Enter Story Bosso competition
WHAT do Eusebius McKaiser, Elana Afrika and Nik Rabinowitz have in common?
Being famous? Well, yes. But they’re also volunteering their time for one of South Africa’s biggest storygathering drives.
It’s called the Nal’ibali Story Bosso competition and it’s all about exploring, acknowledging and featuring different kinds of stories in all South African languages – because every South African has a story to share.
But, only one will take the title of Story Bosso!
Last year, the competition saw Athandiwe Sikade, aged seven, from Chumisa Primary in Khayelitsha take the title.
The competition is part of a nationwide storytelling talent search, aimed at reawakening a love of storytelling and reading among South Africans of all ages.
Running throughout September (Literacy and Heritage Month), people of all ages are invited to take part.
To do this, they must send in a video or audio clip of themselves reading or telling a story. Entries can be submitted in any South African language, and can be original stories made up by the participants, retellings of stories heard before, a narrative poem, or simply an extract from their favourite book or sample story provided by Nal’ibali. The winner will be crowned SA’s Story Bosso and will have the chance to have their story made into a book among other prizes. Apart from the celebs already mentioned, others include Lauren Beukes, Elinor Sisulu and Zolani Mahola. They have all recorded story clips of their own for viewing on the Nal’ibali web- and mobi-site. The winner will also receive a visit from a participating celebrity judge, a R5 000 cash prize, a R1 000 Ackermans voucher, and a home library courtesy of Bargain Books, Exclusive Books and local publishers. Two runners-up will each receive R2 500 in cash, a R500 Ackermans voucher and a home library.
To launch the month of storytelling, storyteller and author Carol Mashigo will collaborate with TV and radio personality Penny Lebyane and professional storyteller Lebo Mashile in a storytelling demonstration and celebration event on Wednesday at Soweto Theatre, in Soweto.
● For more information about the Nal’ibali readingforcampaign and Story Bosso, as well as reading tips and stories in a range of South African languages, visit www.nalibali. , www.nalibali. or find them on Facebook and Twitter: nalibaliSA.