Chin Nyap Fong, a naturalized Taiwanese citizen, secured the First Prize at the ninth Taiwan Literature Awards for Migrants with her piece “Titik Hitam Seorang Rika” (Rika’s Black Spot). Her story explores cultural differences and the search for recognition, incorporating languages like Indonesian, Taiwanese Hokkien, and Hakka to reflect Taiwan’s cultural richness. Along with the trophy, she was awarded NT$150,000 (US$4,660) in prize money.
Chin, who also translated her own work into Chinese, expressed how Taiwan’s diverse culture inspired her writing. The Jury Prize went to Trần Minh Hợp for his Vietnamese-language work “Sự Sống” (Vitality), which also won a Teen Choice Award. Additional Choice Awards were given to Ririn Arumsari, Sri Lestari, and Đức Mạnh for their respective pieces written in Indonesian and Vietnamese.
Two Teen Choice Awards went to Thanawat Thanaphatthadasakul for his Thai piece “Taiwan: The Hope of Money and Everlasting Farewell” and Marvin Joaquin Alamag for his Tagalog work “The Saddest Tragedy of My Life.” The winners received trophies and cash prizes ranging from NT$20,000 to NT$150,000.
The awards, aimed at showcasing the creativity of migrant workers and immigrants in Taiwan, accepted submissions in five languages: Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Tagalog, and Burmese. Over 200 entries were received this year, with works translated into Chinese for final jury review.
The awards ceremony took place at Shanjia Railway Station in New Taipei, with a jury made up of writers, filmmakers, and scholars. They emphasized the importance of diverse perspectives in judging the literary works, which highlight the experiences and stories of Taiwan’s migrant community.