Legendary poet Benedicto Wokomatani Malunga on Sunday dared poets in the country to believe in themselves and avoid being copycats.
He said this at Blantyre Sports Arena during a free-of-charge poetry feast dubbed Zikoma Malawi organised by Malawi Has Talent Season II by Goshen City winner Isaac Kadankowa.
“Isaac Kadankowa’s triumph during Malawi Has Talent Season II has shown that you can do well as long as you strive for quality and also create your own stamp. There is no win in copying other people’s works,” the ‘Ndizakutengera Ku Nyanja Ligineti’ and ‘Siananso Awa’ creator said.
He hailed Kadankowa for creating his own style of poetry which made him outclass nine other contestants from other art disciplines to come out top and walk away with K35 million.
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“Poetry has come a long way. We have had to battle for it to earn a spot and now the rewards are coming. The poetry family now has to take advantage of Isaac Kadankowa’s success because he has shown that it is possible for poetry to be counted among other art disciplines,” he said.
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Wokomaatani also spoke about Artificial Intelligence, which has taken the space, saying poets should utilise it to guide them and not give it authority to make their poems.
He also performed, offering his verses.
At the Zikomo Malawi event, which Kadankowa organised to appreciate the support that people gave him during Malawi Has Talent Season II by Goshen City, patrons sampled poems from both budding and established poets.
Kadankowa, as organiser, also performed and, in his act, blended poetry and drama to show that art disciplines can work together to serve people new creations.
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“I would like to thank Benedicto Wokomaatani Malunga for being part of the event and other poets. Their presence have shown me love and motivated me to keep on creating poems,” he said.
Kadankowa said people should still watch out for a number of projects including publication of a book.
Hosted by Amfumu Kenneth Khondiwa, the poets entertained and also used their poems to tackle issues affecting society including corruption.
Apart from Kadankowa and Wokomaatani, other poets who performed included Sylvester Kalizang’oma, Hudson Chamasowa, Mlakatuli Kenson and Alfonso the Mpangi.
