Several invitees gathered together on Saturday night at Seafront restaurant of the International Conference Centre in a ceremony to reward the winners of The ‘Pri Antoine Abel’ competition. This year marks the fourth edition of such contest and coincided with the celebration of the Arts Festival. The biennial national writing contest encourages the production of literature in the Creole language. Writers can submit their work in different categories, and this year the fourth edition of the literary contest saw the participation of writers in five categories which is the short story, poetry, novel, translation and play.
The literary contest was first launched by Seychellois artist Leon Radegonde in 1997, the aim of such competition is to promote literary works in the Indian Ocean region. Ten years later in 2007 the contest was launched nationally as a regional competition by the Creole Institute in Seychelles encouraging the participation of writers from 18 and above. The Antoine Abel prize is named after Seychelles’ renowned poet and writer Antoine Abel, who passed away in 2004. His two daughters were present at the ceremony to reward the winners alongside the Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture Idith Alexander, the Principal Secretary for culture Benjamine Rose, the Advisor for Culture Emmanuel Doffay, the Chief Executive Officer for the National Art Council Jimmy Savy amongst other invitees.
Marie Therese Choppy and Terrence Crea, who were the only participants in the play and translation categories were awarded respectively. Jude Ally who for the first time participated in the national writing contest were declared winner of the poetry category. Ally, who aside from writing, poems, is also an abstract expressionist painter and singer. Marie Cecile Ben Strong, who were also a first timer in the competition were awarded winner for the category short story with her story titled ‘Repantansis’. Dr. Bernard Valentin, who his first participation in the Pri Antoine Abel contest was in 2013 where he won the best overall prize then, this time won the first prize for having written the best novel with the title ‘Moulouk Darmalinganm,’ .
In her speech the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Creole Institute, Flora, Ben-David, said the Antoine Abel prize is aimed at promoting quality Creole Literature. These literatures should focus on the thoughts, culture, life and aspiration of the people. On the other hand the former CEO of the Institute Penda Choppy who has assisting in the preparation of the four editions of the national contest, said that the hope of such contest is to keep literature alive and develop it amongst the young generation. She says that although it has been a challenged to organize such competition they received a lot of help from the Department of Culture and the National Art Council. She noted that publication, funds, and the amount of the jury to judge such competition always remains a constraint. She also said that over the years the amount of participants who participates in the contest has increased.
Dr Marie Therese Purvis, who was one of the judges of the competition said that the panel met from February to September to review the submit work, and it took them a lot of time to correct the work as they had to do it based on their sets of criteria for each of the different categories. She also noted that though it took them a lot of time it was also an opportunity to see the quality and innovation in the way people write and develop the Creole language. In the 2013 edition the jury had to decide between two authors of the best overall prize, but this year no participant was awarded such prize.
The Creole Institute published the work of the writers and people can also buy them at the institute as well as in different shops in town. The winners of the previous edition were also being called to sign a copy of their work that has now been published, whereas this year’s winners, their work will be published next year. Antoine Abel, who is surely the man that has brought literature that far in Seychelles, would also be celebrating his 80th birthday this week. Whereas the writers they are enthusiastic and preparing for the next edition of the ‘Pri Antoine Abel’.