COMPILED BY KEITH JACKSON
THE Crocodile Prize is Papua New Guinea’s national literature contest. It was established in 2010 to encourage Papua New Guineans to write and also to ensure the people of PNG had access to a home-grown literature.
Both a writing competition and a publishing program were initiated and the first prizes were awarded in 2011.
The contest and related activities, including the publishing program and writing workshops, are managed by the Crocodile Prize Organising Group (COG), an association of 18 Papua New Guineans and Australians.
THE WRITERS & THEIR WORK
Jane Pumai Awi is a lecturer at the University of Goroka and managing director of Nikparimawi Publishers. This month she will receive her PhD from Queensland University of Technology, where she has completed a thesis in the Creative Industries Faculty. Jane also has credentials in leadership training and is now enthusiastically turning her attention to the whole spectrum of communications in PNG, especially to the grassroots. Jane is a member of the Crocodile Prize Organising Group.
Creation: In praise of Goroka Uni’s commitment to professional development
J P Richard (Peter R Jokisie), 26, is from Lae and loves travel, movies, adventure and writing. He reads conspiracy, science fiction, fantasy and horror and his favourite authors are Dan Brown, Michael Cordy and John Grisham. He hopes to publish my first fantasy/sci fi novel next year.
Creation: As I lay dying
Jeanine Tuguru, 23, comes from Milne Bay Province. She recently completed undergraduate studies at PNG University of Technology and holds a Bachelor of Science degree. She has been writing poetry and short stories for many years, but this is the first time she has entered a competition.
Creation: The green dress
Jeffrey Mane Febi, 37, comes from Simbu Province and is a geologist working in the oil and gas industry living with his wife and child in Port Moresby. Writing and reading are his favourite hobbies and he has had some success in publishing his work locally. He is an accomplished poet and writer and won the inaugural Crocodile Competition short story category in 2011.
Creation: Protecting my essence
Jimmy Awagl, 33, is from Parua village, Nilguma, Simbu Province. He teaches language and literature at secondary school and writes short stories and poems. He is a member of the Simbu Writers Association.
Creation: School demands students pay K250,000 reparation for sports death
Jimmy Drekore, 37, from Suman village, Simbu, is an analytical chemist by profession, working 14 years at Lihir gold mine in New Ireland. He resigned in 2013 to take up full time volunteer duty at Simbu Children Fund, a charity for children he founded in 2004. Jimmy is known as Papua New Guinea’s bush poet and is a previous winner of the Crocodile Prize. He is an eminent poet and a stylist who emphasises social issues in his writing. He is a founding member of the Simbu Writers Association and a member of the Crocodile Prize Organising Group.
Creation: Spread your wings & fly
Joanne Wayang, 26, is from Lae and works at the PNG Institute of Medical Research in Goroka. She gets the inspiration to write by listening to her favourite genres of music, Island Reggae, R&B and Alternate Rock.
Creation: State the obvious – you never know where it may lead
Joe Wasia, 27, is from the Wapenamanda district of the Enga Province and is an Environmental Health Sciences graduate from Divine Word University. He began writing for PNG Attitude six years ago and is interested in politics, business, music (R&B, pop, hip hop) and telling stories. He was president of the DWU Enga Students Association and has been working on the PNG LNG project in the Highlands.
Creation: PNG-LNG is another Exxon Mobil milestone – but who will benefit?
John Kaupa Kamasua is graduated from the University of PNG and the University of Reading in the UK. He has extensive professional experience in community development and project management and currently heads the Social Work Strand at UPNG. He is originally from the Sinesine area of Simbu Province but now lives with his family in Port Moresby.
Creation: The dynamics of community development: a fight for us all
Julie Sugoho, 43, is from Kavieng in New Ireland and now lives in Lae with her husband and four children.
Creation: Getting rid of the cults, the gangs & school fights in Lae