Jeremy Tiboth, Filemon Iiyambo, Jedidja Kakuva, and Luigi Arnat won the Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards 2025 in Windhoek on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
Established in 2021 by Doek, the biennial Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards celebrate contributors to Doek! Literary Magazine across the categories of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art. Previous winners of Namibia’s leading literary awards were Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo, Natasha Uys, and Pauline Buhle Ndhlovu (2021), followed by Roxane Bayer, Nina Van Zyl, and Veripuamu Nandee Kangumine (2023).
The 2025 jury featured writer Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo, Africa Blossom Consultancy CC founder Samuel Mayinoti, and writer Sylvia Schlettwein adjudicating fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Visual art was judged by Michelle Van Wyk, Director of the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN). Following a longlist announcement on September 10 and shortlists on October 17, the four winners were revealed on December 9, each receiving a cash prize of NAD 5,000.
“The winners of this year’s awards represent some of the best writing that has been published in Doek! Literary Magazine with the writers themselves hailing from across Namibia’s vast geography—from Tsumeb in the north, Swakopmund in the west, and Rehoboth in the south,” Rémy Ngamije, the Doek Arts Trust’s chairperson and founder, said. “It is encouraging to see good storytelling from around the country being recognised and rewarded. There is, at times, a feeling that great writing comes from the metropoles and centres of the world, but this year’s awards remind us that talented writers, poets, and visual artists can come from even the most humble and unknown towns. I am delighted to welcome this year’s winners to our growing pool of award-winning alumni and congratulate them for having the skill, courage, and determination to write and tell stories.”
The winners are;
Fiction
- Poisoned Pawn, Jeremy Tiboth (Issue 14: December, 2024)
Jury member Sylvia Schlettwein said, “Jeremy Tiboth’s Poisoned Pawn stands out with its carefully crafted, yet easy flow, which weaves words into sentences and paragraphs and a story where nothing is out of place. Each element hits a sweet spot, even when filled with pain. Poisoned Pawn is not only atmospherically dense and psychologically observant, but also innovative and fresh in its use of metaphors and point of view: the reader is compelled to take a seat across “you”, the enigmatically failed fatherly player, and engage in a game of chess that deals with the coming-of-age, a tense father-and-son dynamic, and in the end, life. Jeremy Tiboth gives a whole new meaning to “checkmate” with this masterpiece of a short story.”
Nonfiction
- Sonic Overload: Auralgraph From Cairo, Filemon Iiyambo (Issue 15: August, 2025)
Jury member Samuel Mayinoti said, “Filemon Iiyambo possesses a unique way with words. In this reflection, he employs wit, sharp contrasts, and vivid comparisons to filter out everything else, allowing the reader to see what he saw, feel what he felt, think what he thought, and even taste what he ate on his foreign travels. Not only are the first few sentences an immediate hook, but the following paragraphs also captivate, spark the imagination, and highlight a wide range of themes such as water scarcity, cultural unfamiliarity, and local cuisines with striking ease. Filemon Iiyambo is undeniably a star of the Namibian literary scene.”
Poetry
- In The Shadow Of Reflection, Man Enough, and When I Wake Up, Jedidja Kakuva (Issue 15: August, 2025)
Jury member Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo said, “These are poems that explore romance, identity, and missing childhood. Each poem possesses a unique voice that evokes powerful reactions from the reader. ‘Man Enough’ is a brave and vulnerable piece that questions what traditional masculinity is, ending with the liberation of self-acceptance. ‘When I Wake Up’ is well-executed in many ways. What makes it a standout is the use of a childhood drink to reminisce about the past and how a plastic bottle symbolises memories, affection, and growth. ‘In The Shadow Of Reflection” paints a complete picture of a love story. The beauty of love and passion, its crumbling ugliness because of loss of self, and the lessons learnt from it all. This is a moving trio of poems because of their versatility, range, and vulnerability. These poems fit together like a puzzle. Jedidja Kakuva brings a fresh voice to exploring selfhood.”
Visual Art
- Solitude, Luigi Arnat (Issue 12: December, 2023)
Michelle Van Wyk, 2025 Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards Judge, said, “‘Solitude’—as a body of work—resonates deeply with the viewer. The selection of works is technically strong and conveys the depth of the chosen concept through the profound choice of subject matter in each work that forms part of the greater collection. While each component of the overall body of work is unique, Luigi Arnat has managed to capture the conversation and complexity of human solitude through multiple focal points and link them all into a whole. The work haunts, calling to vulnerability. An undeniable testament to the excellence that prevails in Namibian creative perspectives, Luigi Arnat brings to the fore a tender phenomenon, a warm light of sorts, that is often misunderstood.”
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