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The Hungerford Award, which was judged anonymously, is a biennial prize recognising unpublished manuscripts by Western Australian authors.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.
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