18 September 2014
Crocodile Prize 2014 announcement and launch
The winners of Papua New Guinea’s national literature awards – The Crocodile Prize – will be officially announced today in a ceremony at the Australian High Commission.
The Crocodile Prize Anthology for 2014 will also be launched at the event, which is now in its fourth year.
Co-founder of the awards, Keith Jackson, said the winners of this year’s awards capture Papua New Guinea’s diversity.
“From an 82 year-old former Governor-General to a 25 year-old health sciences graduate seeking her first job, they give insight into PNG’s social, economic and political transition as a nation,” Mr Jackson said.
The winners, who each will receive prizes of K5000, are:
- Iriani Wanma, Buk bilong Pikinini Award for Children’s Writing
- Diddie Kinamun Jackson, Kina Securities Award for Poetry,
- Kela Kapkora Sil Bolkin, PNG Chamber of Mines & Petroleum Award for Essays and Journalism
- Leonard Fong Roka, Ok Tedi Mining Award for Book of the Year
- Arnold Mundua, Cleland Family Award for Heritage Writing
- Agnes Maineke, People’s Award for Short Stories
- Sir Paulias Matane, Ok Tedi Mining Award for Lifetime Contribution to PNG Literature
The Crocodile Prize Writers Competition is Papua New Guinea’s only national literary competition. The 2014 contest received more than 600 entries from 130 writers in 21 provinces.
“The stories that are passed down from one generation to another help preserve PNG’s rich history and culture and continue to be of great value today,” Australian High Commissioner, Ms Deborah Stokes, said.
The Crocodile Prize has helped reveal the depth of talent that is finding its voice through available forms of media and communication.”
The 500-page Crocodile Prize Anthology 2014 is currently available for sale on Amazon.com
The Crocodile Prize Writers Competition is named after the first novel written by a Papua New Guinean, ‘The Crocodile’ by Sir Vincent Eri published in 1970.