The Adinkra Poetry Prize 2024 calls for Poetic Expressions on Culture, Politics, and Change

[Accra, 1st December 2023 – In a celebration of Ghanaian culture and heritage, The Adinkra Poetry Prize is excited to announce its call for poetry submissions that engage with three selected Adinkra symbols out of the 200+ existing symbols. The focus for this year includes Fihankra, Nkyinkyim, and Mate Masie. Esteemed preliminary judges for this edition are Emma Ofosua, Apiorkor, and Ko-jo Cue. The head judge for the prize is Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy.

As we approach the upcoming election year, The Adinkra Poetry Prize invites you to offer words that surprise, excite, frustrate, and incite change. We are looking for poetry that serves as a song for change, a chant, a prayer, a potential new national anthem, or guidelines to hold us accountable to our nation and ourselves, exploring the complexities of our love or criticism for our relationship with our beloved nation.

Writers are encouraged to submit their poetic expressions, with each poem responding to or thoughtfully engaging with the chosen Adinkra symbols within the context of Ghana’s current political and socio-economic landscape. The competition is open to writers aged 18 and above who are Ghanaian citizens currently residing in Ghana.

The 2024 Adinkra Poetry Prize is generously supported by the Center for Humanities at the University of New Hampshire, the Mellon Mays Foundation, and the All African Women Poetry Festival.

Prizes:
Winners in each category will receive $200 USD.
Three (3) Finalists will be awarded $70 USD.

Finalists and winners will be officially announced in May 2023 and will be invited to an awards ceremony at the prestigious All African Women Poetry Festival. Finalists will also have the opportunity to apply for the WaterMill Residency. Select submissions will be considered for publication in a digital anthology. For the written submissions, the writers will be asked to transcribe their work for publication. Please note that the committee reserves the right to withhold awards
based on the quality of submissions.

Submission Guidelines (Written):
Submit a maximum of three (3) poems per submission, with each poem directly or indirectly identifying the chosen Adinkra symbol.
Limit one submission per person; additional submissions will not be considered.

Poems may vary in length, style, or subject but must incorporate the chosen Adinkra symbol and its meaning.

Please exclude any identifying information from the submission document. Submit unpublished poems only.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please inform us if your work is selected elsewhere.
For any inquiries or questions, please email [adinkrapoetryprize@gmail.com].
Submission Guidelines (Spoken Word):
Submit a recorded poem (video) not exceeding 1 minute, with each poem clearly identifying the chosen Adinkra symbol you are responding to. Avoid including your name in the recorded video.
Ensure your submission is original. We accept simultaneous submissions but kindly notify us if your work is chosen elsewhere.

For any inquiries or questions, please email [adinkrapoetryprize@gmail.com]
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 15 FEBRUARY 2024, 11:59 pm GMT

The Adinkra Poetry Prize eagerly awaits your thought-provoking and inspirational poetry submissions. Join us in celebrating Ghana’s rich cultural heritage through the power of words, and let your voice be heard as we shape the future of our nation together.

For more information and updates, please visit our website www.theadinkraprojects.org or follow us on social media : instagram @adinkrapoetryprize and X @Adinkraprize