Soulful Wadzanai

Wadzanai, a Poet based in Harare gave me her CD at the Intwasa event Acoustic Friday on the on the 24th of September. I have listened to the disc several times already and I am inspired by it. The event was meant to start at 1300hrs and kicked off at about 1500hrs to some uninspiring hip-hop influenced Poetry: Could have just been my traditional tastes that failed to recognise the contemporary path Poetry is taking.
A mediocre Poet from South Africa who introduced herself as Dikeledi totally left me wondering why she had had travelled all the way from South Africa on a Poetry ticket.
Then came on Wadzanaiwho said she was very tired; had just arrived from Harare. She was accompanied in her performance by the guitarist Pure Wood, together they did a track I am sure they introduced as Stolen, but on the CD it is Chando, a Poem about the trafficking of women – and girls for many purposes the main one being prostitution. The chorus by Pure Wood complimented by his guitar was totally breath-taking.
I was seated next to the Poet Bheki and we jokingly remarked that Wadzanai should justify travelling all the way from Harare after the disaster by the South African Poet: We were spellbound and at the end of the Poem we both (me and Bheki) said ‘justified’.
“It shows that it’s their job, they don’t fool around”, was Bheki’s remark.
Wadzanai went on to do the piece Studio Effect; totally amazing. I listened to her disc later on that day and enjoyed Chando, Dai and Woman especially, but all the Poems are amazing.
After Wadzanai, Aura came on, also accompanied by Pure Wood. She involved the small audience with her ‘Mamela Joe’ kind of thing. I later learnt that her boyfriend is Ndebele, explaining her knowledge, albeit limited of the Ndebele language. Her performance was out of this world: The way I enjoy my Poetry; laidback with a slow instrument accompaniment. Aura did the Poem Mr Moonshine and others which was out of this world. With the kind of presentations Wadzanai and Aura put on, I can commit myself to an all-nighter of listening to Poetry.
Soul Familia accompanied by the guitarist Lloyd made sure that the Poets from Harare di not totally outclass the Bulawayo Poets. In uncharacteristic torn jeans, Soul Familia did a fantastic job. Of late he has taken to just doing Soulful tunes, but on this particular Friday, he brought back some Poetry; amazing. In particular I enjoyed Before The Earth.
I hope more Poets will record their Poetry, so that we can enjoy the Poetry in the comforts of our own homes.
For a copy of Wadzanai’s disc contact her on wadzyb@gmail.com +263 912 564 241