Regional winners revealed as the Common Wealth Short Story Prize continues to discover new literary talent

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

This is definitely one of the leading literary in the group of the countries known as the Common Wealth, all of which have a common feature in their history. They were part of the Empire, having once been colonized by the British. However the Common Wealth is a voluntary organization that seeks to harness shared though complicated history for the common good of the countries. They do this through a number of projects and programmes that are designed to help develop the countries that belong top this group.
One of their most successful projects is the Common Wealth Short Story Prize competition that is divided into five regions of the Common Wealth from which short listed writers are selected for the big prize.
A lot is at stake in this competition as the winner gets to enjoy international attention, with the echoes of their triumph reverberating globally and their creativity getting the attention of publishers. But this competition also assists in elevating the short story form in literary circles. This is a form that for some reason in South Africa seems to be lagging behind when it comes to other genres, such as the novel, the novella and Non-Fiction categories of a literary endeavor.

Domestically, some will remember how the Anglo American Short Story writing in South Africa, played a significant role in elevating the status of this literary form as every year, for several years it discovered and nurtured new short story writers in the country. But since then, the short story form, has somehow played second fiddle to other genres. To drive the point home, one needs only visit a local book shop to find out how many short story anthologies are on the shelves.
You will be lucky to find 10 anthologies, a blight on the publishing scene in the country, especially considering the fact that you will find an impressive list of novels, even a novella and Non-Fiction books on the book shelves.

And If you asked a publisher why is that they do not publish short story anthologies, as much as they publish other genres, the answer is almost always the same as local publishers echo each other with boring frequency: The short story form does not sell. But then the question is: How does it sell If there are limited books published that are available to purchase by the public? If you asked that question is are almost always sure to get a long, convoluted answer to a simple question. That on its own tells you there is a huge problem here.

This is why the Common Wealth Short Story Competition, plays a crucial role in promoting this form in literary and publishing circles.
Followers of this short story literary competition will be happy to know that the time to witness a new literary talent is not that fare. This follows the recent announcement of Hana Gammon (SA), Agnes Chew, Rue Baldry, Kwame McPherson and Himali McInnes as regional winners of the 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Now you can read their winning stories on Granta

The winning stories address a rich diversity of themes: from exploitation to subversive acts of rebellion, cultural displacement, the balance of life and death, the world of adults as viewed by children, and the pull of family ties across the globe and through the generations.

The winning writers tackle painful themes unflinchingly and show how love and human warmth can thrive in the most unlikely of places.

The judging panel remarked on the strong sense of place in all the stories—with locations featuring a building site in Britain, a German oncology clinic ‘oceans away’ from the narrator’s homeland, and a war-torn town in Sri Lanka.

The international judging panel chose the five winning stories from a shortlist of 28, after 6,642 writers submitted to the prize.

Here is a glimpse of what you can expect from each story and the judges’ explanation of what they found to be so gripping:
‘The Undertaker’s Apprentice’ – Hana Gammon (Africa)

The story of a group of children and their interactions with their small town’s sombre but kind mortician. As they grow up, they are forced to question issues of growth, decay and exchange between different states of being.

“A carefully observed, patiently narrated and exquisitely written story about youth and the ways in which we come to adulthood through loss and death,” says Rémy Ngamije (Judge, Africa region).
‘Oceans Away From My Homeland’ – Agnes Chew (Asia)

A woman’s struggle to confront the perceived changes in her life—both of and beyond her own making.

“In the end it is a very human story that tackles migration, language, displacement, fear and hope and, most importantly of all, love. This was a gem of a story for me,” notes Ameena Hussein (Judge, Asia region).
‘Lech, Prince, and the Nice Things’ – Rue Baldry (Canada and Europe)

A young, Black plasterer, drawn to committing petty acts of revenge against his employer’s neglected possessions, risks becoming more diminished than those status symbols.

‘A genuinely surprising and unexpectedly moving story that explores such weighty–and relevant–topics as racism, classism and inequality in modern-day Britain,” concludes, Katrina Best (Judge, Canada and Europe region)
‘Ocoee’ – Kwame McPherson (Caribbean)

An interweaving of African American reality and history, and Caribbean folklore.

“A simple tale retold in a surreal atmosphere of creative uneasiness. Images awake in the subconscious and, without pointing fingers, remind of man’s inhumanity to man,” says Mac Donald Dixon (Judge, Caribbean region).
‘Kilinochchi’ – Himali McInnes (Pacific)

“Set during a particularly bloody time in Sri Lanka’s civil war, the protagonist, an up-country Tamil tea-picker who comes from a long line of indentured labourers, goes in search for her son.
“An unforgettable story that explores family loyalty, gender, class and social inequality, war, life in diaspora, and our fundamental need to belong,” comments Dr. Selina Tusitala Marsh (Judge, Pacific region)

Granta’s Luke Neima says, “we’re thrilled to be publishing the regional winners. Year after year the prize has put a spotlight on extraordinary new talents working across the Commonwealth, and this cohort is one of exceptional promise.”

.The 2023 overall winner will be announced in an online ceremony at 12pm UCT on Tuesday 27 June, 2023.