Savouring the symphony of words through language and literature
“Poetry is a mirror reflecting the soul’s deepest emotions.”
This is how Tjawangwa Dema, a poet, writer, honorary research associate in the Department of English at the University of Bristol, and a key speaker at The Poetics of Place described what poetry means to her.
The seminar and reading gathering The Poetics of Place was organised by poet and creative writing lecturer Dr Pieter Odendaal of the North-West University’s Potchefstroom campus.
The event was an engrossing investigation of language and literature. Examining the nuances of language and literature in the context of South Africa was the main goal of the programme, which could be attended both in person and online.
Language and literature have a profound influence
Odendaal’s academic journey, adorned with a PhD in creative writing from Queensland University of Technology in Australia, has given him a wealth of knowledge and insight into the realm of poetic expression. His dedication to fostering creativity and critical thinking among students is widely recognised, Open Book Cape Town reported.
Along with highlighting the literary and linguistic diversity, the seminar and reading event emphasised the profound influence that language and literature have on individual and collective understanding. Poetry’s ageless power to unite disparate viewpoints was once again demonstrated through this event, which went from ink to inspiration. It was an example of creativity and cross-cultural dialogue.
Poetry a medium for cultural inquiry
The event’s prominent speakers were Dema, Vangile Gantsho, a healer, poet, and co-founder of Impepho Press, and Vuyelwa Maluleke, a multi-disciplinary writer who holds an MA in creative writing from Rhodes University. Each performed a moving piece of their own, including ‘Bread for the birds‘, ‘I am standing in the middle of a road‘, and ‘This body is’.
Poetry serves as a medium for self-expression and cultural inquiry, transcending language barriers for these speakers. Poetry, according to Dema, is “a mirror reflecting the soul’s deepest emotions”, but poetry, according to Gantsho, is also “a means of reclaiming narratives and challenging societal norms”. Maluleke compared poetry to “a garden where words bloom and ideas flourish”.
Kids should embrace their mother tongue
During question and answer time, Gantsho addressed a question from the audience about how poets ensure that young children understand and interpret poetry. She emphasised the importance of children learning and embracing their mother tongue and said, “Knowing one’s mother tongue lays the foundation for understanding and appreciating poetry in all its forms.”
The central takeaway from this poetic event, according to Odendaal, was the value of cultural diversity and the distinctive ways in which various languages express human experience and emotion.