Mij Tanith
In a career spanning more than forty years, Mij Tanith has written plays, short fiction, poetry and longer narrative works. Her early work as a playwright began with Blind Circumstance (Griffin Theatre Company, 1985) and was followed by several commissioned plays in South Australia that addressed themes including adult literacy, environmental concerns, media ethics and schoolyard violence.
Alongside her writing, she taught creative writing at TAFE and in community settings, working with women, immigrants, and lesbian and gay groups. She later wrote regular feature articles for Blaze, Adelaide’s gay and lesbian newspaper.
Her publications include Pastiche, a play set in an apocalyptic future; Three Seasons, a novel set in the 1980s exploring family, relationships and ESL teaching; and Stories From a Garden, a rhyming narrative combining local history, fiction and community themes. She was named City of Adelaide Citizen of the Year in 2025 for her long-term advocacy and support for refugees. Laila’s Story draws on this work.
Mij Tanith
when we were new
such formal words
in your email
please, you wrote
for myself and my daughters
can I call you Mum
like our friend Mr Friday?
In January 2023, an Afghan man – a long-term refugee living in Australia – walks into the home of two older women in Adelaide. What begins as a simple request for help evolves into a year-long journey of connection, resilience, and unexpected friendship. Through the story of Laila, a single mother with five daughters, and her growing relationship with the author, this work explores the power of human connection across seemingly insurmountable divides of language, culture, age, sexuality, and faith. Laila and her daughters now reside in Australia.
3 MARCH 2026 | ISBN 9781922964328 | Paperback | 152 mm x 229mm | 104 pages