Online Reporter
Brenda Shumba, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
THALUSO Moyo, popularly known by his stage name “Thaluso Da Poet”, delivered an electrifying performance at the Word Up poetry show held last Saturday as part of the Bulawayo Arts Festival (Baf).
Thaluso Da Poet captivated the audience with a powerful performance, featuring a stand-out poem titled Umuntu Umsabe, which resonated strongly with the crowd. He explained that the piece explores the theme of trust.
“Through the poem, I wanted to emphasise that we should be cautious, because people can be cunning and devious,” he said.
He also performed another piece titled Bazobulalana, which he described as a religious poem.
“My goal with this one was to promote love among people, whether in churches or any other faith they might practise,” Thaluso shared.
Reflecting on his performance at Baf, Thaluso described the experience as “really awesome.” He highlighted his collaborative poem with Sonkomose, titled Artist, as the stand-out moment of the night. The piece focuses on the urgent need to properly value and compensate artists for their work.
Having performed at Baf for four consecutive years, Thaluso shared insights into how he has refined his craft on the festival stage.
“I bring diversity and I connect with the audience. I take our daily lives here in Bulawayo and make a poem out of it. It becomes easy to connect with the people because they can relate,” he said.
To young and aspiring poets, Thaluso offered words of encouragement.
“Not being selected for a certain festival or event doesn’t mean you’re not good at what you do. Never give up, respect yourself and respect what you do, for one day you will find where you belong.”
Looking ahead, Thaluso Da Poet revealed that he is working on a new project.
“I’m in the midst of shooting a poetry video, and I’m positive it will be ready by mid-July.”
Hailing from rural Gwanda near Mawane Village, Thaluso is a former student of Ntepe Secondary School, who has steadily built a name for himself in Zimbabwe’s poetry scene. He clinched the coveted poetry slam title at the 2020 Intwasa Arts Festival and was a participant in the 2019 Lafarge Poetry Slam. Additionally, he earned a nomination for the Empire 263 Awards under the Best Newcomer category in 2021.
