MISA-Zimbabwe partners artists in commemorating Black History Month
HARARE, Zimbabwe, February 21, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On Friday 13 February 2009 MISA-Zimbabwe joined hands with the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights in commemorating Black History Month in an evening marked by poetry recitals and discussion forums at the Quill Club in Harare.
The commemorations were originated in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Week. Woodson chose the second week of February because it marked the birthdays of two Americans who greatly influenced the lives and social condition of African-Americans: former President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass.
The discussion platform was aimed at encouraging rapport between poets and journalists in their common struggle for a free media environment. A hybrid fusion of contemporary and traditional poets graced the event, namely: Biko Mutsaurwa, Elizabeth Muchemwa Samuel Mahuntse, Innocent Fungurani, Hope Robson Shoes, Tapfuma Jongwe, Anesu Katerere, Theresa Muchemwa and Tinashe Muchuri.
The first segment of the commemorations opened with recital of popular poems by African-Americans during their struggle for social, economic and political emancipation. The second segment comprised local poetry slams with infusions from those by African-Americans while the third phase was marked by local protest poems.
The protest poems depicted how the streets have fast turned into avenues of self expression through notable pieces such as Africa Unity Square Bench, Diary of the Church Mouse, Letter to My Unborn Child and Valentine.
Africa Unity Square Bench, captures societal contradictions as people seek solace from daily trials and tribulations in one of Harare’s parks – African Unity Square. The piece caricatures a bench which sits members of the police force as they wait to pounce on demonstrations by human rights activists. The bench has seen it all and exhorts journalists to come forward and capture the diverse stories and experiences it has stored over the years – from the pre-colonial era to independence and the struggle for freedom of expression.
Diary of the Church Mouse on the other hand, captures the lonely voice of a people reeling under a totalitarian establishment. It cries loud for the parish and those in positions of authority to heed the lamentations of the lone voice crying for freedom. The poem caricatures a church mouse that feeds on crumbs left by vulnerable groups who reside in the church while hopelessly awaiting God to take its miserable life.
Letter to My Unborn Child, is a tribute to the future generation and takes note of the day to day struggles faced by the average person – poverty, starvation, deprivation, diseases, war and violence. The poet archives these trial and tribulations for posterity and calls upon the unborn child to remain resilient and steadfast in the face of these problems upon the child’s final birth.
Valentine, is a love poem inspired by the 14th of February’s Valentine Day. The piece is politically charged commenting on how the spirit of giving and sharing has been eroded due to the socio-political and economic crisis bedevilling the nation. In the end the piece calls on politicians to move swiftly to address the crisis which threatens to extinguish the basic values of love.
The evening ended with a discussion forum during which journalists critiqued the poems. In his closing remarks MISA-Zimbabwe Advocacy Officer Tabani Moyo noted the continued detention of freelance journalist Anderson Shadreck Manyere and the director of Zimbabwe Peace Project director Jestina Mukoko saying journalists should continue to expose and condemn such blatant threats to media freedom and freedom of expression.
SOURCE : Media Institute of South Africa (MISA)
