Muara, the Malay word for estuary, is a passage of fluidity and connection, where the river meets the open sea. Muara evokes a place where we find ourselves between the memory of land and the lure of the unknown deep. In these pages, writers engage in ideas and imaginings, interpreting the shifting shoreline of our realities. The ink we leave upon this topography are traces of ourselves, inscribing this moment in the ebb and flow of existence. A collaboration between George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) and Svara journal, Muara celebrates the 10th Anniversary of GTLF and Penang as a vibrant port and cosmopolitan city in the Southeast Asian region. Featuring essays, short stories, poetry, book reviews, and translations, Muara gathers established and emerging writers from Malaysia, the region, and the world.

Recorded live during GTLF2021, 27 November 2021.