Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards has announced its shortlist of 12 candidates. 

Showcasing the depth and breadth of Namibian literary talent published in the Doek! Literary Magazine, the shortlist features some of the most resonant fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual Namibian art. 

“The shortlist spotlights work with themes that highlight the complex realities of Namibian life. They also possess universal threads that readers can appreciate in Africa and the world,” said Doek’s Founder Rémy Ngamije. 

The shortlisted candidates are: 

• Fiction: Filemon Iiyambo, 

Dalene Kooper and 

Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo.

• Nonfiction: Frowin Becker,

Ndakolute Ndilula and Natasha Uys.

• Poetry: Ros Limbo, 

Pauline Buhle Ndhlovu and 

Alacia Armstrong. 

• Visual art: Namafu Amutse,

Katherine Hunter and 

Immanuel Natangwe Hafeni.

Profiles:

Iiyambo is a Namibian writer and former newspaper columnist for the Namibian Sun. He has also contributed social commentary articles for the New Era newspaper. A qualified geologist, he is now an educator. 

Kooper is a Namibian writer and a media student at the University of Namibia.

Hanghuwo is a Namibian writer. He is also a student at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, pursuing a degree in English Literature. 

Becker is a Namibian PhD candidate at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.

Ndilula is a Namibian Disk Jockey and music producer, known for his work at the intersection of hip-hop, house, Afrobeat and electronic genres. A graduate of the Academy of Sound Engineering, he brings an out-of-the-box approach to the country’s sonic culture. 

Uys is a journalist and editor from Windhoek. She is currently studying Media Management through the Sol Plaatje Institute at Rhodes University.

Limbo is a Namibian writer and avid yogi. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting from Rhodes University, and a certificate in Afrikan Feminist and Gender Studies from the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute.

Ndhlovu is a Zimbabwean-born Namibian curator and writer, whose work explores the themes of land, memory, healing, time, and senescence. She is drawn to visual anthropology as a form of memory-making. She has a degree in anthropology and works in the culture and development sector.

Armstrong is a Cape Town-based Namibian poet, who started writing on the shores of Henties Bay. She is a research project manager, supporting drug discovery teams at the University of Cape Town.

Amutse is a filmmaker, photographer, art director and writer from Swakopmund. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Education Honours degree in English and German at Unam.

Hunter is a Namibian illustrator, graphic designer and dancer. She is interested in comic book illustration and fantasy fiction. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Visual Communication Design at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography, an honours degree in illustration, and a master’s degree in art education from Stellenbosch University. She works as a graphic designer and typesetter at HouseFinder Magazine. 

Hafeni is a self-taught visual artist born in Windhoek. His journey explores different art forms such as culture, design, aesthetics, architecture, collage, photography and cinematography.

Bank Windhoek’s Head of Corporate Social Investments, Sponsorship and Events Bronwyn Moody congratulated the shortlisted candidates and wished them the best for the 2021 Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards ceremony, which will take place in November 2021.