Nthatuoa Koeshe
LOCAL poets will on Sunday come together to celebrate the upcoming Moshoeshoe’s Day with a poetry show dubbed ‘Sonic Letters to Moshoeshoe’ at Rock View in Maseru.
Moshoeshoe’s Day is celebrated annually to commemorate the death of the country’s founder King Moshoeshoe I. King Moshoeshoe I died on 11 March 1870 and the Moshoeshoe Day is celebrated annually on 11 March.
King Moshoeshoe was regarded both as a great diplomat and a great leader in Lesotho. He worked for the preservation of his country’s language, art and culture through the documentation he made with European missionaries using Sesotho.
Among the performers are Tsebo Phakisi, Gifted, Cziwe She, SAdon, Thabo Marebole, Lerato Majara and Makia. Live musical performances will be provided by the Origin Band.
The organiser of the show, Thabo Mokhafola, said the show was aimed at growing poetry while at the same time celebrating King Moshoeshoe I as the founder of the Basotho nation.
He said the show would be different as it will have dub poetry which is not common in Lesotho.
“We will be celebrating Moshoeshoe’s Day on the eve and we decided to do it through poetry,” Mokhafola said.
Mokhafola said the poets were chosen based on their crafts as individuals and their history in poetry.
One of the poets, Tsebo said Sonic Letters to Moshoeshoe is a musical and poetic meditation and exploration ahead of Moshoeshoe’s Day.
She said the purpose of this event was to create a space for artistes to interrogate where they are individually and collectively in relation to King Moshoeshoe I.
“It means a lot mostly because of the people I get to share the stage with whom I think are brilliant so I am honoured,” Tsebo said.
“Using art as a mirror for ourselves and the people who will attend the show is a great experience.”
She said the direction we are taking with this event is new and she has never been to a show that’s like the one they are working towards.
“The content we are creating is so rich with expression, questions, a fusion of jazz and famo. It’s beautiful and I urge those who can commune with us to come ready to receive amazing art,” Tsebo said.
