Kwenamore focuses on Setswana praise poetry
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday April 2, 2021 16:27
‘Sekopa da Poet’ is his Facebook page name and his stage name is Sekopa ‘lelope la kgosing’.
The 24-year-old started poetry in 2017 having been inspired by the beauty of Setswana culture.
“This made me fall in love with the Setswana language and it helped me to develop skills of playing around with words in a very unique manner. I was encouraged by Thuto Prince Mosomane (Letona La Poko) who also witnessed my capabilities and passion for Setswana culture as a whole. As a patriotic Motswana poet, I chose to focus much on our Setswana culture and language.
It will not be good to promote other foreign cultures and languages while ours are not getting that much attention. If we do not preserve the beauty of our culture, we will later lament as it might become diluted,” he said. Kwenamore further explained that most of his poems were inspired by what is happening around him. He said he has done poems that talk about certain important issues, or addresses challenges the nation faces. He added that he worked with Poeticblood, Modubathankga and Letona La Poko and many more. Kwenamore believes as poets, they need to work together and be creative in combining styles.
His recent poem was a tribute to the late hip-hop singer Sasa Klaas which he did with Letona La Poko. The poem went viral on social media. It was a very soothing and comforting piece. Kwenamore also did a poem called Ke Mang yo Nthatang, which talks to his personal life. He said he wished his late mother was around to see her only son shine. “I have many people who support my poetry, both from Botswana and South Africa. I have been called to different gigs, weddings and other celebrations and I am also the champion of ABOSOPA 2019 which saw all tertiary schools represented and I managed to scoop the first position. I rendered a poem before our lovely Chief and mother, Kgosi Mosadi Seboko of Balete, at a youth gathering that was organised by the Member of Parliament for Ramotswa Lefoko Moagi at the graduation of brigades,” he said.
Just like other creative minds, he pointed out that he faced challenges. He said the biggest challenge was people who want to book poets and not pay them after performances. He added that they were living in difficult times because it was no longer those days when poets were paid with a plate of food.