(Excerpt by Matthew Mokoena) Whilst on life’s journey, most of us never imagine ourselves as universally recognized role models. We never imagine that we’ll live to share our immediate spaces with such beings, shake their hands, inhale their out worldly fragrances and be engulfed by their multiple personalities and HUMANNESS. We even FEAR IMAGINING ourselves as such personalities. Quite frankly, the problem with the people (note: not the world) in this world is… THEY’VE STOPPED IMAGINING… PERIOD!!
What began to some as a solitary journey through the immense Eden of Spoken Word became an exit-less migration. One that however managed to break down Berlin walls of solitude and went forth to embrace the ‘daunting’ reality of (… voice in my head asks)” friendship?” Yes indeed. The exact same friendship reminded me of this date, “Thursday 8th September 2005.” On this day, a friend and I willingly entered an oven (and trust me I was no kid.) I was almost 21 actually. The oven was called the Moon Box (at the Breytenbach Theatre in Pretoria) and on that particular day the charcoal and fire were provided courtesy of one Lebo Mashile. Pretoria/Sunnyside would be set alight on that eventful night; with what would imminently be a display of love, cheer and outright verbal rebellion. This night marked Lebo’s launch of her book/disc “In a Ribbon of Rhythm” to the Pretoria massive.
The events of that night fated countless other activities post their occurrence, activities that Ms Mashile herself will never quite come to know. I’m talking of LOVE and FRIENDSHIP. On the list of “show openers” for that night were Nolindo Zibi and our very own Vangile Gantsho (unknown entities to us at the time.) With the same circle of friends, I encountered Lebo again at the “Grahamstown Arts Festival 2007.” Myself, along with other poets, got an opportunity to share the stage with Lebo and the likes of Masoja Msiza (creator of the SABC 2 Lentswe Poetry Project) and Keorapetse Kgositsile (S.A’s Poet Laureate from whose poem the US group “The Last Poets” adopted their name.) I was blessed to encounter this beautiful (inwardly and outwardly) feela sistah! again a few more times, both by chance and sheer will to be stroked by WORD.
Today however, I thank Fate and embrace destiny; to bring the amazing Lebo Mashile to the Conscious Ilk, you dig?
“Matt the Myt, Khaya, 0Z ‘exist where nothing does’ and little old me…Matt killed this INNERview…visit https://consciousness.co.za/interact/spoken-mind/the-innerview-of-lebo-mashile/ for the full interview”
