31 Aug 2014

The Gaborone International Music and Culture events saw poets serenading the audience through the power of the spoken word.

The show included poets from all walks of life who shared the culture and poetry of Botswana. The master of ceremony was none other than the poetically gifted Benson Phuthego, who kept guests entertained with his flawless charm, combined with his rich and poetic Setswana.

The power of the spoken word lingered in the air over lantern lights that provided an intimate moment of those metaphoric and rhythmic melodies by Batswana men and women.

Leungo 'Lulu Bird' Frank, a writer, poet and a literature and psychology teacher recited 3 poems that got the audience snapping for more.

Her famous poem Unlearn you was presented with great emotion and passion. No! No! No! You do not love me, Unlearn you, I want to unlearn you, was just but a taste of the poem’s symphonies.

Lulu Bird mentioned that she wrote this poem after a major breakup, and because she was a late bloomer, matters of the heart came at a later stage for her.

To turn up the tempo and spice the evening, from the dusty streets of Old Naledi also known as Zola, came a group of talented youngsters, Mafitlhakgosi Traditional Dance group.

The group danced their hearts out. With different Setswana dances, ranging from the Hosana ritual dance which originates from the Northern part of the country and the Phatisi dance, which is popular amongst Bakwena.

After an electrifying performance, one of the fairest female poets in the country, Mandisa Mabutho adorned the stage with her soulful incorporations of the drum, string guitar and her flawless caption of one’s mind through the art of poetry.

Her first piece was titled Dreaming. Dreaming is a gift, dreaming is my gift, the rhythm of love, dreaming,” stated the third stanza of her pierce. She also gave the audience a taste of her EP titled- I used to be a Dragonfly, which will be released later this year.

Further, two Rastafarian gentlemen and a lady graced the stage with a beautiful smooth melody of reggae music fused with a few lines of poetry. 

The group, known as - Poet Circle, revived the African renaissance poetry.

A young boy, Oats Motsamai who started poetry this year also evoked emotions from the crowd with some intimate, sad and yet mysterious poems.

The final act of the evening was none other than the queen of poetry herself, the flawless international poet, who has performed in countries such as France, UK, USA, India and Germany. Some say she is one of the assured inquisitive voices of Africa.

The woman in question is TJ Dema. She added a soothing climax of experience and stature to end the show. Her poems appreciated the event.

During the show, Footprints Africa Safaris awarded the audience through a raffle, a grand price of a game drive at Mokolodi Nature Reserve to appreciate the beauty of nature. 

The lucky winners were Mogakolodi Tlhalerwa and Merafe Letlole.

This event marked the beginning of a week of appreciation of music, art and culture of Gaborone. The poetry night was followed by choral music, comedy night, International Music Festival and the Jazz festival on Sunday. ENDS