Nathan Trantraal has won several other awards including the 2015 Ingrid Jonker Award, and the 2019 SALA awards.
By Hope Ibiale
South African poet and comic artist, Nathan Trantraal, has been announced as the 2023 Philida Literary Award winner. The award, established by Karina M. Szczurek, in 2020, in memory of her late husband, Andre Brink, recognises writers with a consistent record of published works. It also aims to encourage writers to pursue a literary career by rewarding them with an award certificate designed by Debbie Minne.
This year, which also serves as the 8th edition of the literary award, saw the winner walk away with a cash prize sponsored by Karavan Press.
While accepting the award, Trantraal said, “I am grateful and honoured. My thanks to all the judges.”
Nathan Trantraal is an award-winning Afrikaans poet whose works have been translated into French, Modern Greek, and English. His published works include Chokers en Survivors, Alles Het Niet Kom Wod, Oolog, and Wit Issie’ n Colour Nie. The talented comic artist has illustrated four novels: Stromkaap, Coloureds, Crossroads, and All Rise. Trantraal, who doubles as editor reviewer and book cover designer, has won several awards including the 2015 Ingrid Jonker Award, and the 2019 SALA awards.
The Philida Literary Award is named after Brink’s last published novel, Philida, which tells the story of an enslaved person popular in South Africa for laying a complaint against her masters, Francois and Cornelius Brink, distant relatives of André Brink.
Sally Partridge, Karina M. Szczurek, Lester Walbrugh and Christy Weyer judged the 2023 Philida Literary Awards.