27 Nov 2022

Maun International Arts Festival returned on Friday with beauty and enthusisam.

Okavango Craft Brewery was adorned with smiles of people who journeyed from the length and breadth of Botswana to delight in the poetry night.

This year’s session attracted poets from Botswana, Namibia and Zambia.

The Intonations BW band dished out a mouthwatering prelude setting the tone of what was to come later.

Poetry with a touch of Jazz from the Intonations was a perfect recipe to unwind as the band dressed in all black trumpeted the night away.

Silas was the first poet to perform, reciting a poem about being broke due to COVID-19.

It was a somber affair from then on as Mr Pope also recited a piece on an African child picking on crumbs and failing to seize opportunities because of chasing after finer things that rendered them poor in the end.

He proclaimed, ‘dear black child, be an entrepreneur, be a producer not a consumer and claim your place.’

Prophet Caribbean weed donning all black reiterated the gloomy tone delivering a piece in reminiscence of the Chibok girls who were kidnapped by Nigerian terrorists Boko Haram in 2014, reminiscing on the agony it evoked across the globe and just as he took everyone back there the mood turned silent and gloomy under the bright night sky.

The memory switched up gears dishing a jolly arrangement, moonlight assembly and the audience reaffirmed with cheers and whistles; they loved the girl in a black dress.

Namibia’s Charmaine Gamxamus performed a piece titled, If today were my last day, what would I do? As she evoked the revelers to think deeper about tomorrow and went on to honour mothers for their role in everyone’s life, chanting ,“To be a mother, to be a home, a prayer warrior a fighter, protector and a force.’’

Sam Kush went in hard reciting a poem against gender based violence and those who concealed the truth and the perpetrators.

Zambia’s Chindo na Metthew joined him on stage as they beat boxed.

Moratiwa spiced it up singing sweet melodies with the Intonations who seemed to have enjoyed Maun more than everyone.

Anthxny known for his popular poem; Beyond the buffalo fence, shifted into his element as he chanted a Setswana poem praising a beautiful woman, “ o mma lebopo wame wa galalela fa ke go bona ke tswa bana ba phefo.’’

The curtain fell as the audience cheered to relish the performances looking forward to the music festival that was billed for the next day.

The Maun International arts Festival is a organised by Poetavango collective celebrating creative artists to showcase their talents from visual arts, dance, comedy, music and creative writers.

This year the festival celebrates a 10 year milestone having been conceived in 2011 subsequent to which they could not celebrate in 2021 due to COVID-19. ends