Story: Nikilitha Burns
The Enoch Mgijima Municipality recently celebrated a milestone in community storytelling with the launch of This Is My Story, an anthology of short stories by local writers. The event, held at the Queenstown Public Library, brought together aspiring authors, community members, and literary supporters to honour the power of local narratives.
The anthology is the result of a writing competition initiated to address the shortage of isiXhosa reading material for people of all ages. Former Chief Librarian Heather Sporg explained that the initiative aimed to nurture local talent and amplify authentic voices within the community.
“We wanted to encourage local writers to contribute to our literary landscape and enrich our communities with stories that reflect our culture, humour, and experiences,” said Sporg.
The competition welcomed a wide range of participants, from teenagers as young as 15 to older community members. In an effort to make the platform inclusive, submissions were accepted without strict penalties for grammar or spelling. This approach allowed writers to focus on storytelling, resulting in a diverse collection of entries that were humorous, emotional, and thought-provoking.
A panel of three independent judges selected the winning stories, which were later compiled into the anthology. The publication was made possible through collaboration with Kholeka Sigenu and the Book in Cape Town, highlighting the importance of partnerships in bringing community projects to life.
Sporg emphasised that the success of the project was rooted in teamwork, from librarians who coordinated submissions to those involved in the publication process. “This Is My Story is proof that patience, persistence, and teamwork yield remarkable results,” she said.
The book is now available in municipal libraries across the area and is also on sale, with distribution managed by Kholeka Sigenu. More than just a book launch, the event celebrated the rise of local voices and reinforced the importance of storytelling as a tool for preserving culture, sharing experiences, and inspiring future generations.
