Tag Archives: Pride

Afurakan

South Africa No Comments

Afurakan, is the crown prince of Johannesburg’s underground slam poetry.
He is best known for his stage improvisations on hip-hop tunes. His style has caught the attention of many slam poets and and writers across Africa with its rhythm and provocative nature.
This is a poet who can cipher with god – and while celebrating the fact that “Blaq people rock” also writes for the miners who beat rock all their lives, for everything that is “less”.
His activity within Jozi’s poetry movement can be traced back to the “So where to” poetry events, and his work with the poetry collective Soul 2 Mouth, among others.

Afurakan has played a vital role in the growth of the spoken word movement in Johannesburg and indeed South Africa; and he’s a regular at schools and community centres, performing for the purpose of spreading the word.

http://muse.book.co.za/blog/2009/10/15/booked-muse-afurakan/

Afurakan is a founding member of THEMISSINGAP, a three piece rhythm and poetry outfit alongside beat box legend _BlastTheHumanBeat and DJ Duce.
TheMissingGap currently host and promote the popular WORD N SOUND BASSLINE SERIES a monthly open mic and talent showcase platform.

Ivori

Nigeria No Comments

Razaq Ivori is a prolific writer who began his career in writing as a ghost pen for the rich and famous. He wrote their auto biographies for a fee until his last book Elevating the Women for Mrs Titi Atiku. He moved on to the institute of journalism where he studied multimedia techniques and began working for an Abuja firm soon after his HND in journalism.

His literary works include blood and kin a Sci-Fi African drama piece and the adventures of illinick slyed a radio drama written for the BBC but was never submitted.

His current literary scheme is to bring back the art of the quintessential Town Crier poetic semantics: he dubs narrative news. A system where actual news content is infused in free flow prose rendition though in English but not without the characteristic melodic chant of the past.

For six months Ivori premiered this art at the Bogobiri lounge in ikoyi, where some say the uproar it generated prompted the proprietors to establish a full scale stage house next door for performance poetry.
Today the poet, writer, journalist has put all away to make his theatric experiment a reality. The full content like he humbly puts it will give birth to SAO [THE STANDERD AFRICAN OPERA].

Ife Piankhi

Uganda No Comments

Ife Piankhi is a versatile artist whose creativity knows no bounds. An accomplished poet, singer and dancer Ife has collaborated with artists such as Keko, Nneka, Mamoud Guinea, Geoff Wilkinson, Michael Franti, Jonzi D, Wynton Marsalis, Floetry to name but a few.

Ife has toured internationally for the past 22 years visiting Canada, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Zanzibar, Zambia, Romania, Italy, Holland, and USA.

Always an inspirational artist whilst living in London she was a regular on Colourful Radio founded by Henry Bonsu. She has been featured in the documentaries 500 years later by Owen Shahadah and Nubian Spirit by Louis Buckley which highlight her knowledge of Nile Valley Civilisations.

Her music and poetry is influenced by African Stories of migration, relocation and the search for identity.

A formidable educator and creative facilitator, Ife fuses her knowledge of Ancient Africa, esoteric teaching and environmentalism with her music/poetry which is a rich blend of jazz, reggae, and soul. Her stage persona is confident, humorous and participatory with the audience always learning something new. This ability to naturally interact with the audience saw her not only collaborate, but MC the concert of International Artist Nneka who made her first visit to Uganda in 2012.

Ife Piankhi is also a social entrepreneur. Seeing the need for different performance platforms for emerging Ugandan artists Ife created Ife’s Fusion Party (Tilapia, Bunga) and Triple C (Kawa Lounge, Nakumatt). She is also resident poet and MC for Poetry in Session the longest running poetry event in Kampala to date.

Finuala Dowling

South Africa No Comments

Finuala Dowling was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1962. Her first volume of poetry, I Flying, won the Ingrid Jonker Prize and her second collection, Doo-Wop Girls of the Universe, was joint winner of the SANLAM award. Her third volume of poetry, Notes from the dementia ward won the Olive Schreiner Prize. She has appeared as a guest poet at the Aldeburgh festival and at Snape Maltings in the UK, and at all of South Africa’s major literary festivals. In May-June of 2012 she appeared with other South African poets at the Biennale Internationale des Poètes en Val-de-Marne in Paris.

Finuala is the author of three novels, the most recent of which — Homemaking for the Down-at-Heart — won the 2012 MNet prize for fiction.

Finuala has a Masters and doctorate in English literature. She writes textbooks, runs poetry workshops and occasionally gives lectures.

Poetic Pilgrimage

United Kingdom No Comments

Poetic Pilgrimage are an exciting female Hip Hop and spoken word duo from the UK who are set to take the world by storm with their unique sound, intelligent lyrics and unparalleled charisma. They are a rare act, being one of the few Muslim female outfits around and are unafraid to express themselves through the art of rhyme.

Poetic Pilgrimage brings a refreshing perspective on issues of identity, immigration, and global politics and as one of the very few Muslim, female Hip Hop acts in the world, their music reflects this unique experience. The world has much to learn from the lyrics of these two women.

Muneera Rashida and Sukina Abdul Noor were both born in Bristol to Jamaican parents, and have been performing together as Poetic Pilgrimage for 6 years. The early part of their career saw them as favorites on the London poetry circuit where they performed alongside some of the biggest names, placing them at the forefront of the fast-growing International Muslim Hip Hop scene. They use their music to unite their community with the greater hip-hop and music scene.

Their musical goals are to make progressive Hip Hop music that fuses their African and Caribbean roots with their musical tastes such as Jazz, Afrobeat, Soul and beyond, providing a creatively comparable backdrop to their message of peace, unity and freedom.

The group has toured all over Europe and the United States and have performed alongside artists such as Talib Kweli from the USA, K’naan from Somalia and Mutabaruka from Jamaica. They have received critical acclaim and press coverage from many of Europe’s most notable publications.

Whether helping youth learn to write heartfelt poetry, or rapping at the most male-dominated Hip Hop venues, Poetic Pilgrimage has become one of the most well-known and well-respected Muslim hip-hop crews in the world.

Peter Mboye

Tanzania No Comments

Peter is a 22 years old, living in the North-eastern part of the Tanzania in the city of Arusha. He started writing poetry when he was 16 years old while still a high school student. He initially mainly wrote for his friends and for his own benefit due to a lack of platforms in his hometown.

In 2012 he met George Kyomushula the founder of Arusha Poetry Club,who inspired him to participate in the club’s weekly sessions. This is where he has met a lot of great poets like Charlotte Hill O’neil. Till now he has participated in more than four international events and other six local events within the club. And performed local events at The University Of Dodoma,where he pursues a degree of Film and Theatre.

Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed Nabhany

Kenya No Comments

Prof. Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed Nabhany, was born 27 November 1927 in Mombasa Kenya. He is affectionately known as the father of Swahili poetry.

A list of researchers Nabhany has assisted:

1. John W.T. Allen 1965 who was collecting Swahili manuscript, poetry, songs, and lullabies.
2. Prof. Ann Beirsteke 1983 who was researching Mwana Kupona and learning Swahili poetry.
3. Prof. Henebush 1989 who was learning Swahili poetry composed by Nabhany.
4. Prof.Ibrahim Noor Shariff 1984.
5. Prof. Chach n Chacha 1984 who was researching Swahili Poetry.
6. Dr. Marjorie Ann Franken 1986 who was researching, Ngoma, Swahili Poetry.
7. Prof. Rocha Chimera 1984 –  Istilani.
8. Prof. Deborah P. Amory 1985 – Kanga In Swahili Society.
9. Prof. Kingei – On Swahili Twarab 1989.

Nabhany’s Contribution on Islamic Swahili Arab Scripts:

1967 – Helped in the collection and recording of Swahili and Arabic Manuscripts by J.W.T. Allen for University of Dar-Es-Salaam.
1984-1987 Worked with Prof. Dammann in Hamburg University, Germany in translating Swahili Arabic manuscripts to Roman scripts.
1993 – Worked on Islamic manuscripts with Dr.David Sperling Lamu, Pate, Siyu in Kenya in the same year travelled to Comores Island. Project sponsored by Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation through our director in London, Dr. Shariff.
2004 – A team of Oman Television led by Mr.Mohamed Bin Ali Marjiby interviewed him on the history of the first Omani who came to Pate in Lamu Kenya, Suleiman bin Suleiman bin Mudhafar Nabhany in the 12th Century and from Oman Jabal-Ahdhar at Al-Makheri.

Ponatshegelo Katlholo

Botswana No Comments

On stage he is known as Mista Poke. At 24, he is the youngest member of the Poetavango Collective. Mista Poke was born and bred in the village of Maun, Botswana. He studied accounting and business management.

Mista Poke wrote his first poem when he was 16 years old. His main influence came from listening to the music and poetry of the South African Mzwakhe Mbuli. He is a fanatic of African indigenous ways of life, and when he writes his poetry, his pan-African views and inclinations can be seen. He also writes heavily on socio-political issues.

Mista Poke is a spirited and energetic performer with a voice a highly commanding voice. He has performed in various public activities in his home town of Maun. He also performed at all Poetavango shows including the international poetry festivals.

Philani Amadeus Nyoni

Zimbabwe No Comments

Philani Amadeus Nyoni is a Zimbabwean poet, short story writer and actor. His writings have been published in newspapers and magazines including The Sunday News, Zimbabwe Metro, South Africa Metro, Consciousness.co.za and Ghana Poetry Foundation.

In 2006 he was awarded a First Class Award in the ‘Girls’ College Literary Competition, the following year he was awarded ‘Honors’ and won the Best Poem Award in the senior category. In 2010 his poetry was read at a cultural night in Wales organised by Kushinda Publishing, in the same year he co-wrote and acted in Cletus Moyo’s stage play titled And Now We Speak. He took part in the Drama For Life Festival in South Africa where he was part of the ‘A Lover And Another Poetry Slam’ where he represented Gauteng in the national championships.

In 2011 he co-wrote an opening act with Simo Mpapa-Majola for the festival. In that year he also featured in Lindela, a short film written and directed by Lilly Million about Lindela camp in South Africa where illegal immigrants are held before being deported to their respective countries. In 2012 he was part of the team that resurrected “Mlom’ Wakho Poetry Slams” in Bulawayo which was the second poetry slam in Zimbabwe after ‘House Of Hunger’ in Harare. He took part in the ‘Breaking Barriers Poetry Slam’ held in Harare during the Shoko Festival and also shared his works at Intwasa Festival. He is working with John Eppel as an editor on Philani’s first book, a forty-five poem anthology entitled Once A Lover Always A Fool.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Raya Wambui

Kenya No Comments

Raya Wambui started writing poetry consistently thirteen years ago. She began performing in July 2011 competing in the Carnivore Star Search of that year. She began her blog in March 2012, where she has been sharing her poetry and some other writing since then (rayawambui.wordpress.com). Her poetry tends to fall under revolutionary poetry, but is not exclusively in that genre.

Since she began performing, she has performed at the following events:

* Carnivore Star Search of 2011- Auditions, Semi Finals and Finals

* Wamathai Spoken Word- Severally since 2011

* Slam Africa- Performed severally, competed five times: I am the 39th Slam Queen

* Kwani Open Mic- performed three times, was the April 2013 featured poet

* Word Up Live- Severally

* Panari Ice Skating Festival

* Chords For Cords

* Streams, Where Haven Art

* Creatives Garage Portfolio Review

* POWO

* Teto Tetuma and the Purple Warriors Band, Live at Kitengela

* Global Voices Summit 2012

* The BOGOF

* Sitawa Ignited

* GBC show: JCs love letter

* Sentimental Spot (Arts Talk Show)

* Nairobi University Chiromo Campus Cultural Day

* Nairobi University Main Campus, Class presentation

 

Roger Bonair-Agard

United States No Comments

Roger Bonair-Agard is a native of Trinidad and Tobago, a Cave Canem fellow and author of two collections of poetry, tarnish & masquerade (Cypher Books, 2006) and GULLY (Cypher Books, Peepal Tree Press, 2010).

He is co-author of a third collection, Burning Down the House (Soft Skull Press, 2000). An MFA candidate at the University of Southern Maine Stonecoast program, Roger is also a 2-time National Poetry Slam Champion and the co-founder and Artistic Director of the louderARTS Project. He is poet-in-residence at Young Chicago Authors and teaches at the Cook County Juvenile detention Center. He lives mostly in Chicago.

Raul Alves da Silva Calane

Mozambique No Comments

Mozambican writer and essayist Raul Alves da Silva Calane was born in the city of Maputo on 20th October 1945. He grew up and studied in the city. Very early in his life he began and was involved with journalism and literature. He led the Gazeta Artes e Letras da revista Tempo (Gazette of Arts and Letters of the Time Magazine) in 1985, and was appointed in 1987, head of the editorial board of the national television, then called “Televisao Experiemental de Mocambique” (Experimental Television of Mozambique). He also became a founding member and board member of the Association of Mozambican Writers.
He earned a master’s degree in Portuguese Linguistics from the University of Porto, with a dissertation on “Pedagogia do léxico : as escolhas lexicais bantus, os neologismos luso-rongas e a sua função estilística e estético-nacionalista nas obras Xigubo e Karingana wa Karingana de José Craveirinha” (The Pedagogy of the lexicon: the Bantu lexical choices, the neologisms Luso-Ronga and its stylistic and aesthetic function in the works and Xigubo Karingana wa Karingana of Jose Craveirinha).
Calane da Silva is currently a lecturer at the Language Centre of Universidade Pedagogica (Pedagogical University) and the Director of the Centro Cultural Brasil-Moçambique (Cultural Centre Brasil-Mozambique), both in Maputo. He is also the author, editor of several essays, novels and anthologies, which include: Dos meninos da Malanga. Maputo, Cadernos Tempo, 1982 (Poetry); Xicandarinha na lenha do mundo. Maputo, Associação dos Escritores Moçambicanos, 1988. Colecção Karingana (Short Stories). Gotas de Sol. Maputo, Associação dos Escritores Moçambicanos, 2006 (novel); A Pedagogia do Léxico. O Estiloso Craveirinha. As escolhas leixicais bantus, os neologismos luso-rongas e a sua função estilística e estético-nacionalista nas obras Xigubo e Karingana wa Karingama. Maputo, Imprensa Universitária, 2002 (Thesis Publication); Nyembêtu ou as Cores da Lágrima. Lisboa. Texto Editores. 2008 (Novel).

Ralph Tathagata

Nigeria No Comments

Ralph Tathagata was born in Obiohia-Bende, Abia State. He lives in Lagos. He is poet, a writer, a journalist, a photographer, a culture activist and a former general secretary for Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State.

Ralph is convinced that the core of his poetry is to create works, ready to respond and stand the test of disastrous times.

Shabbir Banoobhai

South Africa No Comments

Shabbir Banoobhai’s poetry is spiritual, political and personal with the three themes interwoven, the personal poems often having a political dimension and the political, a spiritual. A child of parents who came to South Africa from India, he was born in Durban in 1949, where he lived for most of his life until he moved to Cape Town in 1995. He Of necessity he shared the fate of the larger black community of South Africans, his poetry reflecting that struggle. He qualified as a teacher in 1970, as a Chartered Accountant in 1978, and as a Chartered Management Accountant in 1983. Lectured at the University of Durban-Westville from mid 1977 to the end of 1982; ran a management consultancy practice in Durban from 1983 to 1995; and joined Old Mutual in Cape Town in January 1996.

Retired in November 2005; and is now a full-time writer. Some of his works, in full, include: echoes of my other self; shadows of a sun-darkened land; inward moon outward sun; if i could write: Ramadan letters that can be read at Christmas or on any other day; and lyrics in paradise. He is the recipient of the Thomas Pringle Award for Poetry. What is particularly striking about his poetry is its complete sincerity, described as, “a luminous work of the heart containing profound reflections on the nature of the Divine, Prophetic and human consciousness, love, justice, peace and war. A genuine and original Sufi primer for the 21st-century seeker, reflecting an important development in contemporary ‘South African spiritual thought'”.

Segun Lee French

United Kingdom No Comments

Nigerian-Mancunian Segun is a singer, poet, producer/composer, playwright, film-maker & club promoter, founder member of Manchester’s Speakeasy People poetry collective. As singer for cult triphop band, Earthling, Segun has performed on MTV, BBC1, VH1 & Canal 5.

As a poet and playwright, Segun’s work has been commissioned for broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and RadioManchester. Segun’s debut solo show, Bro 9 at Contact Theatre, won Best Fringe Performer & Best Design in the prestigious Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. In autumn 2005, Segun was nominated for the Arts Foundation Performance Poetry award. Segun’s first poetry collection, Praise Songs for Aliens was published by Suitcase Press in October 2009.

Sandile Dikeni

South Africa No Comments

Sandile Dikeni was born in Victoria West in 1966. He studied at the University of the Western Cape where he served on the SRC. He began writing seriously while in detention in 1986, and was a popular performer at political rallies and community cultural events. Since the coming of democracy, he has worked as a journalist and political commentator. In addition to Planting Water, he has published two previous collections of poetry, Guava Juice (1992) and Telegraph to the Sky (2002), as well as a collection of his articles featured in the Cape Times, titled Soul Fire: Writing the Transition (2002).

Sandhya Mathura

South Africa No Comments

Sandhya was born on the North Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal in 1987. She grew up in the quaint village of Seatides which is situated along the sugar-cane belt of the Tongaat district. As a child her irrepressible curiosity often resulted in painful consequences. She was not content with the banal knowledge that the switch turns on the light. No. She had to know how hot the bulb actually burnt. Fortunately this precocious, mischievous mind was soon harnessed by the creative outlets of poetry and short story writing. She matriculated from Seatides Combined School at the age of 16. After working an assortment of part-time jobs she moved to Cape Town to complete a diploma in Audio Engineering at the Cape Audio College. Since then Sandhya has completed a B.A. (Hons) degree in English Language and Literature Studies at the University of Cape Town.

She has always written poetry, sometimes in secret, sometimes for the amusement of friends and family. Most often her cautious, quiet scribblings were the cathartic, emotional outpourings borne of personal trauma or victory. Now she writes outside of herself. Some of these latest poems form a triptych of sorts which probe and subvert idiosyncratic aspects of diasporic Indian culture. Persistent themes in these pieces include: the patriarchal appropriation of Hindu scriptural teachings, the conflation of fear and respect by young ones” towards “their elders”, and finally the preoccupation with masking familial discord and domestic abuse in order to keep up appearances within one’s community.

Sandhya currently plans to forge links with local NGOs that share her vision for equitable access to tertiary education across the nation’s polarised socio-economic landscape.

Sabrina Moella

Canada No Comments

Sabrina Moella is a writer, a poet and a filmmaker based in Toronto, Canada. Born in France from Congolese parents, she started writing as soon as she was old enough to hold a pen. She now lives in Canada and writes both in English and in French.

Sabrina’s poetry is based on reflective thoughts about her own life. Her films focus on studying and narrating the everyday life, traditions, and culture of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora.

She is a member of ‘I Get Out’, a collective of black female storytellers from Toronto. She is also a yoga practitioner who strongly believes in healing through the arts.

Sabrina is currently writing a collection of short stories entitled Mayi.

Synik

Zimbabwe No Comments

Synik is a hiphop and spoken word artist from the vibrant streets of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. The lyrically dexterous MC is one of the most exciting young artists in Zimbabwe right now. Thriving on versatility, Synik switches easily from cleverly crafted soulful hiphop joints to hardhitting lyrical raps and spoken word pieces. A gifted rhyme – storyteller Synik is known for weaving words to create visual poetic pieces. The ever growing artist recently picked up guitar playing and has incorporated acoustic guitar to his performances. He prefers to use his close relationship with words to influence positive change and inspire people, seeking to ‘write songs to right wrongs’. Affiliated with Zimbabwe’s cultural activist movement, Synik understands that art should be used to address society’s ills and he aims to do more than merely entertain with his work. Influenced a lot by conscious hiphop and neosoul music, the artists lyrics are mainly an expression of what the he encounters in life.

“The soul of Harare’s conscious Hip Hop is in the safe hands of a small group of rappers. Among them is Synik who brings some positive and thoughtful messages at a time when just about every cheap African rapper is claiming a million haters and self-stamping themselves as “King of Swag”. (the peoples hub).While in high school a young Synik started putting his thoughts into raps in his school note books having been a fan of hiphop since he got introduced to the culture in his childhood. His high school had a large community of people who were also drawn to hiphop as an art-form. He was briefly part of Bulawayo based underground outfit, Encrypted Minds in 2001. The moniker is a remnant of this phase in his growth when he was influenced by hardcore underground hiphop. He started recording late 2003 in Harare, a period where he worked with the Phranchyze members Phlow and BC. His first release was an EP (The Beta Version 2008) which highlighted Synik’s storytelling skills and lyrical prowess. The EP has been labelled a street classic by some and it earned Synik respect in Zimbabwe’s hiphop community. He also released a single (God within/Find a way 2010) which revealed a more soulful Synik. He has featured on numerous projects including the African hip-hop mixtape 2, as well as collaborations with numerous Zimbabwean and African acts (Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya).

His performing career developed when he got into Harare’s lively spoken word/hiphop scene. He would soon become one of the most regular hiphop and spoken word performers at events such as Mashoko, The Circle, Chimoto Poetry Slams (Alliance Francaise), and the Acoustic Nights (Zimbabwe German Society). In 2010 as part of Poeticause he was involved in the Theatrical/ Poetry production ’Prisms’ with fellow poets Blackpearl, Nebila, Flowchild and Aerosol. Some of his notable performances were at The 2010 Bulawayo edition of the Zimbabwe Social Forum, The One Day Hiphop Festival (Alliance Francaise), 2011 Independence Day Concert (with the hiphop band, the Monkeynuts), The Republic of Pungwe Launch and The Shoko International Hip Hop festival. If he is not on stage Synik can be easily spotted throwing rhymes in a cipher on Harare’s streets.With a number of projects scheduled to come in the near future Synik is set to continue making waves in Zimbabwean hiphop and beyond.

Skietreker

South Africa No Comments

Skietreker ( Reitumetse Richard Segopolo Seape) is a poet, author and performer from Thabanchu in the Free State. He writes his metaphors and similes in English, Setswana, Sesotho and Afrikaans, penning about subjects relating to racism, discrimination, abuse, poverty, Aids, spirituality, love and social ills affecting the youth.

He has performed on stages like Macufe annual festival (2005). In 2007 his poem titled Spiritual Struggle was published in an anthology called A Prayer Away in Durban. He is also a former member of the poetry group Infinite Motions (2008). He has appeared on Frenzy (ETV), Street Journal (SABC 1) and Lentswe poetry project (SABC 2). He was also the founder of Boston Poetry Movement (2008) and the brains behind the initiative of Velocity open mic sessions at iBurst in Durban.

In 2009 he was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Bloemfontein public library in recognition of valuable contribution to literature in the Free Sate. He published his first collection of poems titled Apartheid Ek Gaan Jou Boks in 2007 and in 2012 he received assistance from the department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation to republish his power packed Apartheid Ek Gaan Jou Boks vol 2. He was also a volunteer for the SA Literary Awards 2012, and he also performed & rendered a creative writing, poetry workshop for Legae Primary School at Africa Century International African Writers Conference and shared a stage with Tinah Mnumzana, Lesego Motsepe, Hector Kunene and Charmaine Mrwebi.

Sitawa Namwalie

Kenya No Comments

Sitawa Namwalie is a poet, writer and performer interested in how Africans are defining themselves in today’s world. In writing she finds her expression. In 2008 her first dramatised poetry show by the name Cut Off My Tongue was successfully performed in different venues in Nairobi. In 2009, her first book of poetry, Cut Off My Tongue was published. Later the same year, the show was performed at the prestigious Hay Festival in the UK. And in 2012 it was performed in Uganda. She was nominated for the Freedom to Create Prize in 2010 for the courage and positive social influence of her poetry.

In 2011, her second show of dramatised poetry called Homecoming was performed in Nairobi to rave reviews. In April 2012 Cut off my Tongue was selected by TED Talks on a global search for the new and undiscovered as a performance worth spreading.

Sitawa has worked in the development sector for many years with NGOs and with UNDP, USAID and IUCN. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany and Zoology from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Arts degree in Environment, Society and Technology from Clark University in Massachusetts, USA. She works as a development consultant in the areas of environment, gender and governance.

Sitawa has achieved excellence in many areas of life, including representing Kenya in tennis and hockey in her youth. She is a mother of three gorgeous children and is married to a man of rare generosity.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Sfiso Riccardo Shezi

South Africa No Comments

Sfiso Riccardo Shezi also known as Imprint has been writing poetry for what feels like a lifetime to him. He started exploring the poetry scene in his hometown of Pietermaritzburg, but his love for art form has seen him travel across other provinces too. He mainly writes in his mother tongue isiZulu.

Sello Daniel Maputle

South Africa No Comments

Sello Daniel Maputle is a poet based in Thaba Nchu in the Free State. He started writing poetry in 2003 when he joined a writing group called Untitled Poets in his hometown. The highlight of his career is when he performed at the Macufe Wordfest.

Sanele Sithole

South Africa No Comments

Sanele Sithole is a passionate poet from Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), South Africa. Although he’s been writing since the age of 15 his very first performance was in 2011 in Pietermarizburg in KZN. Since then he has performed on many stages across his province. He looks forward to sharing his work with international audiences outside of his province.

Sandile Washington Mhlontlo

South Africa No Comments

Sandile Washington Mhlontlo is a published Xhosa poet who was born in Mbinzana, Lady Frere. In 1971 he qualified as a Primary Teacher at Lovedale College. He started teaching in Mbinzana Higher Primary in 1972. In 1976 he was promoted to Headmaster at St. Peters-on-Indwe.

He was ordained Roman Catholic Church Minister in 2001.

Tshegofatso Sebitloane

South Africa No Comments

Tshegofatso Sebitloane better known as “Maikutlo” is a singer, writer and poet from the capital city of the North West in Mafikeng. Poetry and word expression has been and is still a large part of her life. Maikutlo started exploring her passion for poetry and word expression six years ago through the talent development and nurturing programme called Expressions under Lyv Promotions created by Tolamoetlile Kgobokoe aimed at nurturing up and coming artists from all art disciplines. This platform launched her artistic career.

WORKS TO DATE
* In 2007 she worked on Nite of Words – Blood Love which was a Poetry Showcase which went to Grahamstown Arts Festival and later showcased in Mmabana theatre in Mafikeng. The production directed by Modise Ngwato had fresh dose of poetry, comprising of music and writing skills.
* 2008- North west finalist in the Lentswe Poetry Competition
* 2009- featured in Molemi’s Motzamai- Rebel without a pause album under lyv Records track 10 titled Maikutlo A re www.lyv.co.za
* 2010- Performed at the 30th celebration of the North West University Gala dinner with special guests like the Rector Professor Dan Kgwadi and the Alumni of the University from previous years.
* 2011-Took part in the Africa Celebration on the Mmabana Park hosted by the Rastafarian Movement in Mafikeng
* Part of a stage theatre play held in the North West University directed by Kgafela oa Magogodi
* 30 October 2011- Featured in show by Botswana Folklore Artist- Ntirelang Berman hosted at the Mmabana theatre
* 2011- Performed at the Cheese and Wine event hosted by the North West FM radio station
* 4 December 2011- took part as one of the performers in the Art resolve weekend sharing the stage with live performances by Molemi, Quincy K, Kgafela oa Magogodi and Marabele, Mpho ya Badimo former radio presenter of the reggae Show- Moribo wa Raggae.
* 2011- Seta year Closing Gala dinner booked by The Department of Sports Arts and Culture in Mooifoniten
* 13 February 2011- performed at Public Internet Access and Visual impaired library launch- dsac in- Mmabana Taung grounds
* Currently holds the position of vice chairperson of a poetry Group based in the North West University Campus by the name of 5th Groove.

Troydon Wainwright

South Africa No Comments

Troydon Wainwright started writing in his late teens to compensate for his dyslexia. Since words were his weakness, he figured, he would work on them until they became his strength.

He’s written a novel that he is currently seeking publication for and a bunch of short stories. He hopes in time to become a professional writer. At present, he works as a facilitator to a disabled student.
He also reads his own poems at various open mic poetry events around Cape Town.

Awards:
1st in Easter Province Inter Schools Sign Writing Contest 1995
3rd SFSA’s Nova Short Story Contest 2009
Runner up in ZigZag’s Surf Magazine’s Reader’s Story 2011

Toni Stuart

South Africa No Comments

Toni Stuart is a poetry writer, performer and developer. Her poetry has been published in numerous anthologies including The Ground’s Ear (Quickfox Publishing, 2011) and Agenda Journal on Teenage Fertility and Desire (Unisa Press and Routledge, 2011).

As a performer she was part of And the Word Was Woman Ensemble, from 2004 – 2007, with Malika Ndlovu and the 2010 Ingrid Jonker Prize winner Tania van Schalkwyk among others. She has performed locally and internationally, at numerous events including Urban Voices International Poetry Festival in 2010, Bridgewater International Poetry Festival in 2013, and alongside UK poet Lemn Sissay in 2012. Her work uses poetry to interrogate a range of social issues such as the stories of place and displacement (The Calllings Performance as part of GIPCA’ Exuberance Project, Emancipation Day Commemoration at Reminiscence Theatre Festival), HIV/Aids (commission of Breath and Blood for University of Cape Town) and gender-based violence (Woman.Object.Corpse exhibition for Centre for African Studies, UCT).

She is the curator of Poetica, at Open Book Festival 2013 and runs The Silence That Words Come From – writing workshops that enable people to explore their own voice.

In 2013, she was named in the Mail and Guardian’s list of 200 Inspiring Young South Africans for her work in co-founding I Am Somebody! – an NGO that uses storytelling and youth development to build integrated communities.

Tina Mucavele

Mozambique No Comments

Tina Mucavele is a young Mozambican woman, social activist, writer and a mother of one son. She lives in Maputo, Mozambique, after living in Johannesburg for most of her adolescence and early adulthood.

Her day job is with rural civil society movements, in an attempt to raise consciousness and provide skills for political participation, monitoring of state budgets and quality of social services. In the city, she works with poets and musicians, and is part of the SEM CRITICA MOVEMENT, a performance space created for free artistic expression.

Tina’s poems and short stories are in the editing process, and she hopes to publish a collection of short stories by the end of 2011. Her travels around the African continent, Europe and South America have turned her into a strong Pan-African Citizen, and she loves and advocates for an eclectic African Identity. Tina began seriously writing her poetry in English, given the strong influence of English speaking authors such as Ama Ata Aidoo, Ben Okri, Alice Walker, Ngugi Wa Thiongo amongst other African writers.

However, coming back to Mozambique forced her to learn the Portuguese language as a tool to tell the stories that follow her around like friendly ghosts!

Thobekile Mbanda

South Africa No Comments

Thobekile Mbanda is a young gifted woman from Inchanga Kwa Zulu Natal now residing in Cape Town. She is a spoken word artist and community activist. Her work portrays her deep rooted passion for the well being of her people, promoting self-love, self-respect, identity and self-sustainment.

Her guitar inspires her lyrics and flow and is her companion. She holds high respect for poetry for she sees it as a catalyst of reaching the consciousness of the people who dare listen and considers herself as the voice of the beginning Thobekile wase Embo. She sees her work as a sacrifice of love for peace, unity, honesty and freedom for all.

The Mighty Third Rail

United States No Comments

The Mighty Third Rail, aside from being a clever riff on that special rail on the train tracks that will shock the ish out of you, and aside from being a metaphor in politics to avoid controversial issues, is also a three man trio that mixes the elements of Hip Hop, poetry, beat-boxing, violin and bass. From poetry cafes to colleges to concert halls, whether it’s jamming at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Joe’s Pub, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, or performing at the prestigious Lincoln Center , The Mighty Third Rail undoubtedly delivers.

Featuring the dashing Darian Dauchan on vocals, the indelible Ian Baggette on bass, and the courteous Curtis Stewart on violin. With daring vocals, booming basslines and a vivacious violin, this bold, urban collective creates politically challenging works that push the boundaries of Jazz and Hip Hop to define the next generation’s voice.