Terri Janke
Terri is a writer who works full time as a lawyer. Her practice focuses on Indigenous art and intellectual and cultural property. She has written many articles and reports on legal issues.
Terri recently published her first novel, Butterfly Song (Penguin, 2005). In 2000, she was selected for the Australian Society of Authors’ mentorship program. Terri worked with writer Pearlie McNeill to complete her novel.
Butterfly Song deals with the themes of family, culture and the things we hold close to hearts. It moves from Sydney, to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait and Cairns, and tells the story of Tarena Shaw, a young Indigenous law graduate, who takes on her first case to reclaim a carved pearl butterfly taken from her family over forty years ago.
Terri’s short stories have been published in Southerly and Island. She is currently working on her second novel.
Terri is of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal descent, was born in Cairns, but now lives in Sydney.