Missed the latest Burt award!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, there were/are several library related events going on during the months September – December 2016.  Last week I was very much pre-occupied with events involving the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH), including a meeting, training organized by publishers EBSCO and Cambridge UP and the 2nd CARLIGH International Conference which took place here in Accra from 28 to 30 September.  See the GNA website for their story on the opening ceremony.

Regrettably therefore I missed the latest Burt award ceremonies which took place last week – but I am glad to acknowledge their efforts!  The winners were:

1. Dr Ruby Yayra Goka, for her book The step-mother
2. Elizabeth-Irene Baitie, for her book Rattling in the closet
3. Nii Kpani Addy, for his book Red spectacles knows

For more information on the event, see the GNA story (even though it is not totally accurate)!

 

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British Council workshop for upcoming Ghanaian writers

British Council Ghana

I just saw an advert in the Daily Graphic of 10 October 2013 (p25 for those addicted to their physical newspapers) for a Literary workshop to nurture and empower the next generation of Ghanaian writers, and couldn’t resist passing it on, especially as several Ghanaian writers who were associated with a British Council programme in the early 2000s – Crossing Borders – did go on to be quite successful.

The ad had the following blurb, most of which is actually on British Council Ghana’s Facebook page:

“The British Council invites writers, publishers, publishing agents and persons working in the literary and publishing industry to a Management Forum and a 3 Day Capacity Building Workshop in Literary Writing and Publishing to be led by UK publisher, Nana Ayebia Clarke (MBE) of Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited.

Theme:  Demystifying the publishing industry: the case of a writers life”

There are two events associated with the workshop:

–  Management Forum on Wednesday 16 October, at 6pm at the British Council

–  3 day master class for writers:  16-18 October.  Fee GH¢100

Obviously if someone reading this is interested, and yes, there are lots of Ghanaian writers out there, do phone +233 (0)30 261 0090 or +233 (0)26 377 6049, or email angelina.diyuoh@gh.britishcouncil.org for more information and/or to register.

 

Mamle Kabu and the Caine Prize

I read a couple of posts over the last week concerning the Caine Prize, and am finally responding to these, and more specifically to implications that yet another Ghanaian writer has been shortlisted for an international prize. There isn’t anything on the actual Caine Prize website – yet, but I suspect it should be up fairly soon – at least I hope so.

I did make a post not that long ago on the shortlisting of two writers from this country for the Commonwealth Writers Prize 2010.  Actually neither of them won, in their categories, but that doesn’t really matter, in a way.  Being on a shortlist is an achievement, and I wish we made more fuss and honoured our writers.  However, that is another story

This time it is Mamle Kabu, some of whose short stories I have been privileged to both hear first hand (partly because she was involved in the British Council’s Crossing Borders programme), as well as read in books or on the web.  Two of her most well-known stories include “The end of skill” which was actually included in a collection for the 2009 Caine Prize and “Human mathematics” which is included in an anthology entitled Mixed, edited by C Prasad.

This time I mention one of Mamle Kabu’s poems  – “Orange juice” which I came across first on Laban Hill’s blog, but which is also on the American PEN website .  For me, the poem beautifully expresses so many things about Ghana, and what one can miss and wish for.  Personally I do not eat oranges while on visits to the US or Europe; I feel I would be disappointed. In many ways Kabu’s poem reminds me of Grace Nichols’, “Like a beacon” with its call of plantains, saltfish and sweet potatoes.  It touches so many emotional buttons for me.

It’s funny how food can be so evocative.