GUEST CURATOR – Rob WATERS

“Speaking Fire is more than a showcase—it's a reclamation. It brings together voices from the heart of Redfern and Waterloo, and from across the Country, weaving a tapestry of stories that speak to survival, resistance, and brilliance. As curator, I envisioned this event as a celebration of Our Story, Our Way—a declaration of sovereignty through storytelling.

I named it Speaking Fire because fire is central to our culture: it warms, it illuminates, it cleanses, and it connects. And I chose Redfern as its home because for generations, this place has been a beacon for Aboriginal people arriving in Sydney. Redfern was a hub—a meeting place, a refuge, a community in a city that too often turned its back on our people and silenced our voices.

But Redfern is more than a safe haven. It is a launchpad. A battleground. A birthplace of movements. What many outside South Sydney don’t realise is that Redfern has long been a speaking ground for the black movement in this country. It’s where voices rose up against injustice, where leaders were forged, and where truth was spoken—loudly, defiantly, and with purpose.

Speaking Fire is not a romanticised yarning circle. It is a space of truth-telling. It is where we gather not just to share stories, but to demand to be heard. It is where truth-tellers meet truth-listeners. It is where we speak with clarity, with courage, and without apology—just as our ancestors did on this very ground for countless generations.

Join us on 25th October at the Redfern Community Centre. Come ready to listen. Come ready to feel. Come ready to witness the fire.”

Rob Waters: Story Week 2025 Guest Curator for Speaking Fire.
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Rob Waters is the 2023 Australian Poetry Slam Champion. He has over 20 years of experience writing, performing and teaching Story. Rob empowers people in communities to use oral storytelling and poetry to share their ideas with the world.

His debut collection of poetry, I Will Speak Now, was published by Word Travels Press in 2024.

Rob has deep cultural connections to the North West region of New South Wales. He is a proud father and grandfather living on Darkinjung Country.