Local slam poet wows the Duchess of Sussex
Spoken word artist, Belita Andre, is renowned for her slam poetry titles, Afrocentricity, creative upliftment and literary works – now the young wordsmith’s poetry is synonymous with the Duchess of Sussex’s visit to Johannesburg.
Visiting Joburg, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was a hit with locals. While in the City, she made a stop at Victoria Yards, Joburg’s lush hidden treasure, on 30 September where she was given a tour of the past and future of Victoria Yards and the historic urban fabric that surrounds it and at the end of her visit, the duchess was moved by the original poetry of Belita, the 2019 winner of World of Words Poetry Slam.
“It was fun, knowing that it would be for her but also that they entrusted me to do it and that made it seamless for me… Something about her was very welcoming and that is a different kind of power on its own – being able to see what was in front of you and connect to it,” Belita said.
With only two days to come up with the poem, Belita was tasked with taking the duchess on a poetic journey of Maker’s Valley, a social and enterprise hub stretching all the way from Ellis House to the Bertrams Boys’ and Girls’ Club to Victoria Yards and the Skills Village – corners of the city riddled with hidden gems.
“As a poet, it’s always a pleasure to have someone actually listen to what you’re saying and I think I enjoyed that the most. I could see her taking the journey with me through everything I was saying.” In her reading, Belita said, “The Maker’s Valley is a social and enterprise hub, a wave between my corner of the world and yours.
Insisting beyond the anchors of survival. How to make sure that everyone gets to shore, pass around an ocean of stars, not because our sleepless nights are equal but because our dreams are.” The 20-year-old poet is also an accredited writer under ReaderWorld and has brought a fresh take on the ever-growing art.
In addition to winning a number of slam competitions, she performed at the Rand Show in 2016 and at the fifth international African Women’s Writing Symposium in 2017. She also serves as a poetic journalist whose work depicts day-to-day life in its purest form.
She shared, “There’s been a lot happening and I’ve tried not to slow down or get stuck on one thing and I think that has helped with the growth. In meeting her [the duchess] I did rethink what we define as our limits when we’re speaking about the sky and when would we be satisfied about what we’ve achieved.” Belita is renowned for hosting her own poetry sessions and collaborating with likeminded artists.
She has written scripts for plays showcased in various Johannesburg high schools. The objective of her poetry always being to address the contradictions within ourselves and the world around us. “We do have things to say and there are people that are willing to listen to us.”
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