Zim poets commemorate Black History Month
Harare, February 2, 2011: Top Zimbabwean poets say poems by African Americans are still relevant to present day Zimbabwe and are a source of inspiration for many young Zimbabweans desiring positive social change.
“Mental images of racial prejudice and other social injustices still exist, and the struggle for emancipation of the human being is still ongoing. In America right now they are talking about health reforms, and in Zimbabwe we have our political differences that result in prejudice of one form or another,” said Mbizo Chirasha, a veteran poet, during an interview after a riveting Food for Thought poetry recital and discussion session at the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section auditorium on Tuesday.
The event was organized by the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights to mark the beginning of numerous poetry events in Harare dedicated Black History Month. The next event is a House of Hunger poetry slam competition at 2pm on Saturday, February 5, at the Book Café, Fife Ave Shopping Centre at which the winning poets will receive awards from the U.S. Embassy.
“Commemorating Black History Month is important because it makes members of the public remember what happened in the struggle for civil rights in America. It is more important when it is echoed by poets, because words stay longer than bullets,” said Chirasha who recited two poems, “Anthem of the Black Poet” and “African Names,” during the event.
In the first segment of the two hour discussion, the poets recited and discussed poems by African Americans in the civil rights movement including Maya Angleou, Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks.
“The work of individuals like Langstone Hughes, Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King Jr rekindles important messages and inspires many young Zimbabwean poets,” said Shoes Lambada of the ZPHR.
In the second segment of the poetry session, various poets recited pan African poetry.
“I stayed late to hear snores of the tired sun, I awoke early to get footsteps of the new sun in its royal march towards dawn but I couldn’t find the answer to why our idea of a good name is borrowed,” retorted Poet Dapi echoing in Chirasha’s “African names.”
Poet Dzaoma’s “Zimbabwe was never here” revealed the author’s sentiment that most Zimbabweans feel they are still living in a different place other than the one envisioned prior to the country’s independence in 1980. Tino Acme’s “Pages” told audiences that people should focus on making history today. “You can make history today, not necessarily looking at the past but looking at the present as well,” said the poet during a discussion.
Meanwhile, Police State Poet’s “Rhythms of Defiance” took audiences down memory lane focusing on the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and colonial oppression in Zimbabwe. “In rhythms of defiance we speak to break the silence…I’m vegetarian but I have got beef for the system…the Kingdom suffers violence and we stick to our resistance. The revolution starts in the streets of our slums…toyi toyi to resuscitate black dreams,” said the protest poet.
Poet Semalo’s recital honored former South African president Nelson Mandela and had the audience in stitches with what he called “a prostituted version of ‘I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
Each February, Black History Month honors the struggles and triumphs of millions of American citizens over the most devastating obstacles- slavery, prejudice, poverty- as well as their contributions to global cultural and political life.
In 2009, the inauguration of Barack Obama, America’s first African-American president, lent Black History Month a special significance. In his inaugural address, President Obama acknowledged the historical importance of a moment in which “a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.”
Black History Month was the inspiration of Carter G. Woodson, a noted scholar and historian, who instituted Negro History Week in 1926. He chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation’s bicentennial. President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” ZimPAS©2011
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