Ngwao Putswa: The poetic tongue twister

KEABETSWE NEWELBARATI MATHAMBO
Correspondents | Friday March 11, 2011 00:00

 

He is known around Francistown as Ngwao Putswa when uttering his Setswana-rich poems. Ngwao Putswa, real name Lucky Nkhurutshi, is a master of Setswana language. He spits complex Setswana terminology that would not only move the crowd, but would have also impressed our ancestors.

Whenever he is invited to bless an event with his hilarious metaphors, ululations would reverberate all round at the mention of the name 'Ngwao Putswa'. The flow of words from his mouth gives one the impression that they were rehearsed and mastered for years, yet they come snappy as if recorded from a CD.

His words are as fast as lightning; he says them as if they were just there in front of him on a script. For a young man of 23, Ngwao Putswa is certainly experienced beyond his years.

Draped in traditional attire, including jackal's skins wrapped around his neck, shoulders, wrists and waist, an animal skin satchel and animal shirt and pants. His head would be wrapped in a skin while his eyes would be sticking out of huge goggles designed for old men. Also he would be sporting an artificial white beard.

On his shoulders, balanced with his hand, would be a musical instrument known in vernacular as setinkane (thumb piano). He would amble slowly like retarded old man looking from side-to-side nodding to the inexorable sounds of ululations.

Standing behind the microphone, he would utter magical words that no one had anticipated but enough to melt the most hardened heart.

His exuberant performance would always have even the very old people pushing one another for a vantage position not to hear his voice but to also see his funny facial expressions. He wound sway his body sideways stamping the ground as if to firmly stress his words. Whenever he performs at an event, he would look the honoured guests in the eye and throw complements to them with his poem enough to get them smiling.

His talent is extraordinary. One would need a Setswana dictionary to fully comprehend his entire poetic presentation. 'Ngwao Putswa lethogo putswa la goo Lowe, Lebutswapele laa go seseketswa le ngwao. Ngwao boswa pinagare ya sechaba. Ke mmatla kwana yo o sa robaleng, mosekakgwana ya gaabo yo o sa tshabeng go swa lentswe. Tsikitsiki ke a gotela, Tsatsatsa ke a tsamolela...' went an introduction from a poetry lover, responding to a request for introduction. He said he needed to make his presence felt by introducing himself by what he is known for: Poetry. In an interview with Nkhurutshi, he preferred to be called 'Ngwao Putswa', meaning 'someone fond of tradition'.

Originating from Sebina, he said he moved to Serowe where he started his primary school at Newton primary school. The 'poetry professor' mentioned that at Standard Five he began to write poems, inspired by his late grandfather who was a traditional doctor.

'My grandfather used to amuse me a lot as he threw his bones, he would break them into pieces as he uttered his rituals using heavy poetic terminology, which I learned at a tender age,' he said.

Nkhurutshi said that when he was at Kgalemang Motsete Community Junior Secondary School (CJSS), he eventually became one of the best writers of Setswana compositions. He said that he wrote poetry very well, but because of his stage fright he was reluctant to perform his art himself.

From Motsete CJSS he went to Swaneng Hill School before enrolling at Masunga Senior School. Following some well-considered advice from a friend, he joined the drama club where he further developed his poem scripting for other people to use.

'I did not pass my Form Five at the end of 2005 so I worked for a construction company in Gaborone until 2008 when I moved to Francistown determined to do something of my own. I was still writing poems for people at this time at an improved rate,' he said.

At around 2009, Ngwao Putswa said he wrote a poem for one Moutlwatsi Ramakgwebana, who also sought his companionship on stage. Although it was his first time on stage, coming as a backup, he flowed poetically like a professional, attracting attention as if he were the star of the show.

He said it felt good and many people later approached him so that he could perform at their functions. His current manger, Kelerilwe Letsholathebe was said to have been a friend by then who talked Nkhurutshi into pursuing poetry as a vocation.

Nkhurutshi revealed that it was during that time that they chose the stage name Ngwao Putswa, since his poetry focuses much on tradition and the use of perfect Setswana.

The young talented poet said that soon he began getting lots of offers to perform at weddings and almost all the major events in Francistown and Gaborone. Today, Nkhurutshi says that he has no regrets as he makes a good living out of poetry.

His dream: To become the king of a large poetry industry, with many employees whom he would like to develop into professional poets.

He advises young people to always expose their talents, saying that they could liberate them from poverty.