Noma Award for Publishing in Africa
1 appearances
-
Edition 3 (1982) Winner
Meshack Asare
メシャック・アサレ
Meshack Asare
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1945-09-18 （Nyankumasi, Ghana）
- Nationality
- Ghana
- Languages
- English, Twi
- Residence History
- Nyankumasi (birthplace) → Kumasi (College of Art studies) → London (based since 1993) → Degenfeld, Germany (residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Children's author, Illustrator, Teacher
- Active Years
- 1968-
- Influenced By
- West African oral tradition and Ananse tales
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Art, Kumasi | Fine Arts | — | — | — | Ghana |
| School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London | — | Social Anthropology | M.A. | — | United Kingdom |
College of Art, Kumasi
Fine Arts
Country:
Ghana
Studied fine arts in Kumasi; contributed illustrations to children's books
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
Social Anthropology
Degree:
M.A.
Country:
United Kingdom
Completed MA in Social Anthropology (year unknown)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Ghana National Book Award | Tawia Goes to Sea | — | Unknown | winner |
| 1982 | Noma Award | The Brassman's Secret | — | Unknown | winner |
| 1985 | Austrian National Prize | Cat in Search of a Friend | — | Unknown | winner |
| 1995 | BIB Golden Plaque at the Bratislava Biennale | Cat in Search of a Friend | — | Bratislava Biennale | winner |
| 1999 | UNESCO First Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance | Sosu's Call | — | UNESCO | winner |
| 2015 | NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature | Representative text read: The Brassman's Secret | — | The Neustadt Prizes | winner |
Ghana National Book Award
Work:
Tawia Goes to Sea
Organization:
Unknown
Result:
winner
Noma Award
1982
Work:
The Brassman's Secret
Organization:
Unknown
Result:
winner
Austrian National Prize
1985
Work:
Cat in Search of a Friend
Organization:
Unknown
Result:
winner
BIB Golden Plaque at the Bratislava Biennale
1995
Work:
Cat in Search of a Friend
Organization:
Bratislava Biennale
Result:
winner
UNESCO First Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance
1999
Work:
Sosu's Call
Organization:
UNESCO
Result:
winner
NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature
2015
Work:
Representative text read: The Brassman's Secret
Organization:
The Neustadt Prizes
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
-
Edition 7 (2015) Winner
Works
Major Works
Noma's Sand: A Tale from Lesotho
2002 Children's literatureA tale from Lesotho adapted for children, carrying folkloric and cultural themes.
FolkloreCultural transmissionCommunity
Translations
- Translated into multiple languages
Meliga's Day
2000 Children's literatureA short story depicting family and growing up from a child's perspective through everyday events.
FamilyGrowing up
Nana's Son
2000 Children's literatureAn emotive story centered on the relationship between a grandmother and her grandson.
FamilyIntergenerational relationships
Sosu's Call
1997 Children's literatureA story themed on tolerance and ethics; winner of UNESCO prize for literature in the service of tolerance.
ToleranceEthicsSocial values
The Magic Goat
1997 Children's literatureA fantastical children's tale incorporating elements of folklore.
MagicFolktale
Halima
1992 Children's literaturePortrays growth and overcoming difficulties through the protagonist Halima.
Coming of ageOvercoming adversity
Cat in Search of a Friend
1984 Children's literatureA picture book about friendship that received international awards.
FriendshipAdventure
Chipo and the Bird on the Hill: A tale of ancient Zimbabwe
1984 Children's literatureA children's story drawing on traditions from Zimbabwe.
TraditionNature
The Brassman's Secret
1981 Children's literatureA children's novel weaving African cultural and magical elements; presented as the representative text for the Neustadt prize.
CultureMagicTradition
Translations
- Translated into multiple languages
Tawia Goes to Sea
1970 Children's literatureAn early representative picture book about an adventure to the sea, praised in Ghana and beyond.
AdventureIndependence
Mansa Helps at Home
1969 Children's literatureA short picture book depicting roles at home and cooperation from a child's viewpoint.
HomeCooperation
I Am Kofi
1968 Children's literatureAn early work portraying daily life and growth through the protagonist Kofi's perspective.
Growing upSelf-awareness
Bury My Bones but Keep My Words: African tales for retelling
1991 Short stories / FolktalesA collection retelling African tales, often used for educational and retelling purposes.
RetellingCultural preservation
Bibliography
- I Am Kofi
- Mansa Helps at Home
- Tawia Goes to Sea
- The Brassman's Secret
- Chipo and the Bird on the Hill
- Cat in Search of a Friend
- Halima
- The Magic Goat
- Sosu's Call
- Nana's Son
- Meliga's Day
- Noma's Sand
- Bury My Bones but Keep My Words
Translations of Works
- The Brassman's Secret and others have been translated into multiple languages
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Fable-like, narrative style drawing on oral traditionIntegration of illustration and text in picture books
- Recurring Motifs
- Animal charactersAnanse trickster motifsCommunity and familyDialogue between tradition and modernity
Legacy
Meshack Asare is a key figure who brought African children's literature to the international stage; he won the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature (first African recipient) and has been widely recognized. His works, rooted in folklore and cultural traditions, promote themes of tolerance and community and have influenced many readers.
Trivia
- Born 18 September 1945 in Ghana; noted children's author.
- The Brassman's Secret was presented as his representative text for the Neustadt Prize.
- Based in London since 1993 and later residing in Degenfeld, Germany.
- First African to receive the Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.