2017 Crocodile Prize winners announced at Moresby awards
26 February 2018
MARTYN NAMORONG
PORT MORESBY - The Crocodile Prize is Papua New Guinea's highest literary award. For the past two years it has been predominantly PNG-run and funded after being handed over by its Australian founders.
I have volunteered these past two years as a member of the Crocodile Prize Organizing Committee and yesterday I hosted the Crocodile Prize literary awards ceremony.
This was witnessed by various dignitaries including Dr Anna Joskin from the University of PNG literature department and United States Ambassador to PNG, Catherine Erbet-Gray.
“As the founders of the Crocodile Prize, Keith Jackson and I are as pleased as Punch to see it surviving and prospering," said Phil Fitzpatrick.
"While it was a great initiative back in 2011, we always knew that one day it would be handed over to Papua New Guinea to run.
"We must admit we had some doubts about its survival and some of the early ructions amongst the organising committee didn’t inspire us with confidence," he said.
"However, under the guiding hand of chairman, Emmanuel Peni, assisted by a dedicated team of volunteers and the faith of its many sponsors the prize has emerged on a solid footing.
"We would like to congratulate all those involved and wish them and the prize much good fortune for the future. It is always great to see a good news story come out of PNG and this is one of the better ones." Phi said.”
The winners of the 2017 Crocodile Prize for Literature are:
Peter Jokisie - Children's Writing
Evah Kuamin Banige - Essays and Journalism
Jordan Dean - Donald Cleland Heritage Writing
Annie Dori – Poetry
Kirsten Aria - Women's Writing
Louisah Enos - Halmeier Family Facebook Competition
And many thanks to our sponsors
Port Moresby Arts Theatre (Best Short Play)
PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum (Essays and Journalism)
Haltmeier Family (Facebook and NBC Radio Competition)
Cleland Family (Heritage Writing)
Kina Securities (Poetry)
Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (Short Stories)
Mineral Resources Development Corporation (Women in Writing)
Library for All - Australia (Writing for Children)
Bank South Pacific (Promotions and Publicity)
Bmobile Vodafone (Ticket for the Winner of Short Story Category)
People wanting to volunteer their services to the Crocodile Prize committee or to sponsor the prize in 2018 can email the Crocodile Prize committee here.
Congratulation to the 2017 Crocodile Prize winners and the Literacy Competition Volunteering Team for keeping the literary competition fire still burning after its being handed back to Papua New Guinea the past two years. Thank you.
Posted by: Roslyn Tony | 27 April 2018 at 07:54 PM
I appreciate the efforts exerted by the Crocodile Prize Committee in promoting literary in PNG.
Am a keen writer. And would like to take part.Can anyone from the committe provide details on conditions and on how to go about?
Posted by: Franck Kawage | 13 March 2018 at 05:42 PM
Congratulations to all the winners and the organizing committee
Posted by: Raymond Komis Girana | 01 March 2018 at 10:57 AM
Congratulation to the winners.
Posted by: Jimmy Awagl | 27 February 2018 at 06:31 PM
Warm cheers and congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Crocodile Prize. Every year, PNG's premier literary competition is growing. Keep writing and growing as a person to be a better writer. I am looking forward to reading the anthology.
Posted by: Simon Davidson | 27 February 2018 at 03:07 PM
A lot of PNGians have mobile phones so the Organising Committee could use a phone to receive poetry, short story or essay entries via whatsapp or FB messenger.
Photographs or screen shots of handwritten work can also be sent via whatsapp.
Then comes the tedious work of typing them on MS Word (if the entries are good enough).
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 27 February 2018 at 01:58 PM
I would be interested in typing up hand written entries for the Crocodile poetry prize, but as Phil has also mentioned, only those which show some aptitude.
In relation to poetry, the entry must show some attempt at rhyme and rythym. We can always edit it to make it better, just by changing the syntax or substituting another word with the required number of syllables and so on.
I think it would be a pity to limit entries to authors who can access computers. There must be hundreds of budding authors in remote parts of PNG without access to computers and we should give them every opportunity to compete in the Crocodile Prize.
Posted by: Chips Mackellar | 27 February 2018 at 08:47 AM
This is a good conclusion to a grand effort by Emmanuel and team.
The sponsors are generous in contributing to this natonal writing competition - surely knocking on a few pillars of PNG and global human development objectives.
Well done and congratulations to the winners and to all entrants.
I look forward to reading the Anthology.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 26 February 2018 at 09:45 PM
We used to accept hand written entries Peter.
It's not difficult to manage. I'd only ever type up the better entries for inclusion in the anthology or if it was a potential winner.
A lot depends on getting volunteers willing to type up such entries.
Acknowledging receipt of hand written entries proved difficult however.
It would be a shame if the prize missed out on a new talent just because the writer didn't have a computer.
Posted by: Philip Fitzpatrick | 26 February 2018 at 08:27 PM
Congratulations to all involved, organizers and winners and sponsors. And also a word of appreciation to the founders of the Crocodile Prize. It was a great initiative.
Posted by: Garry Roche | 26 February 2018 at 08:12 PM
I know many people who heard about Crocodile Prize would really like to submit their work but many do not have a proper PC or laptop to type their work.
Reviewing the report for 2017, it seemed that we still need more and more entries. I asked Manu and the committee if it's ok to accept hand written works. If we put the word out there that we're cool with hand written work, many people will write in.
Imagine a kid from a rural part of the country who writes a nice piece, had to walk some miles just to deliver the entry envelope in a Post Office. That's a story right there.
Posted by: Peter Jokisie | 26 February 2018 at 04:46 PM
I wasn’t aware of the Crocodile Prize and never participated from 2011 to 2016. Last year, I submitted several entries for the Poetry, Short Story, Writing for Children, Heritage Writing and Essay categories. That’s to make up for the previous years that I didn’t participate. My intention was for my writing to be included in the anthology.
Congratulations to the Organising Committee and the winners. Big thanks to the sponsors. Special one to the Cleland family for sponsoring the Heritage Writing category.
Posted by: Jordan Dean | 26 February 2018 at 02:20 PM
Congratulations Emmanuel and team for keeping the Crocodile Prize competition alive these two years.
I certainly missed this story when I wrote a feature two days ago for the Post Courier's Weekend Magazine. I talked about the need to promote literature and PNG-authored books in PNG and mentioned the Crocodile Prize and some of the major sponsors of the competition.
I notice new sponsors here - Port Moresby Arts Theatre, Haltmeier Family, Mineral Resources Development Corporation, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd, Library for All - Australia, Bank South Pacific, and Bmobile Vodafone.
Thank you generous sponsors - past and current. It is because of your support that the Crocodile Prize has been kept alive.
Tenkyu Keith na Phil long statim didpela CP resis long yia 2011.
Posted by: Daniel Kumbon | 26 February 2018 at 01:28 PM
Congratulations to all concerned: great to see the tradition continuing.
Posted by: Ed Brumby | 26 February 2018 at 06:27 AM