South Africa's Nadia Davids wins 2024 Caine Prize for African Writing
Wednesday September 18 2024
A picture of the South African writer Nadia Davids. Photo| John Gutierrez.
South African writer Nadia Davids has been awarded the 2024 Caine Prize for African Writing for her outstanding short story, “Bridling,” published in The Georgia Review in 2023.
This year’s competition witnessed a record 320 entries spanning 28 African countries, while also marking a significant milestone in the Caine Prize’s history as it enters its 25th year.
Chika Unigwe, chair of judges panel, described “Bridling” as “an impressive achievement, a triumph of language, storytelling and risk-taking while maintaining a tightly controlled narrative about women who rebel.”
“It embodies the spirit of the Caine Prize, which is to celebrate the richness and diversity of short stories by African writers. That is to say, to challenge the single story of African literature.”
Past winners are Senegalese writers Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo (2023), Kenyan Idza Luhumyo (2022), Ethiopian-American Meron Hadero (2021), and Nigerian-Briton Irenosen Okjie (2020).
Read: Caine Prize winner speaks highly of local storytelling
This year's panel comprised poet, artiste and filmmaker Julianknxx; writer, scholar and filmmaker Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu; hip-hop artiste Tumi Molekane aka Stogie T; and novelist Ayesha Harruna Attah.
Nadia will receive a £10,000 ($13,221) prize, in addition to having her work featured in the 2024 Caine Prize Anthology, “Midnight in the Morgue and Other Stories” published by Cassava Republic Press.
Runners-up Tryphena Yeboah, Samuel Kolawole, Uche Okonkwo and Pemi Aguda will receive £500($661) and also feature in the anthology.
Nadia is a writer, thespian and scholar. Her plays At Her Feet, What Remains, and Hold Still have been staged inSouthern Africa and in Europe.
Her debut novel “An Imperfect Blessing” was shortlisted for Pan-African Etisalat Prize for Literature.
Her short fiction and essays have appeared in The American Scholar, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Astra Magazine, The Georgia Review, the Johannesburg Review of Books and Zyzzyva Magazine.
She has held residencies at Hedgebrook, Art Omi and The Women’s Project, and was a 2023 Aspen Words Writer. Nadia has taught at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Cape Town and is the President Emeritus of PEN South Africa.
The Caine Prize for African Writing has played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of African writers for nearly 25 years, offering global visibility and opportunities, including publishing deals and writing fellowships.
Commenting on this year’s award, Ellah Wakatama, chair of the Caine rize Board of Trustees, expressed it was especially pleasing to see writers many will recognise and to introduce new voices. As we enter into our 25th year, it’s wonderful to have such a strong shortlist and formidable Nadia Davis as our winner.”