Writivism

1. The Abena Korantemaa Writivism Prize for Oral History is an annual award for Oral History by emerging African writers and storytellers resident in Ghana administered by the Center for African Cultural Excellence (CACE).
2. The prize is aimed at celebrating storytelling through oral means and encouraging the recognition of the oral tradition as history.
3. Interested entrants are expected to record a 5-8 minutes oral factual story as told to them by an older African woman who is unable to document her own story in English. This story could be told orally, and transcribed or written into a story. The inspiration for this comes from Nana Darkoa’s 60 second idea as presented on BBC’s The Forum.
4. If the story is documented orally, it is expected to have good production values. The elements of good oral storytelling must be respected.
5. Entries should ordinarily be in English but where one is submitted in a Ghanaian indigenous language, an English translation must also be submitted.
6. The prize shall in future years widen its eligibility criteria to include non-residents of Ghana but for now seeks to remedy the prominence gap of Ghanaian storytellers on the African scene.
7. Questions of eligibility shall be resolved by the CACE administration and their decision is final.
8. Entries must be submitted online in MP3/4 format, by emailing them to info@writivism.com as attachments (not in the body email), clearly labeled in the subject: Abena Korantemaa Prize 2016.
9. The attachments must not exceed 5MBs. Both audio and video files are eligible.
10. The audio/video entries must be accompanied by a transcript.
11. The writer must include in the body of the email, other information about him/her, as city/town of residence, age, legal name and pen name (where applicable) and telephone contact.
12. Only one entry per writer may be submitted for the Abena Korantemaa Writivism Prize for Oral History. The story must be original and previously unpublished in any form.
13. Shortlisted writers will be invited to attend a literary festival in Accra, where the winner shall be announced.
14. The winner shall be awarded $500 (USD).
15. Entrants agree as a condition of entry that CACE may publicize the fact that a story has been entered, longlisted or shortlisted for the Prize.
16. Worldwide copyright of each recording and transcript remains with the writer. CACE will have the unrestricted right to publish and translate the transcripts of short-listed stories in an anthology and for promotional purposes.
17. All entries must be submitted by midnight GMT, on May 30, 2016.
18. The prize judging panel comprises Nii Ayikwei Parkes (Chair), Ndinda Kioko and Ukamaka Olisakwe.

About Abena Korantemaa

Abena Korantemaaa popularly known as ‘Maa Fri’ turned 100 years old on the 1^st of January 2016. She has worked variously as a trader, and became recognized as ‘the queen of the onion traders’ in Nkawkaw, the Eastern Region of Ghana. To date she still performs this leadership role, advising various market women, and resolving any disputes. Maa Fri is regarded as the matriarch of her family clan. She has passed down the history of her ancestors in written, audio and video form. This prize is instituted in her name to recognize those women who through oral traditions preserve knowledge, passing it on from generation to generation.