Poetry has long reflected the rich connection between humanity and spirituality. In a world rife with so much confusion and conflict, spiritual poetry can both deeply nourish the soul and create compassionate bridges between humankind.
Poems reflect the voices of the soul. Yamoria Sunset held a well-attended poetry afternoon at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein last weekend. Yamoria Sunset is described as a kaleidescope of artistry where poetry is put on a pedastal. The project marries the disciplines of dance, music and visual art.
Street style brand wear
Dancers and poets sported the popular Converse all-star footwear — sunset dresses — while using words to tell tales. Their poetry was as sharp as a sword, addressing topics that society sweeps under the rug.
Their poetry touched on identity crises, apartheid, gender-based violence, abortion, the names of black people, the hair of our black people, and our culture. They were able to unpack societal issues for all genders, which had the crowd in awe.
The poetry line-up was made up of Yamoria, Modise Sekgothe, Masai Sepuru, Hector Xquizified , Neosoul, Sisanda, Sne and Knockxy.
Artists who took the stage at the weekend unboxed their spiritual connection to their art.
The Yamoria duo, Mfumo Ntlhabane and Fumane Ntlhabane, told Sunday World that they are twin sisters. This meant that their connection on stage is natural, they said.
Lifelong connection as twins
The sisters stood firmly together, stating that their connection began long before their birth.
“Its a bond that leaves us perplexed. The connection we share is an extraterrestrial one. It is something so deeply spiritual. And it is impossible to do justice to the connection in words, the twins jointly said.
The duo expressed that to them, poetry is a spiritual experience.
“At times, while performing, it feels as though you aren’t even there. You go into a trance and allow yourself to be used as a vessel for the message.” They jointly stated with a glance of a smile, thinking back to their recent recital.
Poetry for advancement of society
The duo added that poetry is a form of art that they believe is entirely necessary for the advancement of a society.
They said: “When our children and their children go on a journey of self-discovery and seeking answers from the past, it is the work of storytellers that they will go back to.”
Modise Sekgothe, the musician who set the tone for the poetry, said spirituality and music cannot be divorced.
“Music is in itself one of the primary languages we have for coming into communion with the divine. It’s the language of the spirit. It is the spirit itself speaking through us,” he said.
Sekgothe said that he does not spend too much time thinking about ways to explain the type of music that he makes.
Marries poetry with musical tunes
He said that the explanation is based on his experience.
“However, I would endeavour to think of it as a condensation of feelings. Layers of consciousness interposed and creating a wordless language of their own.
“A sonic prayer. A vocal meditation. A way of journeying through time and timelessness through sound.”
Sekgothe was a writer of poetry before becoming a musician, he said.
“Poetry is at the core of my own practice. I make music in service of poetry and as poetry itself. This I always do for myself and I have recently become interested in doing it for other poets,” Sekgothe said.
Dancers dressed in black, Sinenhlanhla Hlatshwayo and Sisanda Mbatha, expressed the emotion of the poetry in their faces and in their moves. They held the crowd spellbound, screaming and in the moment.
In the interview, both dancers opened up to Sunday World about their dance and poetry.
Mbatha said: “Firstly, music is my source of creation and inspiration. I listen to the lyrics, and when I hear words or music, my body can’t resist but to move.
“Honestly, I don’t know guys; once I get on stage, I lose it Spiritually. Sometimes it’s a matter of doing emotional recall.”
Dance is a spiritual act
Sharing Mbatha’s sentiments, his dance partner Hlatshwayo said that dance
has always been used as a spiritual act.
She said: “As a performer, dance is not just a physical form of physical movement. Through dance, there’s different states of consciousness that can be experienced and embodied. In this state, I meet and relate to spirit beings, I simultaneously express that relationship through story-telling and the moving body.
“With having to tap into character or be in character, I use ‘the magic if,’ which is one of Stanislavski’s theatrical techniques. In this technique, I, as a performer, consider myself in the character’s shoes. This as to what I would do or how I would feel if I were in the character’s situation. It makes the character’s motivation the same as mine as a performer.”
Iconic streetwear brand
The iconic streetwear brand Converse, fondly known as “All Star”, took centre stage as part of their global accelerator “All Star Project programme”, which Yamoria won in 2023/2024. Converse sponsored the multi-creative event.
Converse SA marketing manager Tebogo Motlhamme described the All Star Project programme as a platform for young creatives. A chance for them to actively pursue their dreams and as an aid for the brand’s next steps.
“This project by Yamoria is an elevation of what this project stands for. Converse gave the All Stars a blank canvas and asked them to break boundaries and “Create Next”.
“The brand has seen this spoken word duo elevate in their craft since starting the spoken word with the brand. It was truly remarkable to witness the Yamoria Sunsets project come to life. Yesterday was a true testament to what ‘Create Next’ is all about,” Motlhamme said.
