Submissions for the Abena Korantemaa Oral History Prize
The Writers Project of Ghana, MAKEDA PR, and Sankofa Girl continue to welcome submissions for the The Abena Korantemaa Oral History Prize, an annual award for Oral History by emerging African writers and storytellers resident in Ghana. The competition opened on 21st October 2017 and submissions are being received until 28th February 2018.
The objective of the competition is to award an audio recording of a woman (an African resident in Ghana) 65 years and above, narrating a piece of Oral History.
To be eligible for this competition you must be an African resident in Ghana. Proof will be required during the second stage of the competition, by means of identification issued by national authority (example, passport, national ID card, etc).
To enter this competition,
- Prepare a 400-word synopsis, giving a summary of an oral factual story told by an older African woman. Your synopsis should state the context and relevance of the narrative and should include your name, postal address, and telephone number.
- Send the synopsis by e-mail to: wpgcompetitions@gmail.com and include in the subject, "Abena Korantemaa".
The synopsis must be in English, however, the oral history can be told in any Ghanaian language (Further conditions may apply).
There are no limitations to the content of the submissions, but there will be a preference for stories about the community and country, rather than personal histories. Shortlisted contestants shall be provided with technical assistance to enable the recording and submission of an oral history, between 30 minutes and 50 minutes long. A transcript of the recording will also be required.
Prizes will be awarded in October 2018. The first prize is US$ 400.00.About Abena Korantemaa: Abena Korantemaa, popularly known as ‘Maa Fri’, is over 100 years old. 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.