In keeping with the “Neighbours Beyond Storms” theme for 2018, the Malliouhana Poetry Competition Committee will this year present a “Good Neighbour Award” at the Performance Category and Awards Ceremony scheduled for Thursday, 3rd May at 6:00 p.m. at the Anguilla Public Library. The special award is a salute to the organisation/person who has, in the view of the Committee demonstrated that intrinsic “good neighbour” spirit of support and camaraderie on a national and/or regional /global level.
Also new on the programme this year, is a segment called Pastors’ Praise Poetry. Acknowledging Hurricane Irma and Maria’s physical and economic effects on our community of islands, our shared psycho-social health and individual wellbeing, the Organising Committee deemed it appropriate to introduce this segment which will see a number of local Pastors/Preachers expounding on the theme and sharing “the word” in poetic form.
The Malliouhana Poetry Pastors’ Praise Poetry is conceived as an unconventional and stimulating opportunity for the Pastors to assist in the restorative process by speaking to the community using poetry instead of sermons. Poems will have a maximum of 20 lines.
The May 3rd ceremony will also see the 2018 Malliouhana Performance Poets taking to the stage and the presentation of awards to the winners of the “On the Page” and “Performance” categories. In addition, three more Anguillian cultural stalwarts, Playwright/Director/Actor, Mr. Felix Fleming, Educator/Artiste Mrs. Bernice Fahie-Richardson and Poet/Cultural Activist, Ms. Lena Gumbs will be presented with the Malliouhana Poetry 2018 Culture Bearer Awards.
The Malliouhana Poetry Competition is organised by the University of the West Indies Open Campus Anguilla in collaboration with the Anguilla Library Service, the Department of Youth and Culture and the Anguilla Community College. The annual literary event is part of the national Anguilla Day celebrations and seeks to encourage literacy and artistic expression, as well as to promote an ethos of social, cultural, and political awareness.
The Awards Ceremony is free and open to the public and the Committee is inviting everyone to join in the celebration of the 2018 Malliouhana Poetry Awardees.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
