admin
Raisedon Baya
ON Wednesday, right in the middle of the week, and right in the middle of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo hosted probably the biggest poetry event in Zimbabwe supported by Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe dubbed The Lafarge Poetry Slam.
The slam was biggest in terms of poetry audiences as over 300 people turned up. It was also biggest in terms of prize money — there was over RTGS$2 000 for grabs by the poets, all courtesy of Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe. And biggest in terms of a corporate supported poetry event. If there is any other bigger event that happened last year or this year I am not aware of it. The Lafarge poetry event rocked the city and its waves were felt throughout the sector.
Over 62 poets submitted short videos as part of their applications. And only 20 poets made it into the shortlist. Of the 62 submissions less than five were properly done and up to standard. Over 35 were above-average — poets had either taken videos of themselves with their phones or asked friends to record them. The rest had very poor quality videos that gave the assessors serious challenges. In future artistes need to know packaging is very essential. An artiste with a vision will have a promotional video ready for any opportunity that arises. Don’t wait for calls to start producing promotional videos. It is very ok to take videos with phones. Just make sure it’s a good phone and both picture and voice are of good quality.
Of the 20 who finally performed only six were women. Of the 20 finalists there was a poet from Kezi, two poets from Masvingo, one poet from Kwekwe and two poets from Harare. In other words the attempt at nationalising the event through participation was not a bad one at all. The final selection was a great line-up of very talented and well-read poets. Evidence of reading showed in the quality of the poems and at times in the references or allusions made by some poets.
All poets were on fire. All wanted a piece of the prize money. This showed, especially in the themed pieces. The quality of the pieces and the different interpretations of the theme was amazing. I will single out Khana Moyo, Thando Sibanda, Sinkende, Sboe Netha, Sox The Poet and Anele Chinembiri for their word power, thought processes and performance skills. The slam proved beyond doubt that poetry is indeed alive in Bulawayo. And not just ordinary poetry for that matter. The themes, especially on the second and third rounds, were varied and very interesting — love, self-love, identity, social inequality, peace, and the cry for respect and opportunities.
However, the night belonged to Sboe Netha, Sox the Poet and Anele Chinembiri. They were exceptional. Khana Moyo was not far off. But he, just like Thando Sibanda, must have realised that a slam sometimes can just be a game of chance. Sometimes it is all boils down to what your performance does to the audience and the judges. What emotions does it evoke? Does it resonate with the crowds? During the Lafarge Poetry Slam there were moments this worked so well for some poets. When Godswill Muzarabani did his “Speech” poem the whole auditorium went wild, crazy and immediately gave him a standing ovation. The judges had no choice but to award him the highest mark of the round. Sboe Netha must be the find of the slam. She came with her “in your face” stories, obvious based on some personal experience or observation as all her poems were so emotionally charged she won the crowds over and over again. Sox the Poet is young but he has a rich mind and his poems proved so. All the judges were very impressed.
In the end it was a tight contest between Anele Chinemberi, Siboe Netha and Sox the Poet. And Sox the Poet was the lucky poet of the night walking away with RTGS$1 000. Siboe Netha came second and won RTGS$600 and Anele Chinembiri walking away with RTGS$400. Prize money courtesy of Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe who are the funding partner of the project.
Online Reporter