1. Tell us about yourself:
I am a 21-year-old from Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. I study Environmental Science, French and Spanish at the University of Cape Town. I am passionate about languages and how they can be manipulated to convey different meanings which is what draws me to poetry. I enjoy being able to “paint images” with my words. I am fascinated by both science (astronomy and the environment) and the arts (writing, languages, painting and calligraphy) and I hope to pursue a career that will allow me to merge the two.
2.Tell us about the poetry scene in your country:
The poetry scene in South Africa is quite diverse, much like the people themselves. I admire how well people are able to take their experiences and articulate them in such an artistic way. Issues expressed through poetry often vary from socio-economic issues to personal experiences and that kind of diversity creates a very interesting and vibrant poetry scene.
3. What influences your creativity?:
I’m inspired by the natural beauty of South Africa, from the mountains of the Western Cape to the green, rolling hills of Kwa-Zulu Natal. There is always something to write about based on my surroundings because it is just such a beautiful country. Most of my writing is based on my own personal experiences and reflections. I’m also inspired by other great writers and that tends to influence my style of writing.
4. What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry-making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?:
I feel that writing and poetry is lacking in general as I feel that many young people are not being encouraged to pursue writing, even as a hobby. This could be solved by making people more aware of the different opportunities available for amateur writers, in order to encourage them to share their work. I think that projects such as the Best New African Poets Anthology helps to show people that there are opportunities for writers.
5. If were to be elected the president of your country what issues closer to your heart would you tackle, and how?
If I were president, my primary focus would be education. I feel that if the people of a nation are educated, it better equips them to be able to empower themselves and overcome poverty. Educated people are also more informed about their rights and can protect themselves from exploitation. Having a skilled and educated workforce would also encourage the economic growth of the country.
6. Who is your role model, and why him/her…them.
My role model is my mother because she taught me the importance of having passion and enthusiasm for what you do. She has also encouraged me to continue to pursue writing and to take advantage of opportunities that allow me to share my writing. She has also inspired me in terms of her empathy and compassion towards people and seeing her help people inspires me to become a humanitarian as well. She also has a passion for languages so she has also encouraged me to continue to learn languages in order to be able to connect with others.
In terms of poetry, I’m inspired by Nayyirah Waheed. I love how she can write such powerful poetry in three or four lines. Her poetry is relatable and also challenges a lot of societal norms. It is inspiring how impactful her work is and how she’s been able to continue to believe in her work regardless of the negative criticism from more ‘traditional’ poets.
7. What type of sports are you into?:
I played hockey while I was in primary school but I did not continue with any sports in high school. I enjoy watching Premier League football, Winter Olympics sporting events and the Summer X Games.
8. Tell us about your writing process
My writing process is fairly simple. When I’m inspired by something, I usually write a rough draft on my phone and then spend time refining what I’ve written over a couple of days. I try to write in a very conversational manner, so I try to make the reader feel as if I were talking to them directly through my writing.
9. Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP:
The poem titled ‘Flight Reflections’ was inspired by the landscape that I was observing on a flight from Cape Town to Durban. Seeing the mountains and the lakes from the sky allowed me to see a different perspective. Often, we feel so consumed by our lives and our problems. When I saw how vast the landscape was and how it seemed to have no beginning or end, just land stretching out as far as I could see, it made me think about how small we are relative to the earth yet we consider ourselves in control of everything on earth. So, if we feel we own the mountain tops, how can we not achieve everything that we put our minds to?
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