Intwasa

So today I attended Intwasa 2015 after missing out on yesterday's opening act due to holes in my pockets, no I did not lose money I was broke.

Wine Women and Words and Tjo!! there were beautiful women indeed and words are synonymous with women. Scientifically it has been proved women speak more words in a day compared to men. Don't ask me about the source of the research that is not the issue here. Wine??? Maybe it was meant for display as there were not enough wine glasses for everyone. Honestly how can you print more than 100 tickets for an event that you intend to serve wine then have 40 wine glasses??? No I didn't count them because if I had done so I would have discovered they were actually 38

The program said the show would start at 17:00 and by 16:58 i had arrived only to be told they were still setting up at 17:05 i attempted to pay my way in and the lady by the door said she had no change, I waited. later I paid my way in and still the show hadn't started and no apologies were offered after all we had no better things to do with our lifes and they were doing us a favour by providing us with entertainment, no not entertainment but world class entertainment. At 17:40 the show hadn't started with us being their loyal and submissive people had to wait and still no apology was offered. i mean we are small people and we are always at the mercy of big people who run around and pull strings for such shows to take place and their efforts take a year to bear fruit, whats an hour delay after all. these big people spent sleepless night putting the festival up so small people like me have to bow down and wait on their timing, they know these things who am I besides a lover of wine words and women.

Later just before 17:50 the show began and to warm up the stage the trio One Night Stand, No they said they are not called One stand, they are One Stand. And boy were they good!!! If I were a musical producer I would have offered them a deal in an instant (if they dont already have one that is) they are a trio to watch for the future.

The first poet to go on stage was Tinashe, she is good. No she aint good, she is very good. She has a way with words I started thinking of all the times I used to eat pop corn in class and not pay attention to my English teacher. If only I was that half good with words...
I loved her piece on the universally accepted standards of beauty, if the women listened to the flow of her words and not the flow of wine, am sure they would appreciate themselves more without wanting to bleach or turning to cheap weaves.

Next up was Fungai (yes the computer puts a jagged line under her name) Her first piece was done to percussion from Stanley Stanley and I was mind blown with the way Stanley did his thing with the vase.
Fungai then did her signature poem "You don't know me" A few people in the house who follow Bulawayo poetry have heard this poem a few times, I was kind of hoping for something new

Francesca was up next, she is British but of Malay ancestory, the imagery in her first piece was too first world for my African exposure. You see the only exposure to first world trends I have is mostly through twitter since I own neither a DSTV decoder nor a television (yes angila tv and no angiyifuni) (handina tv and no handiide) her redemption for me was an interactive piece that required us to wave hands in response to her questions and boy the amount of liars in the house!!!!

Moreblessing Size followed after and she was jus too beautiful for word. Yes her poetry was too beautiful. I learnt a thing which I hope our local (Bulawayo) poets need to master. you do not have to shout at the top of your voice through out the poem, slow down whisper let the crowd strain to hear you keep them engaged.

Lady Tshwane was brilliant

And yes I love Deana, she was deep, the kind of poetry that speaks to your consciousness.

One Night Stand closed of the show and they showed diversity when they did a cover of a Lucky Dube song.

Intwasa should invest more in crowd control as there was noise from part of the crowd at the back and it interfered with my poetry

the performance by all the acts was beautiful and brilliant and I suggest that the organizers work harder to make their logistics as beautiful as the acts they bring up.

No, I am not complaining I am airing out my views and yes the delays pissed me off