House of Hunger Poetry Slam at 5 - 'Re-Birth'

"You will not find poetry anywhere unless you bring some with you," truth or lie?  House of Hunger Poetry Slam, a project by Pamberi Trust will be able to answer that question for you.  This Saturday 14 August, House of Hunger Poetry Slam celebrates 5 slamming years of rhyme at The Book Cafe, 2-5pm.

The popular monthly event has grown tremendously over the last 5 years, highly supported by the new breed of protest poets who found a safe platform to horn their skill at performance as well as articulate issues that affect them and the communities they live in.  Names that come to mind are Xapa, Linda Gabriel, FlowChyld, Aura, Ticha Muzavazi, PSP, Biko Mutsaurwa, Mutumwapavi, Cde Fatso, Outspoken, Upmost and many others: voices that have risen above many forms of repression.

“My name is woman, hope you overstand.” Cynthia “FlowChyld” Marangwanda
     
The House of Hunger Poetry Slam is a project by Pamberi Trust, an arts development organization in Harare that runs art development programmes.  Pamberi Trust and African Synergy(based in Johannesburg, representing Pamberi Trust's regional dimension) have given the slam a new life by facilitating regional platforms that allow poets from different countries to meet and showcase their talent.  This has seen poets attending festivals like Arts Alive(SA), Poetry Africa(SA), Bushfire(Swaziland), Thubalethu, Nguva Yedu Youth Festival(Zim) just to mention a few.

Currently House of Hunger Poetry Slam has monthly events happening in Johannesburg and Harare.  This has seen poets moving between Harare, Johannesburg and Ghana.  The beauty of the slam is that it has allowed for the realisation by young poets to take initiatives in forming poetry movements around their communities: Magamba Cultural Network, Uhuru, Chimoto among others are being run by strong supporters of House of Hunger Poetry Slam.

At 5, the future for the slam looks brighter and Project Officer of the Slam Extra Blessing Kuchera had this to say, "We are currently looking at ways to increase awareness on the slam and hope to involve schools in the near future.  We also pay tribute to the pioneers of the slam: Cde Fatso, Victor Moyo, Victor Mavedzenge as well as the House of Hunger Slam patron, VaChirikure Chirikure.”

House of Hunger invites all poets and poetry lovers to come and enjoy an afternoon of celebration in rhyme.
 

By Batsirai Chigama