Singers, poets to share spotlight
The Dis Poem Wordz and Agro Festival is scheduled for Neville Antonio Park in Port Antonio, Portland on April 28.
Prominent singers will share the stage with leading spoken word performers. The artistes include Warrior King, I Wayne, Influential, Tony Rebel, and Youngg Muta, whose grandfather, Mutabrauka is one of the poets slated to perform.
Other spoken word performers include Malachi Smith, Oku Onuora, DYCR, poet laureate Lorna Goodison, Steppa, Richie Innocent and Afrocentricz.
“This will be the ninth staging of the festival and this year we’ll be having something that we never had before. This time poets will meet singers. Last year was the poetry of Bob Andy which was very good. The people loved it, Bob Andy loved it, he said he never done it before,” Ras Takura, founder/organiser, told the Jamaica Observer. He will also perform at the event.
Ras Takura is a graduate of Knockclava Agriculture School in Hanover and the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland where the festival started in 2011. He is pleased with its growth.
“This event has been growing consistently in terms of attendance since it has started. It is the most attended poetry festival in Jamaica,” he said during the event’s launch at Bookophilia on Hope Road, St Andrew, recently.
In his keynote address, Dr K’adamawe K’nife, made the connection between agriculture and poetry.
“What they do is control people through food. Spoken words crucial, but the use of food is also crucial…agriculture can turn around the country…this spoken word thing is a seed. This spoken word event is a serious revolution that needs to take shape because people using food to kill dem own self…Air is the food you consume the most. How do you generate more air? By planting trees,” said Knife.
Ras Takura and some of the poets billed for the festival gave an entertaining preview of what to expect.
Among them were Majah Bless who did Marley’s Medley, Afrocentricz (I Am A Poet, Rise Like The Sun) and Ras Shaddi ( Nine Being and Tribute to the Ancestors).
