This past Friday evening, the courtyard of the Nhabe Museum in Maun flickered with more than just flames, it pulsed with the rhythm of poetry, the warmth of storytelling, and the power of spoken word.
In a collaboration between Poetavango and the Nhabe Museum, the event Around the Fire with Dr Gcina Mhlophe brought together poets, artists, tourists, and literature enthusiasts for an unforgettable night under the stars.
The gathering was an impromptu celebration of literature inspired by the presence of South African literary icon, Dr Mhlophe, in Maun.
“We received word that Dr Mhlophe would be in town and we promptly found it necessary to organize something for writers and poets to come and learn from her,” shared Legodile ‘Dredd X’ Seganabeng of Poetavango. “That’s how this gathering came to life.”
With a crackling fire at the center, attendees formed a circle around the warmth—both physical and creative, as local voices echoed through the museum grounds. An open mic session saw a surprise performance from tourist Rui Cruz, who delivered a heartfelt piece in his native Portuguese. After a request from the audience, he recited the poem again in his mother tonguethis time, it danced with emotion, raw and resonant.
The crescendo of the evening came when Dr. Mhlophe rose from her seat and approached the fire-lit stage. Cloaked in her native Zulu cadence, she began to speak—not just words, but powerful waves of memory and rhythm.
“Siyalela Nkosi Yami,” she proclaimed, her voice rising like a lioness roaring into the night.
Drifting between theatrical movements and deep storytelling, Mhlophe captivated the audience with tales of her journey, from her roots in South Africa to her experiences in Botswana, including a powerful visit to the Bessie Head archives in Serowe. With each phrase, she pulled her audience into a sacred dance of memory, resistance, and rebirth.
Her performance transcended language, her native clicks and bellows echoing through the museum grounds like ancestral songs long buried but never forgotten.
“Siyalela Nkosi Yami,” she repeated as she concluded, a line that lingered in the smoke-filled air long after the fire had died down.
The evening also featured passionate performances by local talents such as Silas The Strange, Anthony with an X, and Dredd X, mainstays of Poetavango’s vibrant poetry scene.
Seganabeng shared that from this event alone there has been a spark of an idea as they have set down with the hope of continuing the movement with another installment of ‘Around the fire’.
“We are excited to say our calendar is filling up with new and dynamic experiences. Our next event is COLD BOLD WINTER WORDS,” said Seganabeng. “Our next event is set for the end of July and trust me, it will be something fresh and electric.”
If this past Friday was any indication, the flames of storytelling are only just beginning to rise.
