Poetavango hosts global poetry festivities

BONIFACE KEAKABETSE
Correspondent | Wednesday January 26, 2011 00:00

 

The Maun-based poetry group, will use the event dubbed the 'Maun International Poetry Festival' to celebrate the group's third anniversary. The festival, which is expected to assemble some of the outstanding and finest performers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region aims is to promote the art of poetry, spoken word, story-telling and other literary arts within the region.

According to Poetavango chairperson, Legodile Dread X Seganabeng, as a prelude to the main festival, there will be workshop/symposium for poets and story-tellers (both national and international). For the festival, performances will incorporate both contemporary and traditional poetry performances. The festival will be split into two performances; the preliminary show during the day and the main show at night. The preliminary show will showcase talent from upcoming poets among the school-going youths.

Some of the expected performers in the main poetry event include Outspoken (Zimbabwe), Zwesh Fi Kush (South Africa), My Brother's Keeper (Zimbabwe), Dredd X (Botswana), TJ Dema (Botswana), Nomsa Mazwai (South Africa), Ntirelang Berman (Botswana), Messenger (Botswana), Flo (South Africa), Ngwao Putswa (Botswana), Lesego Motsepe (South Africa), Vygos (Botswana), King Philosopher (Botswana), Juby Peacock (Botswana). More poets from southern Africa are to confirm their presence during the course of time, according to X.

This event has potential to unlock Botswana's tourism potential by exposing tourists to the country's arts and culture and that of other African countries, he said. However the event does not only target audiences from the Maun community but the nation at large. The dreadlocked poet Dread X, famed for the poem Bombs, which he has performed to the delight of many in the various poetry shows in the South African region, is appealing to the nation at large to support the initiative. He is appealing for sponsorship from interested businesses and individuals all over the country saying they are still below the budget for the event. So far The Department of Arts and Culture and Maun Lodge are the only sponsors who have confirmed their interest in sponsoring the event.

Dread X, who is one of the founders of Poetavango, and 2010 Bessie Head literature award winner, said the festival targets to bring poetry and story-telling to the people and redeem poetry as one of the tools of education and entertainment, which can bring people and nations together for the love and appreciation of the arts. 'Poetry in particular has not been given the platform it deserves since most members of the community had not been exposed to it before,' Dread X says.

Tickets for the event will be on sale from February 1 for P150 (main show) and P50 (preliminary show). Tickets for the main show include a cocktail dinner at The Boma, Maun Lodge. Information on points of ticket sales and more details on the festival can be accessed at www.poetavango.com and the Poetavango Facebook page.

Poetavango Spoken Word Poetry is a non-profit making, independent and community-based poetry group formed in March 2008 in Maun. Its main aim is to promote poetry in the Ngamiland region and the country at large.Since its formation the group has been holding monthly poetry festivals in the tourism capital and conducting outreach poetry sessions targeting students in schools.