicated their time, at least once a month, to visit language schools and conduct sessions on literary activities such as creative writing (poems/stories), storytelling, and poem recitation.

·      Community language schools could serve as avenues to discover and encourage creative and talented Nepalese children and youth, helping them hone their creative skills and providing mentorship. This would be another way to nurture promising writers/authors of Nepalese background in Australia.

Plan of action:

As an action, I will reach out as many as Nepalese language schools in Sydney and will run story telling session/creative session and advocate the same idea to other writers, encouraging them to contribute to their nearby community schools. If possible, at my level, I will identify talented young adults and connect them with opportunities for workshops/mentorship.

Bhutan to Blacktown - Book Launch: 1 May 2023

I had the privilege of attending the long-awaited book launch event, "Bhutan to Blacktown," at the Max Weber Library in Blacktown. The book, a memoir by Om Dhungel co-authored by James Bottom, is adorned with a foreword from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who states, "What you hold in your hands is a great Australian story." During the book launch, Elfa Moraitakis, CEO of SydWest Multicultural Services, graciously engaged in a session with Om Dhungel to shed light on his book and the settlement services in Australia.

This journal is written from the perspective of book publication from the Nepalese speaking writers/authors (AB).  To me, this book launch was remarkable where Om Dhungel shares his life and refugee journey from Bhutan to Blacktown in Western Sydney. I consider this a milestone as the book is written by someone who speaks the Nepalese language, follows Nepalese culture, and is of Nepalese lineage, much like many of us. Om Dhungel's book is published and promoted by an Australian publisher and distributor, reviewed by national papers, and embraced by mainstream English readers, with international reach. This is the vision I have for all Australian-based Nepalese writers. Om Dhungel has already set an example for all of us, showing that it is possible. Therefore, we should celebrate this publication and congratulate him.

Observation and reflection:

·      There are so many things to learn from this book publication, mainly publication and distribution process. His experience would be a learning lesson for many of us who aspire to publish their book in Australia.

·      Another aspect is gaining an insight on "Australian perspective" in relation to writer's subjects and Australian reader's mindset.

·      We can talk about role and important of editors, rewriting and writer's block.

·      While I may be unaware of other books published by Nepalese writers (NB) in a similar standard and scale in Australia, occasional publications by one or two writers are not enough. I want to see more visibility, acknowledgment, and recognition of Nepalese writers (NB) in Australia by English readers.

Plan of action:

I will initiate to organize at least one conversation session with writer Om Dhungel to share his publication experience and writing journey. This will provide an opportunity for us to gain insights and guidance from his valuable experience.

Bringing Australia-based Nepalese Writers and Literature to the Forefront in Australia: My Vision and Plans

It has been over a month since I made my presence known and frequent on social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. After a long break of 12 years, I have restarted my blog sharing a few greeting words on Nepali New Year 2080 (BS). In fact, my return to social media is driven by my determination to contribute to the literary community in Australia.

For the past few years, I have been quietly observing and trying to understand the state of Nepalese writers and literature in Australia. I have identified some gaps and missing connections, which I believe most Australia-based Nepalese writers are aware of but have not been able to address due to various reasons. As a conscious member of the Nepalese community and a writer myself, I have felt the need to take action. For common understanding, hereafter, Australia-based Nepalese writers means any writers/authors who share Nepalese origin, culture and language; who have generational connection to Nepal and its history; and have meaningful understanding and respect to Nepalese sentiments.

Leveraging my background in project management, I have started working on my vision and plan to fill in some of these gaps. With some groundwork already laid, I have made a personal commitment to step out of my comfort zone and share my vision and plan with others. I now feel ready to share this online as well. My intention is not to seek attention but rather to keep myself accountable, motivated, and to eventually see tangible results from my efforts. In this post, I would like to briefly outline my vision and some strategic plans.

Vision:

My vision is to have English books written by Australia-based Nepalese writers be published, displayed, and available in Australian libraries and bookstores, just like the works of mainstream Australian and English writers. 

Some initial strategies to achieve this vision over a period of 5 years include:

• Networking and rapport building with writers from Nepalese origin, Australian mainstream writers, writers from CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) communities, and service providers such as libraries and writers' associations/groups.

• Conducting research, developing databases, and sharing information related to Nepalese writers and literature in Australia.

• Creating opportunities for Australia-based Nepalese writers, such as mentoring, training, workshops, interactions with Australian/English writers, and avenues for publication.

• Establishing mentoring programs and fellowship opportunities for youth and the younger generation.

I am aware that it may seem impractical for a single individual to undertake these initiatives in the long run. However, I am confident that there are other writers who share a similar vision or interest. I welcome them to contribute and share their visions in whatever way possible. Together, we can work towards realizing our collective goals.

Moving forward, I will regularly post a report on my activities aligning with the vision and share my learnings during the third week of every month.