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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Makena Onjerika say to her pen? "You're a write Onjerika.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Makena Onjerika
Onjerika at Lannan Center Reading Series, Georgetown University, March 2019
Onjerika at Lannan Center Reading Series, Georgetown University, March 2019
Born1980s[1]
OccupationWriter
NationalityKenyan
Alma materNew York University
Notable awardsCaine Prize (2018)

Makena Onjerika (born 1980s) is a Kenyan writer, who won the 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing,[2] making her the fourth writer from her country to do so—following wins by Binyavanga Wainaina in 2002 and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor in 2003, and Okwiri Oduor in 2013.[3]

Career

[edit]

In July 2018, Makena won the Caine Prize for African Writing[4] – often described as Africa's leading literary award – for her short story entitled "Fanta Blackcurrant", published in Wasafiri magazine (2017). The Chair of the Caine Prize judging panel, award-winning Ethiopian-American novelist and writer Dinaw Mengestu, announced Makena as the winner of the £10,000 prize at an award dinner.[5] The ceremony was held for the second time in London University's Senate House, in partnership with SOAS and the Centre for African Studies. Mengestu praised the story in his remarks, saying: "...the winner of this year's Caine Prize is as fierce as they come – a narrative forged but not defined by the streets of Nairobi, a story that stands as more than just witness. Makena Onjerika's 'Fanta Blackcurrant' presides over a grammar and architecture of its own making, one that eschews any trace of sentimentality in favour of a narrative that is haunting in its humour, sorrow and intimacy."[6][7] Onjerika told the BBC that she intended to donate half of her Caine Prize winnings to help rehabilitate street children.[8]

Onjerika is a graduate of the MFA Creative Writing programme at New York University and has been published in outlets including Urban Confusions, Wasafiri, The Johannesburg Review of Books,[9] The Adroit Journal, Fireside,[10] Waxwing,[11] Jalada,[12] Doek![13] and Granta.[14] She lives in Nairobi, Kenya, and is currently working on a fantasy novel.[15] She is a contributor to the 2019 anthology New Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby.[1]

Makena founded the Nairobi Fiction Writing Workshop and edited the anthology Digital Bedbugs, composed of the stories from the workshop.[16][17]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Daughters of Africa | Contents" (PDF). Myriad Editions. pp. vii–xiv. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  2. ↑ "2018 Winner - Makena Onjerika (Kenya)" Archived 2018-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, The Caine Prize for African Writing.
  3. ↑ Obi-Young, Otosirieze (2 July 2018). "Makena Onjerika Awarded 2018 Caine Prize, Is 4th Kenyan Winner". Brittle Paper.
  4. ↑ Koga, Valerie (3 July 2018). "Kenyan Makena Onjerika wins 2018 Caine Prize for African Writing". Daily Nation.
  5. ↑ Agutu, Nancy (3 July 2018), "Kenyan writer Makena Onjerika wins Sh1.3m Caine Prize for African Writing", The Star (Kenya). Archived 18 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ "Kenya: 2018 Winner - Makena Onjerika (Kenya)", AllAfrica, 3 July 2018.
  7. ↑ Opicho, Alexander (7 July 2018). "The Kenyan Writer, Makena Onjerika is Finally Awarded 2018 Caine Prize". The Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Kenyan author Makena Onjerika to give Caine Prize winnings to street children". BBC. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  9. ↑ Onjerika, Makena (8 October 2020). "New short fiction: 'Black Beauty' by Makena Onjerika". johannesburgreviewofbooks.com. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Onjerika, Makena (October 2020). "Disassembly". Fireside. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Onjerika, Makena (Spring 2020). "What Girls Want in the Afternoon". waxwingmag.org. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Onjerika, Makena (14 December 2019). "Vashti Refused to Dance". jaladaafrica.org. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Body in Six Parts". Doeklitmag.com. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  14. ↑ Onjerika, Makena (12 October 2020). "Girl Games". Granta. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Opicho, Alexander (19 May 2018). "Kenyan writer Makena Onjerika on Caine Prize 2018 shortlist". Daily Nation.
  16. ↑ Murua, James (18 February 2020). "Makena Onjerika-edited anthology 'Digital Bedbugs' available for your reading pleasure". Writing Africa. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  17. ↑ Ghosh, Kuhelika (8 December 2023). "Submit to Makena Onjerika's Kenyan Speculative Fiction Anthology". Brittle Paper. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
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