Nal’ibali is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign. (Image: Nal’ibali)
Nal’ibali invited all South Africans, young and old, to tell their favourite family-friendly story in their home languages and now has a shortlist for its Story Bosso storytelling competition.
A national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, Nal’ibali has been running the competition since September and received over 2 000 entries from a full-cross section of South African society. These have been whittled down to just 15 candidates.
Story Bosso has been designed as a nationwide talent search to excite people about reading and telling stories. It identifies undiscovered storytellers across the country and connects members of the public with a range of South African stories as well as tips and ideas on how to become better storytellers.
It also favours the avid reader as people can access and enjoy all 15 shortlisted stories in the form of audio and video clips on the Nal’ibali website during November.
These include original stories, retold stories and stories that have been read aloud by some of South Africa’s most animated storytellers between the ages of five and 51.
“As people living in South Africa, we have a deep history of storytelling which reflects our diversity and our common cultural heritage. And, reading and storytelling are, of course, keys that unlock children’s literacy learning potential,” said Carole Bloch, the executive director of The Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa, which drives the Nal’ibali campaign.
Celebrity judges will help Nal’ibali literacy activists decide South Africa’s first Story Bosso and two runners-up.
The judges include: actress and writer Lebogang Mashile; author and retired teacher Sindiwe Magona; social activist and writer Shaka Sisulu; comedian and author Nik Rabinowitz; actress and author Bonnie Henna; children’s author Alan Glass; new-age performance poet and singer Busiswa; and, TV presenter and radio personality Elana Afrika.
The winner will be announced on 30 November and will – along with the title Story Bosso – take home a R5 000 cash prize, a R1 000 Ackermans voucher and a home library courtesy of Bargain Books, Exclusive Books and local publishers. The winner will also receive a visit from one of the celebrity judges.
The runners-up will each receive R2 500 in cash, a R500 Ackermans voucher and a home library.
THE SHORTLIST
The contenders for the title of Story Bosso are:
Lisa Gebe: Story title: The Lion and the Mouse. Category: Read aloud. Language: English. Age: 11
Chiara Dover: Story title: Probleme in die Droombos. Category: Read aloud. Language: Afrikaans. Age: 9
Atang Makgata: Story title: A Dream about the Enchanted Forest. Category: Original. Language: English. Age: 12
Busisiwe Smith: Story title: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Category: Retelling. Language: isiZulu. Age: 30
Edith Makola: Story title: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Category: Retelling. Language: English
Olwethu Peter: Story title: The Hyena and the Seven Little Kids. Category: Read aloud. Language: isiXhosa. Age: 9
Sihle Mncwabe: Story title: Everything is Rosy. Category: Read aloud. Language: English
Nozipho Tshabalala: Story title: The Lion and the Mouse. Category: Retelling. Language: isiZulu. Age: 5
Athandiwe Skade: Story title: Umboleki. Category: Retelling. Language: isiXhosa. Age: 7
Kholeka Gwendolien Nojilawa: Story title: The Granny with her Grandchildren Living in the Big Forest. Category: Retelling. Language: isiXhosa. Age: 51
Nyameka Combi: Story title: Lisa’s First Day at Harare Library. Category: Original. Language: isiXhosa. Age: 33
The Bright Sparks Dancing Pencils Writing Club (team entry): Story title: The Golden Thread by Aaliyah Monga (club member). Category: Read aloud. Language: English
Kerrin Kokot and Jayne Batzofin (team entry): Story title: The Lonely Frog. Category: Original. Language: English and Sign. Age: 33 and 31
Funeka Soga: Story title: Lucy Learns her ABCs. Category: Original. Language: English Age: 24
Horacio Ngovene: Story title: The Lion and the Little Mouse. Category: Re-telling. Language: English. Age: 21
