
Maria Van Neerven's Two Tongues
From Spoken Word by Di Cousens, Indrani Perera, Tina Giannoukos, and Waffle IronGirl
May 13, 2026
About this episode
Maria Van Neerven discusses her debut poetry collection 'Two Tongues' and its themes of colonisation, racism, and Indigenous resilience.
Maria Van Neerven's first full length collection, Two Tongues, is published by the University of Queensland Press. Described by Maxine Beneba Clarke as 'a stunning, masterful debut', Maria is a First Nations' poet and she reflects on the legacy of colonisation and racism and the aftermath of intergenerational harm. At the same time, she shines a light on the importance of family and culture, celebrating the Indigenous women filled with resilience and strength.
People in this episode
Hosts: Di Cousens, Indrani Perera, Tina Giannoukos, Waffle IronGirl
Guest: Maria Van Neerven
Topics covered
- First Nations poetry
- colonisation
- racism
- intergenerational harm
- Indigenous culture
- resilience
- family
Keywords
- Maria Van Neerven
- Two Tongues
- poetry
- colonisation
- racism
- Indigenous women
- family
- culture
- resilience
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Queensland Press
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- Maria Van Neerven's Two Tongues · May 6, 2026
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