Bookshelf: A look at 2018 Commonwealth Prize winners
Five stories were shortlisted for this year’s prize, with one written by a Nigerian. Bookshelf takes a look.
Kevin Jared Hosein emerged regional winner of the 2018 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for his piece, ‘Passage’, and just last week was announced overall winner in a list of five.
Other regional winners include Jenny Bennett-Tuionetoa (Pacific) for her story ‘Matalasi’. Sagnik Datta (Asia) for ‘The Divine Pregnancy in a TwelveYear-Old Woman’, Efua Traoré for (Africa)’True Happiness’, and Lynda Clark (Canada and Europe) for ‘Ghillie’s Mum’ is the winning entry from Canada and Europe.
Kevin Jared Hosein’s ‘Passage’
The narrative style of this story is its selling point. The words weselves and ragadang hits as well as draws in the reader. If in search of word confidence, you find it in Kevin Jared Hosein’s ‘Passage’. It begins:
“As all Saturday nights went, we slipped by the wives and find weselves down by The Tricky Jester. The name made it sound like an establishment outta King Arthur days, but don’t get fooled - the place is just as grimy and ragadang as all them other hole-in-the-wall pubs you coulda find here in central Trinidad.”
The narrator takes you into the life of Stew, a drunk who’s ironically an electric engineer. Strange combination if you ask me, yes. But there’s something special about him, if not he wouldn’t be a topic. People embrace adventures, but Stew gets lost in them and happens upon something really interesting that takes us on a ride we aren’t sure will end well. This is his story. But wait, before you begin, beware, our narrator’s English may not be what you are used to. And it’s definitely not pidgin.
Jenny Bennett-Tuionetoa’s ‘Matalasi’
You sure would need the glossary if you really want to flow with this story. This was the first thing I noticed. I used it, and found the expressions interesting. Not many writers would bother to offer this sort of help, but this author did. And it makes one feel welcome to a new place, a new world even. The Pacific.
A wedding is about to take place, and if you have ever been in a house before (certainly not after) the event, you will totally relate with this piece: women shouting, some giving orders, fussing over the bride, the aroma of food and children driving adults mad and messing up the place. This is what our protagonist is surrounded by and longs to get away from. A perfect no-go madhouse for a recluse.
But our protagonist, Lasi, is not a recluse (or hasn’t always been), and she’s supposed to be part of the noise around her, but she’s not. She has struggled with her sexuality since childhood, and this has shaped her. Growing up, she enjoyed climbing trees like her brothers, longed to be circumcised, like them. But it wasn’t going to happen. She’s a girl.
This story is symbolic of the crises some go through about their sex, and Lasi’s experience is perhaps a mirror for many. What is most intriguing, however, is how the author refers to Lasi as a ‘he’. This works superbly for the story.
Sagnik Datta’s ‘The Divine Pregnancy in a Twelve-Year-Old Woman’
It was somewhat awkward, yet funny, reading this story which instantly reminds one of the virgin Mary’s birth of Jesus Christ Bible account. From the onset, it shocks, then becomes more and more engaging as you try to find out how it will all end.
The entire village had had a dream, and in it God tells them a virgin will give birth among them. Everyone believes this, except Isaac the atheist who questions it.
What is intriguing about this story is the elements in it. First, the message in the dream is not believed by everyone, and Isaac represents this category of people. He is the devil’s advocate. The village headman represents those who use the gospel for monetary gain when he collects money from people who come to visit Usha, the chosen one. But there’s more. Unlike Mary, Usha wants an abortion.
However, a major downside to ‘The Divine Pregnancy in a Twelve-Year-Old Woman’ is that some Christians may find it offensive.
Efua Traoré’s ‘True Happiness’
In this story mostly written in pidgin English, a boy is confused about his pastor’s philosophy that true happiness is in the spirit. He has a religious mother and struggles with the depth of her belief in God. He simply doesn’t understand how one can be happy and yet not feel physical pleasure.
There are many people like the central character in Efua Traoré’s ‘True Happiness’, and the author explores this doubt and confusion.
The antagonist also doesn’t understand when Pastor Justice quotes the Bible and says they should respect their parents. He has no problem respecting his mother who provides for their needs, but does when it comes to his wandering, beer drinking father. As far as he is concerned, what he gives needs to be earned as against it being unconditional.
This philosophy of true happiness disturbs our central character, so much he continues to search for it. But will he find it?
Lynda Clark’s ‘Ghillie’s Mum’
If you like speculative fiction, this is for you. Imagine a world where people turn to animals at will. You could be a racoon now and a cat later. This is the case with Ghillie’s mum. But although it did entertain him at home, it caused him some embarrassment in school.
Lynda Clark’s story mirrors what we sometimes want people to be, at our convenience. Through little Ghillie’s eyes, the narrator shows a caring and carefree mother who’s also a friend to her child. But one day everything changes. At the threat of her child being taken away, she withdraws, stays human and boring. No more entertainment for the kid.
Surprisingly, instead of the ‘new mum’ making Ghillie happy, the reverse becomes the case.