Bessie Head Literature Awards
Bessie Head Literature Awards is a Botswana literary award founded in 2007.[1] It is administered by the Bessie Head Heritage Trust. The Trust was established in June 2007 to promote the life and work of Bessie Head. The goal of the award is to help preserve Bessie Head's legacy in Botswana, and to encourage the development of Botswana literature in various genres in English.
Awards are given for best novel, short story, poetry and children's story. The poetry and children's story awards are bi-annual, the novel and short story awards are annual.
History
In 2012, it was announced there would be no awards for the year. Reasons given include the withdraw of the financial sponsor Pentagon Publishers; and a lack of organization to handle the large number of submissions.[2] They announced "We intend to resume the Literature Awards as soon as .. possible, hopefully in 2013."[2]
Winners
- Novel: Khonani Ontebetse for Born with a Husband
- Short Story: Bontekanye Botumile for “Which Doctor”
- Poetry: Monty Fanikiso Moswela for “Meeting in Francistown”
- Novel: Phidson Mojokeri for Curse of a Dream
- Short Story: Lauri Kubuitsile for "Solar Heater"
- Poetry: Ita Mannathoko for "Kgalagadi, the Great Thirst"
- Novel: Cheryl Selase Ntumy for Crossing
- Short Story: Gothataone Moeng for "Putting On Faces"
- Poetry: Luda Sekga for "He Was My Oppressor"
- 2010[3]
- Novel: Tshetsana Senau for Travelling To The Sun: The Diary Of Ruth
- Short Story: Legodile Seganabeng for "The Moon Has Eyes"
- Children's Story: Jenny Robson for "The Right Time"
- 2011[3]
- Novel: Tlotlo Pearl Tsamaase for Unlettered Skies of the Sublime
- Short Story: Boikhutso Robert for “The Zambezi Crocodiles”
- Poetry: John Hutcheson for “The Massacre of Innocents”, “The Man”, “Curse”
- 2012
- No awards[2]
- 2013[6]
- Novel: Veronica Jane McLean for The Hot Chain
- Short Story: Moreetsi Pius Gabang for “Lesilo mo Maun”
- Children's Story: Margaret Baffour-Awuah for “Two Frogs Go A'Wandering”
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Local Writers Thrown Lifeline". Africa News Service. July 24, 2007.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Staff (21 March 2012). "Bessie Head literature awards for 2012 deferred". Mmegi. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Winners of Bessie Head Literature Awards.
- ↑ Gasebalwe Seretse (February 14, 2008). "Bessie Head Writing Competition Back". Mmegi/The Reporter (Africa News Service). Retrieved September 28, 2012.
- ↑ Gasebalwe Seretse (July 7, 2009). "Women Dominate Bessie Head Awards". Mmegi/The Reporter (Africa News Service). Retrieved September 28, 2012.
- ↑ "Winners Announced for the 2013 Bessie Head Literature Awards".
External links
- Bessie Head Literature Awards, official page.
- Previous winners