Moroka saves Setswana poetry from extinction
Maureen Odubeng | Friday May 27, 2016 10:20
The 22-year-old from Kanye, does both written and oral poetry, and commands a lot of attention when reciting his meaningful and thought-provoking poems. Watch him recite his poem, and you immediately wonder how someone as young as him has such a strong command of deep Setswana language.
Moroka explained that his love for poetry developed at a very young age, where he would play around with words, and recite poems to his family.
He said at the time, his uncles used to ask who write the poems for him.
“They doubted that it was my words, and always told me I was lying when I told them that those were purely my words,” he said. He however said coming up with poems for him at the time came naturally and was quite easy, so he did not think much of it. He said as he went through school, he started offering to perform at school ceremonies, zeroing his poems around whatever was taking place, whether it was prize-giving celebrations and other school-related events.
“I can say at the time I was taking my talent lightly as I would recite my poems in plain clothes and my school uniform,” he explained. He said it was only when he went for his tertiary education that he started taking his talent seriously. He then decide to formulate a character, which he would use when reciting.
He decided to start wearing traditional garb made from animal hide, specifically a coat, and a headband.
He accessorises his attire with a traditional instrument used to shoot birds called seragantshwane (catapult).
Clad in his signature clothing, the young man confidently recites his poems, changing emotions depending on the mood of the poem.
Moroka, who studied Health Care Management at Boitekanelo College said his poetry is diverse and not restricted to one or a few subjects. “It depends on the kind of event I am attending. I will have to make sure my poem has some relevance, and carries a positive message about marriage (or other),” Moroka explained. He said culture is very close to his heart, as such, he has a number of poems, which concentrate specifically on culture.
Moroka further explained that poets get inspiration from anything and everything that happens around them, explaining that he is no different.
He touched on other subjects like education, health, motivation, child abuse, and celebrating Botswana’s rich and diverse culture with his poetry. Poetry defined by Merriam Webster means writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm.
It is therefore not shocking that the young man uses his poems to serve different purposes, be it behavioural change, or simply just motivating people never to give up in life. He said he also uses his poems to encourage his peers to take pride in their heritage.Moroka recited a poem on Duma FM, addressing the issue of gender violence during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. He said he has also been featured in the radio station’s Sefalana Sa Ngwao programme.
Interestingly, the young poet told Arts & Culture that he is not too concerned about making money through his poetry, explaining that his first priority is using his talent to make a difference. He said when necessary he sometimes uses a bit of drama to ensure that his messages are louder and clearer.