I am very passionate about being and creating a voice for women. One of the best and safest spaces to allow women to fully be themselves is through poetry. The arena of poetry and spoken word has been dominated by female poets who have graced the stages with their written accounts of life journeys.
In the past, stories that were told around the fire and or at gatherings were only done by men; however, the situation has changed because now, women have been elevated to telling their own stories as well as experiences. Deviating away from the traditional sphere of storytelling and oral performances being done by men only, to the time where women are allowed to openly tell generational tales and recite their story, is a huge improvement within the area of patriarchy.
To account for it, female poets have started to embrace the freedom granted to them by gracing the performance poetry platforms and telling their stories.
This has been evident within the Namibian spectrum. I would fully applaud how people at events such as OpenMic night have been able to fully allow women to be themselves. With women given a platform to express their discomforts, especially those with men, their provided opportunity goes well in accordance with oral poetry being about the freedom of expression.
“The greatest thing about slam is its malleability, the way this impossible form can do so many things, all of them simultaneously draw a crowd, saturate the audience with power and set the art of poetry free in a friendly atmosphere.
• Frieda Mukufa’s lifestyle section concentrates on women-related issues and parenting every Friday in the New Era newspaper.