Vilipanganga adds poetry voice to Covid-19 fight
Blantyre-based Vilipanganga Poetry Movement has added verses to the fight against Covid-19 through a powerful poem titled ‘Covid-19’.
The poem is currently enjoying airplay in some of the television stations in the country.
While some poets have released their poems among them Joseph Madzedze, Vilipanganga Poetry Movement decided to work as a team and speak with one voice.
Vilipanganga Poetry Movement Chairperson, Yankho Seunda, said Monday they were happy with the response they have received so far as regards the poem.
“We just thought of being diverse in our approach to advocacy on Covid-19. We took into consideration different perceptions people have over the pandemic, conspiracy theories and myths that have developed,” Seunda said.
And true to his words, the pandemic which has hit the world hard including Malawi, continues to claim lots of lives.
In Malawi, the pandemic has brought mixed reactions despite the country registering over 30 cases and three deaths.
“There is lack of political will or over politicising of the pandemic and the precautionary measures being put across by health personnel and so through poetry we thought of talking about these issues,” Seunda said.
The beauty of the poem which was co-authored by Seunda, William Shumba, Rabbie Kondowe, Breema, Refilwe and Makhangakhunga is that it has diverse voices and styles.
“The ideas are coming from the movement as a whole by the others performed it in the studio,” he said.
In the video, the poets go out in the streets where they drop their verses with all of them captured putting on masks which is in fashion now in the fight against the spread of the virus.
One by one the poets drop their verses and then towards the end, they come together.
Vilipanganga Poetry Movement started in 2016 with an aim of unearthing poetry talent as well as help in the development of poetry in the country.
The movement which has had its members perform in platforms such as Lake of Stars Festival has today grown with a membership of over 20.
Vilipanganga Poetry Movement meets every Wednesday at Kwa Haraba Art Gallery and Café in Blantyre however, with Covid-19, the gatherings have been suspended until the situation normalises.
