Bentley-based writer Dr Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes has been awarded the prestigious City of Fremantle Hungerford Award for his book Trials of Hope (የተስፋ ፈተና), an autobiographical work that chronicles his journey from boy shepherd in Ethiopia to human rights academic at Curtin University.
The Hungerford Award, which was judged anonymously, is a biennial prize recognising unpublished manuscripts by Western Australian authors.
Written in both English and Amharic poetry and prose, the memoir’s English narrative took two years to complete, while the Amharic poems were developed over several decades.
Yirga, who works as a multidisciplinary senior lecturer, researcher, and writer at Curtin University, focuses on human rights education and cultural studies.
Now standing alongside acclaimed writers who have previously won the award, including Gail Jones, Kim Scott, Brenda Walker, Natasha Lester, and Holden Sheppard, with last year’s winner Molly Schmidt, Yirga said that winning the award provides confirmation that his work is valued and motivates him to continue writing and pursue new projects.
“The Hungerford Award means an opening of hope, a realisation that stories and languages like mine could have places in a world where they are rarely heard,” he said.
“It means a lot for me, not only as an individual but also for our community. It opens a door for similar writers like myself.”
Living in Australia for the past 16 years, after completing two years for his master’s degree and four years for his PhD, Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes has spent the last ten years engaged in teaching and research as a critical human rights scholar, cultural studies scholar, and expert in political studies, knowledge translation, artifacts, and heritage.
Yirga said that in writing the book, he wanted to illustrate the beauty of rural Ethiopia, showcasing its rich culture rather than the common misconceptions of misery and poverty.
He hopes it can inspire other writers from diverse backgrounds to share their own stories and believes that “language that expresses the heart of God” makes this possible.
“When they are driven by a purpose that is above and beyond them, I think they will always come up with a beautiful story that others would be willing to listen to,” he said.
“We need to drive that courage to express it, and people should always try to find some skills and ideas to always come back to that which is unique for them.”
As part of the award, Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes will receive a cash prize of $15,000, a publishing contract with Fremantle Press, and a residency fellowship at the Centre for Stories.
City of Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge, who announced the win last month, said she was proud to provide emerging artists with access to initiatives that incubate, support, and enhance their creative output.
“The City is proud to welcome another passionate and gifted writer into the Hungerford Award alumni and its 33-year heritage of identifying talented new storytellers,” she said.
“Yirga’s story is extraordinary. It is a love song to his homeland that will inspire other Western Australians with a story to share.”
