The Nommo Awards are literary awards presented by ''The African Speculative Fiction Society.'' The awards recognize works of

speculative fiction Speculative fiction is an umbrella term, umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from Realism (arts), realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality, instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or ...

by Africans, defined as "science fiction, fantasy, stories of magic and traditional belief, alternative histories, horror and strange stuff that might not fit in anywhere else." The Nommo Awards have four categories: Best Novel, Novella, Short Story, and Graphic Novel. They are named after the

Nommo The Nommo or Nummo are primordial ancestral spirits in Dogon religion and cosmogony (sometimes referred to as demi deities) venerated by the Dogon people of Mali. The word Nommos is derived from a Dogon word meaning "to make one drink." Nommos a ...

, ancestral spirits from Dogon cosmology who take a variety of forms, including appearing on land as fish, walking on their tails.

The African Speculative Fiction Society

The African Speculative Fiction Society (ASFS) promotes science fiction and fantasy by Africans. Its members include writers, editors, artists and publishers. Established August 15, 2016 with 58 charter members, the ASFS and its Nommo Awards is a body for African science fiction/fantasy professionals. Members nominate and vote on the Nommo Awards for African Speculative Fiction.

“The ASFS will provide a place where writers, readers, and scholars can come together to find information, connect with each other, and act as watchdogs for their collective interests.” Chinelo Onwualu, co-founder of Omenana

The 2016 charter members

The African Speculative Fiction Society 58 original charter members of 2016.

Logo design

The Nommo Awards logo and ASFS logos were designed in 2016 by Stephen Embleton. The logo is an image of the

in Dogon cosmology, twins who on land can take the form of fish walking on their tails.

"The
Nommo The Nommo or Nummo are primordial ancestral spirits in Dogon religion and cosmogony (sometimes referred to as demi deities) venerated by the Dogon people of Mali. The word Nommos is derived from a Dogon word meaning "to make one drink." Nommos a ...
are mythological ancestral spirits (sometimes referred to as deities) worshipped by the
Dogon people The Dogon are an ethnic group indigenous to the central plateau region of Mali, in West Africa, south of the Niger bend, near the city of Bandiagara, and in Burkina Faso. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000. They speak the Dogo ...
of Mali. The word Nommos is derived from a Dogon word meaning "to make one drink." The Nommos are usually described as amphibious, hermaphroditic, fish-like creatures. Folk art depictions of the Nommos show creatures with humanoid upper torsos, legs/feet, and a fish-like lower torso and tail. The Nommos are also referred to as “Masters of the Water”, “the Monitors”, and "the Teachers”. Nommo can be a proper name of an individual, or can refer to the group of spirits as a whole. For purposes of this article “Nommo” refers to a specific individual and “Nommos” is used to reference the group of beings."

Winners and short list nominees

Novel

The Novel Award is also known as ''The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African''. It is named for and sponsored by

Tom Ilube Thomas Segun Ilube ( ; born July 1963) is a British entrepreneur and educational philanthropist and former chair of the Rugby Football Union making him the first black chair of a major sport in England. He is the Chair of The King’s Trust in ...

Novella

Short Story

Graphic Novel

Notes

References

{{science fiction Science fiction awards Fantasy awards Africanfuturism Speculative fiction awards African literary awards Awards established in 2016 Novella awards Short story awards Comics awards