Poetry Africa 2012: The Botswana Edition

Last night I had the pleasure of attending Poetry Africa 2012 which was held at the Gaborone Sun Hotel. I had never heard of the event before, but as a poetry fanatic I didn't hesitate and took the rain head on to attend. It was the Best Decision Ever! Despite the formal venue, the Poetry Africa team managed to make us forget where we were and transported us to that magical realm of poetic bliss. This is the first time Poetry Africa has come to Botswana and I felt very blessed to be part of their first audience. The evening kicked off with Iain "Ewok" Robinson (I Love his full alias 'Creamy Ewok Baggends'!) who was our energy filled host for the night. Ewok is known for his Slam poetry genius and his lightning quick mental gymnastics gifted us with laughs and good vibes through the night. He gave us a couple of warm up pieces to get us in the mood. Ewok hails from the South African sauce pot Durban, and he definitely brings the flavour! Freestyle battle champion, slam competitor, theatre freak and hip hop head, Ewok ticks all the boxes! As if he hasn’t got enough on his plate, a serious case could be made for his comic skills too! His twitter handle is @Ewokessay if you want some of his personal Poetry Africa perspective.

Before the fun started we had a few words from Gaorekwe Gaorekwe, a representative from Brand Botswana who was part of the team that helped bring the Poetry Africa team to Botswana. Big thanks to them for organizing us this treat!

We also heard from Peter Rorvik, the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu Natal. The CCA is involved in the production of festivals and programmes that create an enabling environment for the flourishing of creative expression, cultural development and exchange, and boy are we grateful for the work they do!

The show started with a few local poets to welcome our guests to the country. The first performer was Mr Tshireletso Motlogelwa, a local poet, journalist and editor at the Mmegi newspaper. Tshireletso's piece was explosive, filled with fucks and the urge not to give any. He was angry, passionate, and surprising. Behind the glasses and suit there lives a foul-mouthed legend!

Next was local poet Mandisa Mabuthoe. Mandisa is intense. Solemn. Honest. Powerful. Her pieces sound almost biblical in their tone and inspired the appropriate awe. She definitely commanded the respect and attention of the room.

After Mandisa's performance the next act exploded into the room. Moroka Moreri is a traditional praise poet and brought a distinctly Botswana sound to the room. He was jolly, loud and very entertaining, shouting out loud while his partner leapt and laughed. Their wailing was more than just loud, they made music with their bodies. It was certainly a very memorable performance.

After all that energy Barolong Seboni gave us a chance to catch our breath and immersed us into the tender landscape of his words. Barolong is an academic and dabbles in journalism, writing articles and speaking on radio.

The next act is a serious contender for favourite of the night. Pedro Espi-Sanchis better known as PEDRO THE MUSIC MAN! (ALl 90's babies feel free to stroll down memory lane to the Kideo days.) He has gotten even cooler the older I've become! With his Spanish/ French/ South African blend Pedro brought the room up with his vibey tunes and smooth singing. Not just a master on the guitar, Pedro makes music with anything! Including dried seaweed! (Seriously, I'm not even joking.) Somehow he figured out a way to make a flute out of any long tubey looking thing he comes across. Borrowing techniques from the Strandloopers, Pedro makes crazy tunes by blowing through the pipe and using his thumb and hand to manipulate the air pressure inside the seaweed. It was AMAZING!

After Pedro came the second contender for favourite for the night. Mandosini was a sight to behold, decked out in a headdress, beads, and bright a bright orange scarf. A South African 'national treasure', Mandosini is a Xhosa musician who specialises in traditional instruments, including various types of musical bows. The sounds this woman produces are insane. It's the type of sound that puts shamans and healers into a trance, it's otherworldly, it penetrates the flesh of the soul. She speaks almost no English yet I feel I have never understood someone so clearly.

Then came a Kenyan poet, writer, journalist and human rights activist, Philo Ikonya. She is on the board for the Kenyan chapter of PEN (Poets, Essayists and Novelists) International. Ikonya was between 2007 and 2009, brutally arrested several times for speaking out against corruption and the foiling of freedom of expression in her country. Subsequently, she has been exiled in Oslo, Norway since November 2009, and has been described by fellow poet and human rights activist Shailja Patel, as “rejecting silence and refusing simplification as she battles corruption.” Philo's performance was regal and sincere, sharing journeys across oceans and a story of unexpected tenderness between a lioness and her prey. She was thoughtful and soul soothing.

Philo was followed by a vibrant young Ghanain man, Nii Ayikwei Parkes- poet, editor, socio-cultural commentator and author.. With his snazzy jacket and a distinctly African flair, Nii's energy was fresh out the box and bouncing off the walls. Follow him on Twitter @BlueBirdTail.

Last but definitely not least was living legend, Lebo Mashile. Lebo is a renowned South African poet, author, MC, actress, television producer and presenter. Lebo also made me cry with her performance. She was magical, somehow finding words for feelings I've had for years. She read the scriptures of my soul and wrote her words on my being. She was transformational, and by the time she was done, the entire room was speechless. You can follow her on twitter @lebomashile.

By the end of the night I was feeling highly charged, and inspired to have the strength to lay my soul bare like the brave souls I had the privilege of watching. Although it is near impossible to do justice to the high calibre of poetry, I hope the pictures at least give you a glimpse of the magic. Big thanks to Poetry Africa for bringing some much needed fire to the land of the sun. Blessed