Set against the backdrop of a lazy Sunset on Saturday Evening in the sleepiest area of Botswana’s capital city, roared resounding voices of poets, rappers and singers at the peak of Baratani Street.
This past Saturday Evening, Thapong Visual Arts Center turned from a place of artwork into a melting pot of vibrant artists from the Hip Hop nation, the Poetic Community and the Musical Society. All playing under one platform popularly known as Motswarapoetry sessions.
These sessions initially birthed in a garage last year, have grown exponentially to host artists both amateur and well refined such as Mandisa Mabuthuoe and Aether of The Contrabandits, Steady Onx of Art Of the Soul Organization, our own resident poet Ghost and a recently growing Afro-centric group Harmonic Angels.
Although the event started at a, uhm… artistic time? Most artists ensured that they bore their souls on the stage and spilled their talents out on the microphones. Inevitably, this amazing platform also hosts new amateur artists, some strongly lacking in stage presence and charisma, however with more practice and self investment comes better fruits.
Although the platform is relatively new and has grown rapidly looking at its mileage and outreach of artists, a few logistical concerns remain notably clear to an audience member such as myself – one main issue is security. A few more personnel would greatly assist in crowd control (as the more intoxicated they got, the more inaudible the performers became).
All in all this event proved one main argument about Gaborone, the youth still take time to nurture their talent and culture through creating their own platform instead of sitting with folded arms waiting for something from someone else. Hats off to Kenny Ketshotseng, ElSupanova Media, Thapong Visual Arts Centre and of course our lovely BM Photography for putting it all together.
