“BitterSweet is derived from the analogy ‘it’s a bitter taste we have when we do not share the gospel and the goodness we possess which only becomes sweet when we share it’ and with whatever we are blessed and endowed with will use to the best of our abilities to bring positive change around us! “
Kapa187: What is Bittersweet?
Mwape Mumba : Bittersweet is a duo made up of Mwape Mumba and Kapembwa Wanjelani who are creative artists and among the many talents are also poets, and for the love of the art decided to put together Bittersweet Poetry. We do almost the same kind of poetry though mine is heavy on the rhymes and Kapembwa’s is kind of easy on the rhymes. Genres range from life experiences to abstract writing.
Kapa187: How long have you been working together and what was the inspiration to start Bittersweet Poety ?
Mwape Mumba : We were at St Clements Secondary School in Luapula 2001. We both took literature in English. We started by writing songs about the hard knock life of boarding school experiences and we would sit around in a circle make a beat box and free style some lyrics. Kapembwa Wanjelani had a book that he kept documenting what he wrote. So I decided to have a book were I documented my ideas about life and its experiences in my quest to try and understand life. But we started seriously sharing poetry in 2007 when we were at UNZA at the Chi-alpha fellowship.
Mwape and Kapembwa Bittersweer founders
It was observed that there was little being done towards the promotion of the Art of poetry in Zambia. Less publicity and very few events and have been organized for the expression of poetry, whereas people in attendance and participating have always been overwhelming. We came up with the Bittersweet poetry show to create a platform for poets. To have people express themselves and talk about all issues, encourage, inspire, tickle and enlighten the society
Kapa187: Are zambians appreciative of poetry ?
Mwape Mumba : Zambians are very appreciative of poetry and with the coming of bittersweet it’s like something that’s been missing that a number of Zambian have been looking for. And it’s safe to say that we are satisfying that hunger. The response has been so overwhelming and we plan on taking poetry in Zambia to another level. We plan to visit other parts of Zambia and eventually the world over.
Kapa187: When was the first Bittersweet Poetry show?
Mwape Mumba : The first Live Bittersweet Poetry Show was on the 6h of August 2011 at the La Gondola Restaurant at Arcades upstairs (a 50 sitter) to our surprise it was packed the following shows people had to go back on the door as they were fully packed. We decided to take it down stairs 120 sitter which was filled to the bream. The response has been overwhelming and currently only funds limit us to getting a much bigger place. We have a Group on Facebook called BitterSweet Poetry Zambia and it’s almost got a thousand.
Kapa187: What is the ultimate goal of the Bittersweet poety sessions.
Mwape Mumba : Put Zambia on the Globe producing the best poets in the world, revamp the reading and writing culture that taps into an individual’s creative genius, and through poetry preserve and showcase our rich culture. Poets now can come up and showcase their work and be heard our motto being “the unspoken voice alive” We’ve had people asking when will be going into the other provinces to have a Bittersweet Poetry show there. Poetry as an expressive Art that grows one’s self esteem. This enables an individual to better express themselves, thereby building a strong character that is not easily persuaded by peer pressure. This then reduces the number of youths engaging in wrong vices. Poetry is a very entertaining as well as an educative Art; hence we aim to capture a large audience from different walks of life from educational institutions to corporate companies. Bringing the young and the old together therefore bridging the gap between the older and younger generation. Just like it used to be in the village every one gathered sited around the fire gaining wisdom and knowledge from the elders as they spoke.
Kapa187: What do you think is the biggest misconception about poets and poetry.
Mwape Mumba : Poetry from childhood we been taught to do it in a certain way throwing hand gestures saying “aids oh aids, you took my mum, you took my dad” we’ve grown up thinking that’s all there is to poetry but to be a poet you are a wordsmith, you know how to control emotion and bring it out in such a way to enable the listener experience the emotion. From the testimonies we’ve gotten from the people that have attended the show they say they’ve never seen poetry expressed in such a way.
Kapa187: Is poetry something that you can make a good living of off .
Mwape Mumba : Poetry is a respected and a very elevated art and is very important in every aspect of life we use words. In business you have to put words together to prove to a customer to buy into the product and try it. So you can write poems for mega successful websites, write zingy ‘poems’ for advertising, write poems for manufactures, write custom poems for people sell to them via the web, hire an editor and publish your own book, get a degree /masters and get a job teaching creative writing, perform at events etc. to mention but a few.
Kapa187: Individually what have been your biggest achivements and disappointments since you started doing poetry.
Mwape Mumba : Goal – Put Zambia on the Globe producing the best poets in the world, revamp the reading and writing culture that taps into an individual’s creative genius, and through poetry preserve and showcase our rich culture. Poets now can come up and showcase their work and be heard our motto being “the unspoken voice alive” We’ve had people asking when will be going into the other provinces to have a Bittersweet Poetry show there. Poetry as an expressive Art that grows one’s self esteem. This enables an individual to better express themselves, thereby building a strong character that is not easily persuaded by peer pressure. This then reduces the number of youths engaging in wrong vices. Poetry is a very entertaining as well as an educative Art; hence we aim to capture a large audience from different walks of life from educational institutions to corporate companies. Bringing the young and the old together therefore bridging the gap between the older and younger generation. Just like it used to be in the village every one gathered sited around the fire gaining wisdom and knowledge from the elders as they spoke.
Kapa187: How do can poets from around the country get in-touch with you and be part of the Bittersweet sessions ?
Mwape Mumba : Poets and individuals interested in Poetry can contact get in touch with us on Email: [email protected], or call: 0977312817, 0963293469, and 0977438767. We are on Facebook BitterSweet Poetry Zambia.
Kapa187: The Bittersweet poetry show is staged in lusaka at La Gondola , do you have plans of expanding to other parts of zambia.
Mwape Mumba : Currently we are putting things together to have poetry shows around the country and also visit schools, talk about poetry and its benefits as well as highlight some vices that young people go through and how to use poetry and creative writing to fight bad habits, peer pressure and grow up into responsible productive individuals as we believe in empowering the younger generation and availing/providing a platform for the expression of poetry.
Kapa187: What has been the biggest achievement and what challenges do you face .
Mwape Mumba : Bittersweet Poetry is a Registered Arts body with National Arts Council. Setting up the Live Bittersweet Poetry Show and having people like Hon. Given Lubinda, Roy Clark, Mubita Nawa come through to grace the occasion and setting up the website have been big achievements for Bittersweet. It has not been smooth sailing as the shows have been organised in our own capacity without any financial support.
That’s a great drawback we are currently experiencing all these plans to take poetry to another level are constrained by the luck of funds. As a registered arts body we calling on companies and organisations that can fund this idea while their product/service will be publicised and marketed to a target audience while they are associated with supporting and spreading the art of poetry in Zambia.
The website was recently finished www.bittersweetpoetry.com were poets can log in and create accounts so that its easier to track their poems and works. And I can confidently say that the website has had views from the globe over especially Canada, North America, Russia, and Zambia we hope to put Zambia on the map using poetry.
POEMS
Yvonne Sishua AKA Winter (Poet) –Lies Through Eyes So Sweet To The Ear aka His Lies
Edwina-I kissed a Boy
Mag44-Boy
J-Bus-Chipadzua+fire extinguiser
Joseph-Lyrical Grafiti-Ode For An Iris
Pictures of Bittersweet Poetry show
Pompi ‘the African Eagle (Singer, Poet
Scarlet So Good (Singer)
El-face AKA the Risen Reason(Rap Artist)
Kapembwa (Anchor, Poet)
Aston (Violinist)
This Saturday at 19hours La Gondola restaurant its happening. K30,000 (Free Snacks).
This is a very good initiative to promote poetry in Zambia , it needs sponsorship from both private and public sector to help reach all parts of Zambia and expose the talent.
By Kapa187
this is good talent girls and boys. good luck
i like the poem by edwina , very deep . nice one LT
Good to see young, talented Zambians getting positive and progressive. Africans in general have so much to offer when it comes to creativity in arts. They just need to be empowered and they will show the world how magnificent and how authentic they can be.
good stuff guys, kip it up with th gud wek.
those r my brothers right there.love u guys.keep this up!!!:d:x
Oh…I miss those times. You guys have really stuck to your gifts. great potential keep it up. Find a professional (pro-bono) theater director. You need to coordinate the transitions more smoothly. I am sure you can land one. Send a inquiry to French Embassy or British Council. You never know!
nice one…kip it up.