A frequent contributor to Bougainville Copper Limited’s (BCL) blog, Bougainville 24, has won the Ok Tedi Mining Award for Book of the Year in the Crocodile Prize, the national literary awards of Papua New Guinea.
Leonard Fong Roka won the award for Brokenville, a memoir of his experiences as a youth in Central Bougainville during the crisis years. The book tells the tale of a boy who is thrust into manhood by the escalating violence and chaos around him.
Bougainville 24 was launched in October 2013 and features articles about Bougainville, news on BCL activities and writing by Bougainvilleans.
“2014 is the happiest moment of my writing since more Bougainvilleans have come out, especially with the BCL backed Bougainville 24,” Leonard Roka said on Twitter.
He has been a regular contributor to Bougainville 24 since its inception and has excelled at using people’s stories to highlight broader social issues.
BCL sees the blog as an important step to provide more information about Bougainville as well as its own activities.
Bougainville 24 contributors Eleanor Maineke, Ishmael Palipal and Nigel Matte also made notable entries to the Crocodile Prize.
With Agnes Maineke, mother of Eleanor, winning the Award for Short Stories, Bougainvilleans won two out of seven awards in the Prize.
Leonard and Agnes will receive their awards at a ceremony in Port Moresby on Thursday 18 September.
BCL congratulates Leonard, Agnes and all the Bougainvillean entrants to the 2014 Crocodile Prize.