Marking Human Rights & World Poetry Day in literary style:  Wordise - A celebration of World Poetry Day

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Readers, writers, wordsmiths - and anyone moved by the power of poetry - should note that 21 March, in addition to being Human Rights Day in South Africa, is also World Poetry Day. Marking the occasion in literary style, are Cape Town Festival, City Council Arts & Culture Dept and Iziko Museums who will jointly host "Wordwise - a celebration of World Poetry Day" at Iziko Slave Lodge, Adderley Street, Cape Town.

The event begins at 10:00 when Malika Ndlovu, Project Co-ordinator and an accomplished performance poet in her own right, delivers the welcome. This is followed by "An Overview of the Contemporary African Literary Landscape" by Prof Harry Garuba, Nigerian poet and academic from UCT.

At 10:20, there will be a host of poetry performances, followed by workshops, performances, discussions and screenings. (see below)

Whether or not you're a member of the literati, this is an event not to be missed.

"Hook up to the Global Power of Poetry!"
by Malike Lueen Ndlovu

In 1999 UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) declared 21st March World Poetry Day, the purpose of the day being to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, according to UNESCO, to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements." If you've never celebrated this global event then this is your opportunity to get WordWise with the multi-media poetry celebration to be held on 21st March from 10am to 4pm at the Iziko Museum's Slave Lodge.

In a human rights context, this site couldn't be more appropriate for the gathering of local poets, filmmakers and performers who will fill the space with their healing creative energies, wit and wisdom. Inspired by UNESCO's vision, Lesley Truter of the City's Arts and Culture, Economic & Social Development Dept says: "We decided to host a poetry component as part of our Human Rights Day activities to celebrate the 'African-ness' of this city. Through the medium of the written and spoken word, through our poets and other artists, we celebrate Africa and her wealth of talent."

The WordWise event co-ordinator is Malika Lueen Ndlovu, well-known performance poet and arts project manager. Malika recently featured in the highly successful rerun of Womantide along with local divas Tina Schouw and Ernestine Deane, as part of this year's Cape Town Festival. "There are many public misconceptions and a serious lack of exposure to the diverse forms and traditions of poetry in Africa, past and present. Through this WordWise event we are offering visitors a compact feast of poetry on screen, moving from the page to the stage, into storytelling narratives, on the open mike and literally on the walls with an exhibition of multi-lingual poetry by women poets and visual artists from across the country who participated in Art for Humanity's Women for Children national project launched last year." All three of the event partners, Iziko Museums, City Council and the Cape Town Festival have a common passion for education through the arts. To this end WordWise is intended to become an annual event and kicks off with an opening speech by Nigerian poet and academic, Professor Harry Garuba on the African literary landscape, two poetry workshops: one focused on youth telling their stories and the other, on performance poetry techniques.

Another component of the event A Word With The Wordsmiths: A Conversation on the Power and Purpose of Poetry will feature diverse poets like Mavis Smallberg, Jitsvinger, Gus Ferguson, Godessa's Shameema Williams, Imbongi and Stokvel Sitcom star Andrea Nomasebe Dondolo, Shelley Barry, Lucille Greeff, Harry Garuba; Khadija Heeger, Deborah Steinmair, facilitated by Malika Ndlovu. All these poets will present their work at a reading session later in the programme.

From 10:30am to 4:30pm, Zooming in on the Word, an ongoing screening of film & video pieces focusing on SA poetry, literature, storytelling, will feature episodes from the Voices of Africa, directed by Bjorn Rudner and produced by Global Images, What's Your Story by Beverley Mitchell of Pitch Black Films, feature film Brown - written and directed by Ernestine Deane and produced by Otherwise Media, Hip Hop Revolution by Weaam Williams of Shamanic Organic and more. The highlight of these screenings will be the SA launch of PE-based poet and filmmaker Shelley Barry's latest video art piece entitled Umbilical Cord. Shelley, an MFA graduate from Philadelphia's Temple University, will also be showing her award-wining trilogy Whole - A Trinity Of Being. In her words, "My experimental shorts deal with sexuality, visibility and voice from the perspective of a wheelchair-user who turns the camera on herself to celebrate love and survival". An open discussion with the filmmaker will follow the screenings. Local poetry books, catalogues & CDS will be on sale throughout the event and this jam-packed WordWise celebration concludes with an open mike session hosted by pioneer of Zula Bar's monthly poetry sessions Nicole Moody, a poet in her own right.

For general information contact Iziko Museums Public Programmes Co-ordinator, Wandile Kasibe, at wkasibe@iziko.org.za or tel. 021 481 3804/13.

For WordWise Programme Content queries contact Event Co-ordinator Malika Ndlovu at himoon@yebo.co.za or cell: 083 745 1398.

To find out about Iziko’s public programmes, or to join the mailing lists of Summer and Winter School, email publicprogs@iziko.org.za.