Poetry And Project will on Saturday host a concert paying tribute to women writers for their contribution to the written and spoken word in Zimbabwe as part of the World Poetry Day celebrations.
BY Tinashe Sibanda
The event will take place at Book Café with special appearance by Freedom Nyamubaya and it is expected to take a closer look at contributions from three local female writers who include Nyamubaya, Kristina Rungano and the late Valeria Chaukura.
The guest writer is expected to recite her poetry on stage to the gathered audience and the concert will also include poetry and musical performances from spoken word artists in Harare.
“I feel that people do regard it as a part of a closed group in the arts community but this is what Poetry And Project wants to clarify on. Poetry is for everyone, it is in our stories and the stories that we live through every day and so l am asking people to embrace it too. In other countries like South Africa poetry is widely embraced because there are more established platforms and popular poetry activities,” said Poetry And Coordinator Barbra ‘Breeze’ Anderson.
The concert is an initiative by Poetry And to bring writers and performance poets to share the stage and to interact and the show will feature poets Albert Nyathi, Bastirai E Chigama, Barbra ‘Breeze’ Anderson, Linda Gabriel, Wadzanai ‘Blackpearl Chiuriri’ and rapper D.Blok.
Musician Victor Kunonga will perform a duo with his bassist Norman Masamba, singer Vera Chisvo, guitarists Tonderai Adrian Muparutsa and Lincoln Mandengu will also collaborate with poets.
Anderson said she hoped more women would come out because she was certain that there were some out there who enjoy writing and holding some hope of performing one day.
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“I know that the most daunting aspect is the lack of support from family and friends. I am still hopeful that with more established poetry platforms and free dissemination of information women will start to perform,” she added.
Anderson said this event would be the second edition after a similar event she organised on World Poetry Day in 2013 and she was hoping to do it again next year as she was looking into turning the event into a recurring annual show.
“This is a celebration of profound writers, poets in Zimbabwe and world over who overcome boundaries and prove all things possible’ said Poetry And Project Outreach Officer, Andrew Shangiwa.
The project which was launched in April 2011 initiatives in the development of performance poetry in Zimbabwe by working with young emerging and established spoken word artists in concerts showcase structured, experimental poetry collaborations with different arts disciplines.
It encourages shared interactions and appreciation of poetry by creating more regular poetry platforms. ‘Poetry And’ addresses the lack of poetry spaces for performing spoken word artists to showcase their work.
The main goal is to change the perception of poetry and create a completely new and powerful movement that is motivated by literal and poetry performances.
“Poetry And Project is inviting all artists, writers and members of the public to converge at the Book Cafe on March 21 for this event,” said Anderson.
