RETURN OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES
By Coral Hull
Thylacinus cynocephalus - "The pouched dog with the wolf's head".
Welcome to the fifth issue of Thylazine; The Australian Journal of Arts, Ethics & Literature.
I am known for running my own race and in this case, everyone is invited to run beside me. You will not see me winning any competitions because I don't enter them. There is no race and if there is, there are no winners until we all win. While I appreciate positive feedback, you won't find me on an ego trip at my latest book launch, because I don't have them. But if I am in the area I will be at yours. I will also buy your book and I will read it in one sitting. If you see yourself in a position of power in the literary world, I will not suck up to you, even when you think I should, because it's not honest and you know it. While I might not ohhh and ahhh over who you are, I will believe you, at least until I am shown otherwise, because I will expect that you live your life with integrity.
As some of you may already know, Thylazine was suspended during 2001, after being unsuccessful at receiving a foundation grant from the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts. Recently, Thylazine was unsuccessful for the second year, which should have meant the closure of the ezine altogether. But I am pleased to say that quite the opposite has occurred, with Thylazine's next two issues presently under construction and the non-mediocre ezine, run out of a few suitcases, is rapidly building a reputation in Australia and overseas.
In many ways Thylazine is a reflection of my own struggle into a writing career in Australia. As a writer it has taken me over 35 books written with most either already published or due for publication around the world, before receiving my first grant (Established Writers Grant) from the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts. I came from a disadvantaged situation with no family support or adequate education. As a result these 'unfunded' writing years involved long periods of poverty and associated illness, including malnutrition.
Despite some real disadvantages, I managed to find those who were worse off than me and supported them to the best of my ability. From very early on in life, it seemed the only way to go - both logically and spiritually.
I worked voluntarily from the ages of thirteen until thirty-three either individually or for various charitable organisations, and in particular for those who supported animals and the environment. I gave much of my time and very often whatever little money I had to these causes. I was once labelled a spiritual derelict - that being someome who lives on love and not much else. Sometimes this became hard and was the inspiration for the poem; William's Mongrels. I now believe that love kept me alive, where my own family and the Australian literary community either couldn't or didn't and I know that I am not the only one to cope an early beating in this life. We are living in a society that consumes the corpses of murdered animals. So what more could we expect?
Thylazine was bound to face extinction from the start. Thylazine (named after the now extinct Tasmanian wolf) comes from this same personal will to survive and flourish in the world despite the odds. Keeping the ezine up and running online with no funding is certainly proving to be a challenge, but I believe a very worthwhile and necessary one. It marks the return of at least one endangered species: the Australian literary and arts journal.
As Editor, I pledge my support to the disadvantaged Australian poet. I support indigenous Australian poets alongside the newer Australian poets, working class and performance poets as well as the academics and on the page poets. I support the writings, the known and unknown, male and female, city and rural, grant recipients and those who live outside the funding system. All can be seen in this latest issue. To the best of my knowledge and resources, all 228 or so Australian poets are now listed in Thylazine's Australian Poets' Directory.
Thylazine currently represents some wonderful poets, writers, artists and photographers from Australia, with the occasional guest appearance of an overseas writer or artist or someone who works on behalf of those who are less fortunate in the world. While I am now able to pay special featured poets and article writers, a majority of contributors have simply given their time and words and art to Thylazine with no expectation of payment. I would ask us to consider and be grateful to these people here. They are the flesh and bones of Thylazine!
The Tasmanian Thylacine may have been extinct since 1938, but the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service refuse to take the animal off their endangered species list. So as a special gesture to the continuation of this once endangered electronic species, I am going to reclaim the unfunded year of 2001 in which I would have published Thylazine No.3 and No.4, by gradually compiling both issues online and live to air. Who said that we couldn't change history for the better?! The world of electronic publishing allows us to do such things!
Lastly I am very appreciative of the contributors, the many emails of support and donations that people sent in during 2001 and 2002 that have effectively kept Thylazine alive, by keeping my spirit to continue work on Thylazine alive. I thank you for your fine contributions to this relatively new ezine. It is both my priviledge and pleasure to be able to publish and recommend your work to other in Australia and around the world.
Dr. Coral Hull (Editor)
Thylazine thanks the following people for their generosity: Ralph Wessman ($25.00), Emma Lew ($100.00), Clayton Hansen ($60.00), Philip Mead ($30.00), The Vegan Society of NSW ($200.00), Anonymous NSW ($90.00), Anonymous VIC ($50.00) and Dan Bush ($1180.00) towards Thylazine No.9 and The Thylazine Foundation's charitable work.
A special thanks to the contributors; Adam Aikten, Bruce Beaver, Ken Bolton, Peter Boyle, Meghan Boynton, David Brooks, Paul Cliff, Alison Croggon, MTC Cronin, Marian Devitt, Lionel Fogarty, Liz Hall-Downs, Coral Hull (that's me), Inez Hull, John Kinsella, Stephen Oliver, Judith Rodriguez, Gig Ryan, Tracy Ryan, Michelle Seelig, Tom Shapcott, John Tranter, the late Vicki Viidakis, Edwin Wilson and the many artists and photographers whose work is included in this issue.
And others; Stephen Booth, C. Campbell from The Thylacine Museum, Iain Fraser, Patty Mark and the Action Animal Rescue Team, Kindi and Binda who renew my dreams on a daily basis, Jenni Mitchell, Reg and Olive Ryan and the other unseen inhabitants of the Monte Cristo Historical Homestead, "Shamrock" the donkey and The Good Samaritan Donkey Sanctuary, the friends and associates of the late Vicki Viidakis, Pat Woolley and the eleven black angus cows from Rylstone: Molly, Emma, Caliban, Millie, Amanda, Monica, Stevie, Maggie, Ruby, Rachel and Faith. (r.i.p. Kinsella, 2001) and lastly to Josh, Marla and The Envirolink Network (Pennsylvannia, USA) without whose support and assistance this website would not be possible.
About the Writer Coral Hull
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Coral Hull is the author of over 35 books of poetry, prose poetry, fiction, artwork and digital photography. Born in 1965 she was raised under disadvantaged circumstances in the working class suburb of Liverpool in Sydney's outer west. Coral became concerned with issues of social justice and spirituality from an early age. She wrote her first poem about a rainforest at age 13. Coral became an ethical vegan and an animal rights advocate who has since spent much of her life working voluntarily on behalf of animals and the environment, both as an individual and for various non-profit organisations. She is also the Executive Editor and Publisher of Thylazine; an electronic journal featuring articles, interviews and visual art of Australian poets, writers, artists and photographers. Coral holds Doctor of Creative Arts Degree (Creative Writing Major) from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales. An extensive biography, list of publications, festivals, interviews, articles and reviews can be found online. Coral currently lives between Darwin and Sydney, with her two dogs Binda and Kindi. |
[Above] Coral Hull, Elliot Hotel, Elliot, Northern Territory, Australia. (Photo by Coral Hull, 2001)
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Thylazine No.5 (March, 2002) |
