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In WordNSound We Trust: The long walk to spoken word!


WordNSound Poetry Festival is where my beautiful self is tomorrow, 26 November. This festival for me is not just about the awesome line-up but it can forever be used as one of those moments that teaches people what happens when you are; patient, persistent and hard working.

The first Wordnsound poetry and music series I attended was held in the small studio’s at the back of Baseline in Newtown, Jozi. My sole reason for going was because my poetry crush Kojo Baffoe was the poetry ‘elder’ for the day. How it worked was that icons in the poetry scene, like your Baffoes, Lebo Mashile, Kgafela oa Magogodi and Myesha Jenkins would do a performance and young aspirant poets would be given a chance to ask questions and interact with the elders.

Where it all began! Blast doing his thing!
The venue was small and the setting very intimate with people even sitting on the floor. The open-mic session was not so great and it was the last item on the programme. Me, being the Diva I am, would spare my ears the attempts at poetry and bounce – seemed a bit forced then.

A couple more Saturdays of the series and they moved inside Bassline. I was so impressed. The open-mic sessions were on a different level – the game was on.

Yes – initially the elders drew the crowd but by last month, October, wordnsound moved to UJ – it was about the open mic. I don’t even think I can adequately describe the diverse talent that I’ve seen on stage.

The WordnSound family have really shown me flames with their passion for spoken word. I’m privileged to know Thabiso “Afurakan” Mohare and Qhakaza Mthembu on a personal level and trust me this journey was not easy. The rest of the team includes Mduduzi "Dj Duce" Mvemve and Kgaugelo "Blast" Serote. 
To say I’m proud of them is an understatement. They have given poetry in Joburg a voice again. The WordnSound family is now not just about the organisers but the ordinary poet in the audience, the poetry lover (like me), the commentators (like me), the chance taker, the open mic competitors, the big names and anybody who finds themselves there.

Tomorrow the festival is an 11am to 11pm spoken word treat. Come through to University of Johannesburg, Bunting Road Campus, Auckland Park! Damage is R100 and R70 if you are a student.

I personally can’t wait for the open-mic finale, Mak Manaka, The Fridge, TuNokwe and Likwid Valentine. Check out the rest of the line up here

I’ll be tweeting about the event all day check me out on @tokisom or #wordnsound

Happy Pay Day Weekend peeps!

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  1. Afurakan25 November 2011 at 07:35

    ... oh wow ... You made my brain put water in my eye lids ...lol

    But honestly Thank you so much for a beautiful story and you inspire me to do better ...


    .... OK, I need to go get this water in my eye lids thing checked out. I'm a man dammit, men don't cry ...

    ReplyDelete

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