Poetry is one of the oldest form of historical record keeping which predates the art of writing. Poets in early human civilization were revered personalities and influencers, who were key components of every society’s development.
Homer, Eumelus, Agias of ancient Greece, Tale of the Eloquent, and Onto the tale of Sinuhe from ancient Egypt goes to buttress the earlier submission that poetry was cardinal in societal development and civilization.
Golden City Business Magazine zoomed its lenses on one of the international poets who performs in one of the native languages in Southern Africa. Sekhobo Wa ha Moshe uses poetry in Sesotho to drum home attitudinal change especially among the youth of Southern Africa. Sesotho is native language to 5.6 million people and also a second language to 7.9 million southern Africans as at 2002.
Sekhobo has performed on many platforms in South Africa, such SABC, Macufe festival, etc and many more.
Here is what he has to say when we had an up close with him.
This is one of his performances to members of Activate, which wages war against social vices among the youth.
“Fika la kgalemo”
Fika la kgalemo thatafala re otle
Fika la kgalemo thatafala re otle
Batjha ho dima
Hao, re otle ba iphetotseng tse hlaha dinyamatsana
Batjha ba Rantsho, maqulwana a botlokotsebe ho
Betla makgate ba betla ho hlorisa setjhaba, keledi tsa epa dinokana
Ho apara sefahlaho.
Fika la kgalemo thatafala re otle;
Majakane phunyang Seso setswe boladu, etswe ke kgale le seoka ka dikgaba, Fika la kgalemo thatafala re otle.
Fika la kgalemo is a cliff of human discipline whereby in the past the Basotho used to gather their young people at the place called Kgotla where they used to teach boys on how to handle situations in life, how to lead their families, how to secure and respect women, etc.
He advocates for us as people to revisit the past to imbibe the virtues that made us wholesome beings.
This will be one way to curb violence,So it’s crime, alcoholism, streetism.
Hoja ka mamela
Hoja ka mamela sa semamedi ho
Mamela ditaelo,
Taelo toba taba
Phatla ntjho-tjho sa motjhonoko a
Ntsha mokhoba
Nkabe kesa ima
Ka ima lesea ntata lona a tlola
A tlola sa basetsana ho
Tlola kgati kgatamping haho fatwa letsoku le holo.
Hoja ka mamela!
Hoja ka mamela seeks to advise young people to listen to their parents so to become responsible leaders.
