24/01/2022
IMBALI YEZIMBONGI NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO WIN BEST IMBONGI TITLE
Before there was music playing on our radios, or productions at our local theaters, there was poetry as an artform. Birthed in times where it was recited and sung as a way of remembering oral history, genealogy and law, poetry predates written text, and has been closely linked to story telling and passing down of history from one generation to the next. Thanks to this practice of verbal art, many poems have survived from the ancient world as recorded prayers or stories about religious subject matter, historical accounts, love songs, fiction and even instructions for every day activities. The trick is in the rhythmic and repetitious form which would make an otherwise long story, easier to remember and retell.
In African culture, performance poetry is traditionally part of theatrics, which was present in all aspects of life before colonialism. These theatrical ceremonies would have many different themes and functions such as political, educative, spiritual and entertainment. Local performers which included oral artists, linguists and historians, would grace stages reciting poems, often accompanied by the sound of drums.
Twenty five years ago, a poet was born in an area known as Koppie Allen in Dannhauser. Her name, Nstoaki Sithole. She was a lively, bubbly child who always had a deep love for people. When life took a testing turn, she found herself alone and away from everything and everyone she once knew, at a very young age. She was forced to be independent, and to be strong. She admits it was an overwhelming experience at first, and the pain of it made her closed off to the world. But one day, she found an outlet for all her pain. She realised she could release everything she held inside and find healing through putting pen to paper and writing about everything she thought and felt. It was as though she had found a new lease on life.
In 2016, she was doing Grade 10 when she was offered an opportunity during her drama class production that led to self-discovery in a way that could not have predicted. There was a role that needed somebody with a powerful, clear voice to do a poetry piece and she was nominated for it. She seized the opportunity, and more than thrived at it, and that is how Imbali Yezimbongi (as she is popularly known) was born. From then on, she has not looked back. She has been writing, performing and promoting the genre of poetry in any given opportunity, and using her talent to inspire others to be all they can be in life. "For me, poetry is more than just having the ability to put words together. I believe it is a God-given gift and it is one I'm thankful for, as it reflects the phenomenal individual that I am. It has taught me to be self-motivated and also to inspire others, it has given me courage to speak about serious issues and share words that can breathe life into others, it has given me intuition and the ability to be empathetic towards others. It is also a blessing that my work gets me paid, so I can make a living out of it", said Nstoaki.
As Imbali Yezimbongi, she writes poems addressing issues plaguing society in different levels of life, and thrives to encourage positive thinking and self-betterment. She explains that poems are very honest and are an expression of one's deep thoughts and feelings about a subject. They can be fun and upbeat, or sad and gloomy. The writer has the reigns. Firstly, it is important to know what kind of poem you are writing and secondly, to be able to use elements of poetry such as metaphors, rhyming words, to help relay your facts without losing the gist of what you want to communicate.
What makes Imbali Yezimbongi's work special and unique is her motivational style which is always aimed at educating and empowering others. Those who feel depressed and seek comfort will find it; the youth will receive advice and guidance on how to build themselves up as young people; parents find encouragement to learn new ways to instill discipline and build a better relationship with their children. Nstoaki also dabbles in writing about black culture to give people a better understanding of African beliefs and traditions.
Her warm, generous nature is apparent in her other passions. She is currently running a non-profit organization called Rising Stars Youth Club, which focuses on assisting those in need in her community, and in encouraging the pursuit of education and knowledge as a way of equipping oneself. She also recently started hosting a Sunday School Show (Luvunwa Luseva) on NCR radio, a platform that allows her to interact with young children and teach them the word of God, as well as how to be an upstanding human being.
More recently, Imbali Yezimbongi was nominated for Best Imbongi, at the Second Annual Mzansi Traditional and Cultural Music Awards to take place in the near future. In the meantime, Nstoaki needs your support in winning the best Imbongi title. The awards were launched in 2020 to yield local talent by offering a platform that honours and encourages local traditional and cultural artists. To show support, send an SMS with the details "MTCMA IMBALI YEZIMBONGI BEST IMBONGI" to 45633 (SMS cost R1. 50). Voting closes on 23 February 2022.
"I give thanks to everyone who has voted for me and everyone who will vote for me. Thank you to those who believe in me and have shown me boundless support until thus far. I hope this chance shows me how much my efforts are valued by my people, and that it further creates opportunities to unearth and promote poetry as a genre in our communities", she concluded.
