Next generation voices shine at poetry slam
Poets aged 18 – 28 were tasked with delivering works that share their perspective on what the promise of democracy means to South African youth today and into the next 30 years.
The US Embassy and its partners hosted its inaugural Next Generation Democracy Poetry Slam competition at the UP Javett Centre on March 20.
Passionate spoken words were delivered by 15 poets from across the country to the audience and judges under the theme, “Next generation democracy”.
The embassy said the inspiration behind the theme was last month’s Black History Month, as well as both South Africa and the United States holding national elections this year.
The poets aged 18 – 28 were tasked with delivering works that share their perspective on what the promise of democracy means to South African youth today and into the next 30 years.
The poets also participated in a three-day spoken word poetry workshop with the judges that they would be performing for on the night.
The judges’ panel included accomplished American slam poet Alysia Harris and two award-winning SA poets Xabiso Vili (former World Poetry Slam champion) and Busisiwe Mahlangu (first female Tshwane Out Loud winner).
The judges received submissions from all nine provinces and ultimately decided on the 15 they would work with.
“For both the United States and South Africa and many democracies around the world, we need the energy and vitality of young people to help set the direction for the future of their country. What we also need is young people speaking to young people about why this is important,” said Cultural Affairs officer for the US Embassy, Tobias Bradford.
First place went to Realeboga Mmethi, who won a MacBook, while second place went to Tshegofatjo Makhafola, who won an iPad and Belita Andre, who won a mini-iPad, was third.
Bradford said the embassy would open the poems to the public for a People’s choice award in due course via social media.
Vili said that he saw a lot of improvement from the performances after the workshop and was inspired to see young voices engaging with democracy and its ideals.
“I think that democracy is one system to change our community. We need to show up and utilise our voices to show who we want to lead us, but that’s also just one step. I think democracy and community building lie in the hands of the people, so I always believe in leading the community and being forerunners in the community that we see around us,” he said.
Vili looked forward to continuing to work with the embassy this year and also has an album and book in the works, as well as the training of young poets. As the former World Poetry Slam champion, he’ll be working with the current champion in preparation for the championships this year.
One of the poets on the night, Khanyisa Rosemary Mabasa (23) from Johannesssburg described performing at the slam as “a passion and privilege”. She became involved in poetry during her early school days when she used to write songs, take part in public speaking and Olympiads.
“Watching people write made me excited to write. You want to recreate that feeling you got while reading other people’s poetry and that’s what I want to do with mine, change the world but also show how I am in it,” she said.
Mabasa said she was drawn to the theme as she believes there is a lot of suffering in communities and people may not have the voice or words to express it. She felt it’s her responsibility to help where she can.
“We’ve been so overwhelmed with different parties and different promises and when you look at the state of it, it’s easy to walk away from broken promises and a broken country and believe that your vote won’t make a difference when that’s not the case. I think we need to hone in on what matters to us as people and find the person or party that works for us to make this the country we want it to be because South Africa has a lot of potential,” she added.
Another poet performing on the night, a Tshwane resident from Mamelodi, Caroline Mabaso (21) said the power of the change is in the hands of the youth, as the ruling government has only failed.
Mbaso is a second year Varsity College international relations and politics student and the slam was her first time ever trying out for a poetry competition and performing live.
“I think I’ve always had a creative spark in me but never knew how to express it so writing was that outlet for me. When I got the call up, I was shocked but I was happy, because it gave that validation to say, you know what? Maybe we’re onto something here and my insecurities about it withered away,” Mabaso said.
She said she looks forward to participating in more poetry slams in future, completing her schooling and participating in more youth initiatives locally and internationally. Mbaso said her ambition stemmed from growing up in Mamelodi. She said even though she grew up in a sheltered household, she was not blind to the ongoing struggles of her community.
“My family always kept me from the overall dangers that face my community. The lifestyle, the crime, things that you can get into that you shouldn’t, especially at a young age. Like for example on the street where I’m from, I was the only one that didn’t come out with a teenage pregnancy. We also don’t have a lot of role models to look up to, to say if that person can do it then so can I, we don’t have enough of these people where I’m from,” Mbaso added.
She advised other poets to trust in themselves, their craft and to be authentic.
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