A Success Story - Professor Bruce Pascoe's Incredible Rise as an Aboriginal Writer
We have collated, using information from the public domain, a list of estimated Income, Awards, Grants, and Funding received by Professor Bruce Pascoe, one of Australia’s most successful Aboriginal men, who has carved a very successful career for himself as an Aboriginal writer and Indigenous farmer - truly an inspiration to other Indigenous Australians (Note 1).
Professor Pascoe and his entities appear to have received Grants of up to approximately $371,000;
Awards of possibly more than $164,000;
Crowd Funding for farming projects of approximately $59,000;
Income, if any, from the Professorship at UTS, Lecture circuits, Elder in Residence and Appearances; and
Income from books sales and royalties, possibly of approximately $360,000 (Note 2).
The Details :
1. GRANT = $25,263 on about 11/1/2019 from the Australian Government - Small Farms Round 2. To Pascoe Publishing Pty Ltd, with Bruce Pascoe as Director for, “Black Duck Foods is a company that has been established to support the inclusion of indigenous Australians in the production of native food. The company is based at Black Duck Farm which on is situated on the Wallagraugh River in ‘Yuin Country’. The property is owned and run by Bruce Pascoe, a Yuin man…The farm will produce native grains and tubers for the food industry which is already desperate for the product…” As reported on page 12 here of this grant scheme here.
2. AWARD = $15,000 on about 16/5/2016, for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2016-Indigenous Writers Prize to Bruce Pascoe (Joint winner) for Dark Emu, (Magabala Books). About the Prize :“The Indigenous Writers' Prize ($30,000) is offered biennially...The prize is intended to acknowledge the contribution made to Australian literary culture by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers. The prize is open to those who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, and who are accepted as such by the communities in which they live. Co-authored entries will only be considered if both writers are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.” As reported here.
Postscript : “In 2016 I sat on the judging panel for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, alongside Thomas Keneally, when Pascoe was nominated in the Indigenous writer category. Keneally and our fellow judge strongly supported Pascoe, but I resisted, arguing instead for the merits of Ellen van Neerven’s Heat and Light, a dazzling work of fiction I considered of greater depth and literary worth than Dark Emu. In the end we agreed that Pascoe and van Neerven should share the prize. In any event, Pascoe went on to win the prestigious Book of the Year award. Perhaps my judgement was wrong. Of the two books, Dark Emu has certainly had the greater cultural impact.” -Stan Grant, Shifting ground, The Monthly, May 26th, 2021.
3. AWARD = $10,000 on about 16/5/2016 for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2016- Book of the Year - Dark Emu to Bruce Pascoe (and Magabala Books). As reported here.
4. AWARD = $80,000 tax free on about 15/8/2103 for Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 - Young adult fiction to Bruce Pascoe for Fox a Dox. From the Publisher’s information, “Bruce is a member of Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative, Bunurong heritage, and is a Board member of Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages”. As reported here.
5. AWARD = $25,000 in 2018 for the 2018 Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature to Bruce Pascoe, where Pascoe is identified as a Bunurong writer here and where the, “Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature acknowledges the achievements of an eminent literary writer who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian literature.” As reported here.
6. AWARD = $34,000 est. on about 5/3/2018 for the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature. Pascoe appears to identify as “Bunurong writer Bruce Pascoe” , although the Award appears to be not Indigenous specific but does, “acknowledges the achievements of eminent literary writers over the age of 60 who have made an outstanding and lifelong contribution to Australian literature.” As reported here.
7. GRANT = $13,960 share in about 1996-97 for Australia Council Grants to Magabala Books (Pascoe’s publisher) for Ruby-Eyed Coucal. As reported here.
8. GRANT = $20,000 in about 1996-97 for Australia Council Grants - Journal costs for Australian Short Stories to Pascoe Publishing Pty Ltd (Bruce Pascoe Director). As reported here.
9. GRANT = $5,000 in about 1995-96 for Australia Council Grants – Literature : Publication subsidy to Pascoe Publishing Pty Ltd (Bruce Pascoe Director). As reported here.
10. AWARD = $not available on about 16/11/2018 for the NTIV - Person of the Year award at the National Dreamtime Award to Bruce Pascoe. Described as “Bunurong author, Uncle Bruce Pascoe”, as reported here.
11. GRANT = $2040 on about 13/4/2018 for The Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund: Round 2 to Bruce Pascoe, awarded to attend the UK release of his book Dark Emu. [We note that one of the judges on the selection panel was Rachel Bin Salleh from Magabala Books, who is Pascoe’s Publisher]. As reported here.
12 AWARD Nominee = $not available for 2020 as Victorian Senior Australian of the Year Nominee to Bruce Pascoe - Category : Victoria Indigenous writer. “Field of endeavour : Bruce Pascoe is the author of non-fiction bestseller Dark Emu… He is currently Director of Black Duck foods and Professor of Indigenous Knowledge at UTS.” As reported here.
13. AWARD Finalist = $not available in 2019 for SAE ATOM Awards FINALIST IN: Best Educational/Training Video or Website (Primary/Secondary) to Bruce Pascoe – a Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man – who explains to the audience aspects of Indigenous agricultural practices such as rope making, the use of stone tools, and using indigenous plants and grasses. As reported here and here.
14. POSITION = $not available in 2018 or 2019 as The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) – INDIGENOUS Section - Elder in Residence for Uncle Bruce Pascoe as Elder in Residence. “A TELLER OF STORIES. Uncle Bruce Pascoe is an award-winning Australian writer, editor and anthologist. He is of Bunurong, Yuin and Tasmanian heritage”. As reported here and here.
15. AWARD Shortlist Nominee = $not available in 2014 for Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing to Bruce Pascoe, who is described as “a Bunurong man born in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. He is a member of the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative of southern Victoria and has been the director of the Australian Studies Project for the Commonwealth Schools Commission.” As reported here.
16. GRANT = $8140 in about Jan 2000 to Pascoe Publishing (Bruce Pascoe Director) for four Indigenous freelance editors to receive mentoring and production training, working with Bruce Pascoe on the literary journal, Australian Short Stories. As reported here.
17. Possible Book & Tickets Sales = $not available on 24th May 2019 for TALKING IDEAS: NARELLE OLIVER LECTURE WITH BRUCE PASCOE State Library of Queensland by Bruce Pascoe, who was described as “ a Bunurong man born in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. He is a member of the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative of southern Victoria and has been the director of the Australian Studies Project for the Commonwealth Schools Commission.” As reported here.
18. POSITION = $not available in 2020 provided by the ABC and Screen NSW & Film Victoria for Bruce Pascoe as the writer of Dark Emu: A documentary from Blackfella Films, based on the award-winning book of the same name. The series is written by Bruce Pascoe and Jacob Hickey. The series received principal production investment from Screen Australia’s Indigenous Department in association with the ABC. Financed with support from Screen NSW with Film Victoria. As reported here.
19. GRANT Request = $50,000 requested, $3,000 raised from donors on about 3/1/2019 for funds requested from : First Australians Capital Ltd SYDNEY, NSW, AUSTRALIA. Grantee appears to be Black Duck Foods Ltd, where Bruce Pascoe, and it appears several of his family members, are directors. It has not been confirmed if this grant has been successful, but it appears to have been applied for. First Australians Capital’s (FAC) mission is “to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs bring tens of thousands of years of social, cultural and environmental enterprise experience to the modern marketplace. Our vision is for our communities to be completely economically independent and driving a new economy that aligns with our social, cultural and environmental values”. As reported here.
20. POSITION = $not available on about 20/8/2019 provided by Sydney Living Museums. No information is available as to whether Pascoe will receive funds, but Sydney Living Museums, which was awarded $10,000 to commission, “Cutter & Coota”, a new play for young people by award-winning Indigenous author Bruce Pascoe, is to be performed at Hyde Park Barracks in early 2020. As reported here.
21. GRANT = $15,000 in about June 2016 from the Not-For-Profit CopyrightAgency as a Grant–Cultural JUNE 2016 CREATE CAREER FUND to Bruce Pascoe. No mention of any indigenous ancestry requirement and none appears to have been claimed by Pascoe. The Grant is for enabling Pascoe to continue work on a pair of novels. As reported here .
22. AWARD Nomination = $not available on about 1/11/2019 for the Nomination for a Human Rights Medal to Bruce Pascoe described as, “Professor Bruce Pascoe’s ongoing research into Aboriginal agriculture challenges the widespread belief that Aboriginal Australians were hunter-gatherers. This belief was used to justify dispossession of Aboriginal lands, but Bruce’s multi-award-winning book Dark Emu uses early explorers’ diaries to reveal complex food production and land management systems used by Aboriginal people. He also seeks to revive these systems and develop a national industry of Aboriginal foodstuffs.” As reported here.
23. Royalties & Advance fee = $not publicly disclosed on about 27/6/2018 by Hardie Grant Travel who has acquired world rights to a travel guide book “by Bunurong writer Bruce Pascoe”. As reported here.
24. CROWD FUNDING = $32,874 on about 22/12/2015. Recipient appears to be Bruce Pascoe on behalf of Nowra Environmental, for ‘Sow the Seed: Aboriginal Agriculture’. As reported here.
25. CROWD FUNDING = $26,380 on about 24/12/2016. Recipient appears to be Bruce Pascoe on behalf of Mallacoota Environmental, for ‘Grow the Seeds – Merian Munjie’. As reported here.
26. POSITION = $not available for 2019 for a UTS Professorship for Professor Bruce Pascoe at UTS, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research Core Member, SIC - Strengthening Indigenous Communities. As reported here. UTS describe and employ Professor Pascoe “as a Bunurong, Tasmanian and Yuin man. He was born in Melbourne and grew up on a remote island in the Bass Strait”. As reported here.
27. AWARD = $not available in 2018 for the ‘Vice-Chancellor’s Social Justice and Human Rights Award’ at the 2018 UTS Human Rights Awards, which recognises an outstanding contribution to the advancement of social justice or human rights at the local, national or international levels. As reported here.
28. GRANT = $25,000 in 2014-2015 to Pascoe Publishing (Bruce Pascoe Director) from the Australian Government’s Screen Australia for Indigenous Drama Development of “Eats Roots and Leaves”. As reported on page 99 here.
29. GRANT = $7,000 on about 1/06/2013 to Bruce Pascoe from the Australian Government’s Screen Australia for INDIGENOUS FUNDING of a Drama Development called “ Boat”. As reported here.
30. SUBSIDIES, GRANTS & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN PUBLISHING THE BOOK, YOUNG DARK EMU= $not available in 2019 from The State of Western Australia, The Shire of Broome Western Australia and the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, as indicated in the Information Page of Young Dark Emu here. We do regret however, that despite all these sources of financial assistance from the Australian taxpayer, Uncle Bruce and his ‘Australian’ publisher, Magabala Books, still decided to have his book printed in China.
31. Company details related to Bruce Pascoe - BLACK DUCK FOODS LTD operated as a Not-For-Profit company, GURUNDGI MUNJIE, BACK TO COUNTRY PTY. LTD. in the process of being struck-off, ASIC Strikeoff and PASCOE PUBLISHING PTY. LTD.
32. ABIA Small Publisher of the year for 2020 Award to Magabala Books, publisher of Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu
33. The Eve Pownall Award was won by Bruce Pascoe for Young Dark Emu: A Truer History. The CBCA judges said this beautifully produced book presents a powerful argument debunking the notion of Terra Nullius which positioned Indigenous Australians as nomadic hunter gatherers. This younger readers’ version of Dark Emu is an engaging discussion, accessible to primary school and young adult readers. - October 2020 - here
34. GRANT = up to $200,000 in about October 2020 [Actual amount not published]. Bruce Pascoe’s non-profit company, Black Duck Foods is a recipient of a 2020 Djakitjuk Djanga (Country’s food) grant from Agriculture Victoria and the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations (the Federation) who have partnered to support Traditional Owners and other Aboriginal Victorians to lead the development of Victoria’s native food and botanicals industry. The grants are up to $200,000 per applicant.
Note 1: This list has been compiled in good faith from publicly available sources of information. Any errors are entirely unintentional and readers are encouraged to advise us at, dark.emu.exposed@gmail.com , of any errors or corrections they may find.
Note 2: An estimate of the writer’s royalty income from Dark Emu alone is, say, from sales of $4million [from nearly 200,000 copies (Listen here at 5:50) @$20 ea incl GST] with a writers royalty of, say, 10% of $4,000,000 less GST gives Uncle Bruce an income of possibly $360,000.
