The Commonwealth Writer’s Prize has finally announced this year’s winner, and it goes to Kwame McPherson for his story, “Ocoee”. His story is described as a story that achieves a “thorny task” with “simplicity, humility, and real heart.” It interweaves Caribbean folklore and stories from American History and follows “an exhausted driver who is pulled over by the police on a lonely road outside Ocoee. As he hears about the terrible history of the town, he also rediscovers a connection with his own past.” Winner of over 6,641 entrants worldwide, the entry is Kwame’s seventh attempt. He will be awarded the £5,000 Prize.
The Jamaican writer shared some words about his work:
‘When I began my writing journey, it was not a conscious decision, it was just something I enjoyed doing. Creating and imagining worlds, sharing occurrences and experiences that brought no end of joy in seeing a reader engage and find pleasure in what I have produced. Having the ability to provoke thought, interest or move a reader from one mental and emotional state to the next, is a skill within itself and one I have been blessedly bestowed with and do not take for granted. The culmination of that ability is where I am today, winning a prestigious award, not only for the Caribbean but for the entire Commonwealth. That is no mean feat. I am humbled since I stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before, especially those scribes, griots and storytellers of our story, fulfilling a purpose I now live, walk and breathe. I am extremely proud I have represented my many friends, family and, importantly, my country Jamaica, in the way that I have.’
Fellow Regional Winners this year included Hana Gammon(Africa), for ‘The Undertaker’s Apprentice’; Agnes Chew (Singapore, Asia), for ‘Oceans Away from My Homeland’ ; Rue Baldry (United Kingdom, Canada and Europe) for ‘Lech, Prince, and the Nice Things’ and Himali McInnes (New Zealand, Pacific) for ‘Kilinochchi’;
You can read Ocoee here. Congratulations to Kwame!
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