Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
FOR celebrated poetess Sonkomose, last month’s National Culture Month commemorations at Bulawayo’s iconic Barbourfields Stadium marked a defining moment in her artistic journey, one she describes as both humbling and affirming of her cultural calling.
The colourful national celebrations, presided over by President Mnangagwa, brought together traditional leaders, Government officials, artistes, cultural groups, exhibitors and communities from across Zimbabwe in a vibrant showcase of indigenous traditions, music, dance, food, fashion and visual arts.
Designed to celebrate the country’s rich cultural heritage while promoting national identity and unity, the event provided a fitting stage for some of Zimbabwe’s finest cultural ambassadors.
Among the day’s standout moments was Sonkomose’s captivating performance as she welcomed the Head of State through the ancient and powerful art of praise poetry. Weeks after the event, the poetess is still reflecting on the magnitude of the opportunity.
“I felt very proud and humbled by the opportunity. It was a unique and challenging experience, but also a lot of fun and a huge honour,” said Sonkomose.
For many artistes, performing before thousands can be intimidating. For a praise poet entrusted with welcoming the President of a nation, the responsibility carries even greater significance.
Sonkomose said the assignment required careful preparation, cultural awareness and a thoughtful choice of words.
“Performing as a praise poetess for the President is not something you prepare for in one day. The challenge was in choosing words worthy of the moment and playing with the Shumba totems, not losing myself, but the joy was in representing my culture as a poetess,” she said.
For Sonkomose, the performance represented more than a personal milestone. It became an opportunity to showcase the enduring relevance of indigenous performance traditions in contemporary Zimbabwe.
As one of a growing number of female practitioners championing praise poetry, she has steadily built a reputation for performances that fuse cultural pride, storytelling and modern poetic expression. Her appearance at the National Culture Month commemorations placed her among a select group of artistes entrusted with representing Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage on one of the nation’s biggest ceremonial stages.
The event itself underscored ongoing efforts to preserve and promote indigenous culture while creating spaces where traditional and contemporary artistic expressions can coexist.
For Sonkomose, standing before thousands at Barbourfields Stadium and delivering her poetic welcome reinforced her belief that poetry remains a powerful vehicle for connecting communities with their heritage.
Yet despite the prestige of the occasion, the poetess is already focused on her next creative chapter. Far from resting on her laurels, Sonkomose is immersed in new projects that promise to broaden her artistic reach and further elevate spoken-word poetry within Zimbabwe’s cultural landscape.
At the centre of those plans is an upcoming poem titled Kwela, a collaborative piece featuring Skidoo Flex and Mawiza. The work is expected to be released in mid-June and forms part of a larger project she has been developing over recent months.
“Kwela is part of a poetry album that will be released in August,” she revealed.
The forthcoming album is shaping up to be one of Sonkomose’s most ambitious undertakings to date. She is planning collaborations with some of the region’s respected spoken-word and performance artistes, creating a body of work that reflects the growing interconnectedness of Southern Africa’s poetry scene. Among the creatives she hopes to feature are renowned performers Mahlaba and Bhila, while discussions are also underway with South African slam poetry champion Lethu Nkwanyana. Additional contributors may join the project depending on availability.
The collaborative nature of the album signals Sonkomose’s desire to push beyond traditional boundaries and explore new creative possibilities within poetry. It also mirrors a broader trend across African spoken-word circles, where artistes increasingly blend poetry with music, performance art and cross-border collaborations to reach wider audiences.
Industry observers believe such projects are helping redefine how poetry is consumed, particularly among younger audiences who engage with artistic content through digital platforms and multimedia experiences.
For Sonkomose, however, the mission remains rooted in cultural preservation and storytelling. Her recent performance before the President demonstrated how traditional praise poetry can still command national attention, while her upcoming projects illustrate how the same art form can evolve and remain relevant to contemporary audiences. – Follow on X @MbuleloMpofu
