The shortlists for Namibia’s Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards 2025 were announced in Windhoek on Friday, October 17, 2025.
The Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards were introduced to the African literary community in 2021 by Doek. Contributors to the Doek Magazine were entered in the categories of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art for this unique competition from the Southern African country. The first winners of the bi-annual awards were Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo, Natasha Uys, and Pauline Buhle Ndhlovu, while the 2023 winners were Roxane Bayer, Nina Van Zyl, and Veripuamu Nandee Kangumine.
The 2025 fiction, nonfiction, and poetry jury is comprised of writer Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo, Africa Blossom Consultancy founder and manager Samuel Mayinoti, and Namibian writer, literary translator, and lecturer Sylvia Schlettwein. The visual art juror is the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN) Director Michelle Van Wyk. The longlistees were announced on Wednesday, September 10, before the shortlists were revealed on October 17. They are;
Fiction
- Flesh Of The Sun, Hugh Ellis (Issue 15: July, 2025)
- What The Sycamores Saw, Katherine Hunter (Issue 15: July, 2024)
- Poisoned Pawn, Jeremy Tiboth (Issue 14: December, 2024)
Jury member Sylvia Schlettwein said, “The three shortlisted entries came from a longlist which already bore testament to the extraordinary creativity, talent, and craft of Namibian short fiction writers. Standing out from such a list of excellence is quite a feat—all three writers should be proud of themselves, as each story draws the reader into its world in its own unique way. Ellis-Mwiya’s ‘Flesh Of The Sun’, Hunter’s ‘What The Sycamores Saw’, and Tiboth’s ‘Poisoned Pawn’ explore the sometimes dark dynamics of interpersonal relationships in Namibia. Possessing sharp twists at their conclusions, all three were written with an acute eye for natural and psychological landscapes that Namibian and international readers can appreciate.”
Nonfiction
- Sonic Overload: Auralgraph From Cairo, Filemon Iiyambo (Issue 15: August, 2025)
- I’ll Tell You Why I Was Late For Church Yesterday: Auralgraph From Gobabis, 1965, Perivi Katjivivi (Issue 14: December, 2024)
Jury member Samuel Mayinoti, said, “This year’s nonfiction shortlist offers a rare glimpse of the literary talent of modern Namibian writers. ‘I Will Tell You Why I Was Late For Church Yesterday’ by Perivi Katjavivi and ‘Sonic Overload’ by Filemon Iiyambo are two stories crafted with inventive flair. The two writers succeed in bringing their stories to life, stimulating the imagination and potentially igniting amplified conversations about issues and themes about history, place, and time that are vital yet often overlooked in the rush of a fast-paced world.”
Poetry
- In The Shadow Of Reflection, Man Enough, and When I Wake Up, Jedidja Kakuva (Issue 15: August, 2025)
- Aminus: Pos 11, Identity, I Have Not Yet Learned To Swim, Vekondjisa Nosipho Katusuva (Issue 15: August, 2025)
- The Algorithm Of Fading Fathers, The Ombindu That Remains Of Us, The Oshikundu That Never Fermented, Johannes Shikongo (Issue 15: August, 2025)
Jury member Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo said, “The shortlisted poems were chosen for their originality, evocative quality, and rhythm. The poems riff on reminiscences about childhood, grieving places, family and heritage, and the pain of absent fatherhood. They also explore the consequences of war and history, what it means to be a man, and losing contact with one’s culture. This year’s shortlist contains vulnerable, raw, and beautifully written poems that touch on identity, love, paternal trauma, and religion. These personal and universal experiences, written with depth and imagery so vividly haunting, are captivating and thought provoking.”
Visual Art
- Solitude, Luigi Arnat (Issue 12: December, 2023)
- Kasino Street, Natache Sylvia Ilonga (Issue 12: December, 2023)
- Your Wings From The Back, Omen Keisho (Issue 15: August, 2025)
The winners will be announced in due course.
Leave a Reply