Event #23

Zenadth Kes: My Island Home

Thu 8 Oct 2026

Lenora Thaker + Ellen Armstong + Samantha Faulkner

Fairfax Studio

Regular Program / Free Event

#Performances

Thu 8 Oct 2026 - 6:00pm

Fairfax Studio

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#About the event

Duration: 60 minutes

Zenadth Kes: My Island Home

Lenora Thaker, Ellen Armstrong.
Chair: Samantha Faulkner
6–7pm, Thursday 8 October, Fairfax Studio

The panel brings together three women with diverse experiences in the creative sector: an emerging writer, an established writer, and an arts advocate. They'll share their experiences in the creative sector as Torres Strait Islander women and will explore themes of culture, identity and representation. You'll hear how they began their writing journeys and what advice they'd give to aspiring writers and advocates.

Curated by Samantha Faulkner

#Artists

Lenora Thaker

Lenora Thaker is a proud Meriam and Wagedagam woman born and raised on Gimuy-Walubarra Yidinji country in Far North Queensland. She is a descendant of the Torres Strait Islanders of Cairns Malaytown (a swampland shantytown that existed from the late 1800s to the early 1950s), who are the inspiration for this story. Lenora Thaker received the Boundless Mentorship for The Pearl of Tagai Town.

Ellen Armstong

Ellen Armstrong was born and raised on Awabakal country and has been living in Meeanjin for the past 11 years.

Being Torres Strait Islander, Japanese and Scottish decent, Ellen’s passionate about celebrating all cultures with family, friends and those around her. Ellen has been published in Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia and continues her writing journey.

Samantha Faulkner

Samantha Faulkner is a Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal woman with family links to Badu and Moa Islands in the Torres Strait and Wuthathi and Yadhaigana peoples, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Sam is a writer, poet and editor whose publications include: Life Blong Ali Drummond: A Life in the Torres Strait, written with her grandfather; Pamle: Torres Strait Islanders in Canberra; and Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia, published by Black Inc, 2024. Her short stories and poetry have been published nationally and internationally and her poetry has been translated to French, Indian and South Korean. She is currently working on her debut poetry collection.