When Kigali vibrated with poetry

It all started in April last year, when Swiss poetess and anthropologist Andrea Grieder organized a two-day workshop for local poets and poetesses at the Goethe Institut in Kiyovu. Under the theme; Discovering the Transformative Power of Poetic Writing, the workshop drew such a large turn-up of local poetry practitioners and enthusiasts, it prompted Grieder to organize the first Kigali Vibrates with Poetry event at the Landstar Hotel in Remera in October 2015. That too was a huge success that gave birth to the next Kigali Vibrates with Poetry event – held at The Manor Hotel in Nyarutarama on January 30 2016. Perhaps to break some of the negative attitudes associated with poetry as a stiff and elitist thing, the venue was aptly chosen – the open outside terrace by the poolside at The Manor Hotel. The event drew a diversity of local poets and poetesses, both the established and the up-and-coming, and they presented competing works in Kinyarwanda, English and French. Also worthy of note is the fact that the poets and poetesses trooped in from all corners of the country, distinguishing this particular event from its predecessor – the Spoken Word Rwanda poetry forum – which largely attracts Kigali-based Spoken Word artists. Another distinguishing aspect was the fact that there was more emphasis on cultural poetry (poems delivered in Kinyarwanda), as opposed to Spoken Word Rwanda where the emphasis is on English and French poems. “Kigali vibrates with poetry and there is a space for poetry. So if you have joy inside your heart, put it into a poem, because otherwise you miss being a light in this world, a sun shining in the sky,” remarked Andrea Grieder, the curator of the event in her opening remarks. Andrea Grieder, the curator of the event. (Courtesy) Her words were carefully chosen, aimed at appealing to the poetic senses of members of the audience. “If you have pain inside your being, put it into a poem, otherwise the pain eats you. Share it and overcome it together. Share who you are in poetry, so that we vibrate, feel alive full, crazily, strongly, together!” Common themes explored included love, hate, war, and genocide, among others. Youthful Hakeem Nzeyimana took the day with his masterful performance of Priceless Treasure, a poem about his young family, and that accompanied him to the event. Nzeyimana would later explain that he wrote the poem to express his gratitude to his young family, which he described as solid rocks on which his dreams have flourished. It was a moment of pure native happiness. Poetess Martine Uwacu Karekezi emerged second for her French poem, Mon passé est une partie de moi, while Ferdinand Munezero came in third place for his poem, Inshyimbo Iruta Iz’ishyanga, (which is about (the value of culture in Rwanda). Munezero also took time off to showcase his other talents – dancing and singing. Ferdinand Munezero was one of the winners. (Moses Opobo) A technician, presenter and journalist at KT Radio, Munezero also dabbles into MC-ing at events, and recites poems and plays guitar as well. He learnt about Kigali Vibrates with Poetry through the media. “I saw the link and tried to know more about the event by doing some reading, then I met Olivier Tuyisenge, a young guy who had presented in the last session,” he explains. Munezero has been active on the poetry scene since 2004 when he was in high school. He was lucky to have studied in a school – Groupe Scolaire Mater Dei Nyanza, which had space for students to showcase their artistic talents. “I got a chance to present my poems to the public. I also participated in different national competitions where I won and got some prizes and from participating in those competitions I felt more motivated to continue. I did various presentations on different radios so I felt motivated to continue in poetry,” he explained. Out of poetry, he won a scholarship to pay school fees from high school up to university. Munezero has been luckier than his colleagues who have to struggle with the problem of lack of visibility as poets. “I have been lucky to have worked in the media since I was in high school. From senior four I had a chance to be a presenter on different radio stations like Radio Rwanda, Isango Star and Radio Salus. From that time people have always known that I’m into poetry. While at university I got the chance to work with the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) where I presented the Igitaramo programme.” Because of this comparative advantage, he gets a lot of deals to perform his poems, sing or MC at private events. “I have no fixed price for my services, but on a good day, I will charge not less than Rw f 300,000 to make a poem and present it.” He justifies this figure thus: “If I come to make a poem about someone that is for you alone, because you are different from others. If it is about describing your girlfriend or boyfriend, she or he has their own unique qualities. Each person has their own particularity, so I have to describe them differently. A poem is all about description from the heart. You sit alone, think about something, understand it, then come up with your observation.” All the way from Butare, where she is pursuing a degree in Science and Technology at the University of Rwanda was Marie-ReineUwera Ingabire, who presented Inzige Ikwiye Guhashywa, a poem about violence and drugs, and what society can do collectively to fight these vices. She has been into poetry for the last three years. “I discovered my talent for poetry in my A-levels. Every time I spoke, especially Kinyarwanda people told me I had the right words to make a good poet,” she reveals. She has ten poems to her name, and some of the more popular ones include Ubutwari Nkesha u Rwanda, Mwari Wanyuze Jambo, Nsaruye Ntasariswe,and Nkenyeza Inkanda. She describes poetry as “the only platform where I can express all my ideas the way they occur in my mind. I see situations and I get inspired.” Journalist Athan Tashobya has been a Spoken Word and poetry enthusiast since 2009 when he first discovered the art form in Kampala, Uganda. He describes himself as a poetry lover and indeed is a regular at Spoken Word Rwanda events. He met Andrea last year and the two discovered a shared interest in poetry. “She asked me to be the MC at the first poetry event in October 2015 and I’ve never looked back”. “I have many friends who do spoken word and I just love the flow of words. I think that poetry goes beyond art to teaching people – what you could call edu-tainment,” Tashobya states. Amidst tears flowing freely from her eyes, Lillian Bizimana, the youngest poetess of the night delivered an emotional piece recounting her parents’ death in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, and although she did not make it among the winners, she was one of the clear crowd favourites. Lillian Bizimana, the youngest poetess of the night, delivers her poetic lines. (Moses Opobo) The three-member jury was composed of Jean de Dieu Nsanzabera, an acclimed poet in Rwanda who has largely published books on Poetry and Rwandan culture; Kalisa Rugano (founder of Theatre Ballet Mutabaruka and author of around 26 theater plays), and spoken word poet Eric 1Key. Andrea met all of them on her poetic journey. Commenting about Eric, she said: When I was attending the first Spoken Word evening in Kigali I went with a friend and she introduced me to Eric. I was sitting next him without knowing that he is the Star of the evening. Today, he is here!” “Kigali vibrates with poetry is a platform for you, your inner poetic voice. Today, maybe you sit in the audience, and next time, you go on stage. As transpoesis put it in words, poetry transforms you,” Andrea urged the crowd on the night. In the end, she simply urged the audience to join the world of poetry: “If you have capacity to see beauty in one moment of life, not more, but not less either, poetry becomes part of our life. It is never too late to meet (it is never too late to do poetry also). So I’m most grateful to the universe, and it’s magic to bring us together tonight.” The next Kigali Vibrates with Poetry event will be held on 30th of April, again at the Manor Hotel. The transpoesis event will take place every 3 months with a big event, bringing together the winners of the previous Kigali Vibrates with Poetry, at the end of the year.

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When Kigali vibrated with poetry