Farah Sayed is a rising , strong poetic voice in the South African and African Poetry Industry , she also lives with trees , she is a green life activist . Her favorite tree is a lemon tree. She is passionate about words, people, trees, life and family . Farah is a mother , sister , daughter and a poet. Farah Sayed is the curator of the POETRY PEOPLE PROJECT that is to be convened every month beginning on the 30th of June 2018 at Phansi Musuem , 500 Esther Roberts close to Durban Central in South Africa.Phansi Museum is a haven of cultural , anthropological and historical diginity of South Africa , it carries the burden and wealth of literatures , poetry , tribes , dressings , songs , artifacts , rituals , ceremonies ,the present and the past.
I attended and performed at the grand and inaugural occasion as part of my poetry and creative leadership African Tour . It was a grand hive of activity at this prestigious , cultural , anthropological and historical fontanel of life – PHANSI MUSEUM .We all came from different walks of life , different races , tribes , languages ,ages and countries . It was a magnificent rainbow literary event. Our fascinating driver of the day was WANDILE MDHLULI who was drabbed in a stunning African Zulu beaded black gown that resonated with the deep voices that chiseled through the concrete jungle of UMBILO . I can’t forget the twittering ,unstammering comical and inspiring lyrics of MALUSI THEIMBONGI , the baritone don William laced voice of Kyle Allan , the fatherly verses of TASH , the inviting and conscious poetry of Nonjabulo( SHUNSHINE the Poet), LAYLA the Sister Poet with African style , THOBEKA the African Brazilian , NALEDI the Queen Poetess and many more . We dangled our heads , nodded and tapped a dance to the African drumbeat and percussion by an all-white percussion band , the Durban drumbeat led by a mesmerizing percussionist and poet Richard Ellis .We can’t forget Farah Sayed ,the curator with her nerve calming poetry though thought provoking. The audience who included the Museum curators , tour guides , administrators , teachers ,poetry lovers and Farah Sayed’s very supportive close family members including her ever inspiring in-laws.
The Poetry people one day fiesta was opened by us poets sipping brain raving coffee brewed in the museum by museum attendants . Our day grew from warm into warmer and then hot .What a creative closing ritual ceremony of the June month. The coffee drinking and sipping was followed by African griotism – drumbeat and poetry which pulsated with the beat of our impulse , resonated with our breath vibe and the soothing fresh artistic aura around 500 Esther Roberts ,PHANSI MUSEUM , great thanks to Richard Ellis and team .
On this day of the Almighty we planted the baobab tree of poetry , which means no weather will bother to wither it . Remember the baobab is strong , useful and brave . SHUNSHINE aka NONJABULO serenaded us with her creative spiritual poetry ,
Bongani the poet rocked us to pulp with his African Zulu praise poetry , young Mkhize coughed out some confessional poetry , It was a sweet cough though , the young Mkhize can soon become our own Mzwakhe Mbuli , our African Poetry lion .
TASH is brought the house down with his healing and spiritual verses, then MALUSI the fast rising ,inspiring African Zulu griot blew us out with the whirlwind of love verses and metaphors of consciousness , this griot is also a master of rhyme and rhythm.LAYLA slammed us with her thought provoking poetic rendition of a revolutionary poet , she touched on motherhood and African pride , LAYLA boasts of her deep voice and her message is more deeper than the groan of a mother in the bitter sweet joy of giving birth .
THOBEKA the poetess educated us with her EKASI wise words and township diaries , she took, us back home to Soshangube , home to Orlando Soweto , home to Kanyama , home to Ombili home to Khayelitsha , home to Mbare , home to Makokoba , home to Kiberia , home to Mahalape , home to Africa ,her message immense and tense .One heart tinkling and nerve wrecking recital came from NALEDI THE QUEEN IMBONGIKAZI ,her small mouth is a river of mysteries ,she messaged us with African dignity and freedom poetry , the poet is candid and true, her lyrics pricks the heart of both the victor and the victim, the oppressor and the oppressed . KYLE ALLAN our Don Williams of poetry and MBIZO CHIRASHA the black poet were also in the house .
The baobab tree of poetry was planted , Farah Sayed brought the seed, the PHANSI MUSEUM FAMILY brought the manure , poets brought the water , the audience brought the sunlight –yes for photosynthesis , the baobab tree of poetry is rapidly growing .
MBIZO CHIRASHA is an internationally anthologized poet , literary arts project curator , creative humanist , arts activism catalyst , blogs publisher and a Writer in Residence . He is the Solidarity member of GAPA( Global Arts and Political Alliance),the African Partner of the International Human Rights Arts Festival, the Resident Coordinator of 100 Thousand Poets for Change- Global, the Founder of GirlChildCreativity Project , the Facilitator of the Creative Leadership and Artistic Training Project , Chirasha is the Editor of the Brave Voices Poetry journal , he is the Originator of the Zimbabwe We Want Poetry Campaign. He writes for the Tuck Magazine- the International magazine on Arts Human Rights and Politics.
great thank you , ALUTA CONTINUA,
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Truly Inspiring! Thanks for sharing.
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aluta continua , thank you greatly ,
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Dear Mbizo
Thank you most kindly for this write up . It means the world to my children and I . The Lemon Tree poetry people continues to grow like the Trees we grow from the seeds we sow. Power to you brother . Farah Sayed
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i salute comrade . Together We Rise
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