The Sunday News
Thulani Ndlovu
TRAVELLING the world is something most people would want to do. But if given the opportunity of choosing a destination, very few Zimbabweans will choose Pakistan — for what comes into their minds are gunshots and all that the media tells them.
It is surprising though that a 26-year-old prolific Gwanda born and Bulawayo raised poet Bhekumusa Moyo is putting Zimbabwe on the world map by captivating and leaving Pakistanis spell-bound by his riveting poetry that takes no prisoners. Young Bheki is domiciled at Karachi, the largest and most populous metropolitan city of Pakistan.
When asked about why he chose to move to Pakistan out of all destinations in the world, he smiles and says it was a well thought decision and a conscious move. “It was my special choice, to explore the different areas where I can stay without meeting an Africanfor a long time. Pakistan gives me time to think differently hence making my products irresistibly unique,” he said.
Contrary to popular belief that Pakistan is an unstable nation, the young wordsmith said Pakistan is a land rich in cultural heritage, encouraging more Zimbabweans to explore the country’s foods and historical sites.
“Unfortunately news will not tell you of the whole rich cultural flair, creativity and innovation. There is more love than hate. Propaganda can have a field day but truly the art here is deep and uncontaminated,” he posited.
Living true to the adage that innovation separates leaders from followers the protest poet continues to reinvent his work pushing his scintillating performances to the boundaries.
Likewise, Moyo said the move to Pakistan has allowed him to blend his art into a new, unique form that he termed “Afro-Asia.” “My art is now of at a different stage, which I call Afro-Asia which fuses Asian drums, percussions and some Urdo lingo, a new genre on the international market.”
Last month, he jetted into the country to perform at the Harare International Festival of Arts (Hifa). He did not disappoint, he left the audience clamouring for more and stole the limelight with his polished performance living to his stage name “the protest poet.”
His masterpiece “Qina” encourages and motivates the down trodden to persevere and be strong against all onslaughts. The young man’s small stature belies the great talent that he is endowed with, and proves true the adage that dynamites comes in small packages.
Bheki compares with the likes of the dub-poet Albert Nyathi and Mzwakhe Mbuli in terms of his lyrical depth. Despite living in Pakistan, his poems are still punctuated with African renaissance literature, calling on the continent to wake up from slumber.
Who wouldn’t fall in love with the poem titled Dear Evil which decries the fact that all evil things are associated with black. “All evil things are said to be black; when in grief we wear black; when burying we wear black; our killers are man in black; we bewitch with a chicken – black,” he orated.
Though he is from Zimbabwe, at Hifa he was recognised as an international artiste.
Bheki’s success did not happen overnight. He says he started taking poetry seriously when he was in high school. “I started writing poetry when I was in Form Four contributing to the Sunday Leisure poetry corner and Radio Zimbabwe’s Zinhle Indaba Enzihle programme.
“My breakthrough came in 2008 when I won the high school poetry competition after that I decided to turn professional.”
Bheki has toured and performed in neighbouring South Africa, United Kingdom, and Trinidad and Tobago sharing the stage with international acclaimed poets like Joy Taylor, Roger Robison, TJ Dema and Ahmend Monsoon. He is working on a new album in the Pakistan studios in collaboration with artistes from that country, which is expected to be out in two weeks.
