Mohalenyane Phakela
MASERU — Perceived as one of South Africa’s most successful poets, JahRose wooed the crowd at the Poetry is Alive show that was held at Maseru Sun Cabanas on Thursday. The Bloemfontein-based Nthabiseng “JahRose” Jafta is the lady behind the success of MACUFE Poetree Festival. The poet, mentor and publisher has three anthologies to her name; Rooted From The Heart, Free State Of Mind and the recently released Peotree which entails material by poets who performed at last year’s MACUFE Festival.
“I have been here in Lesotho a couple of times performing in different shows. I like this place and it is somehow my second home because my father was born here so some of his relatives are still here. “We work quite close together with Sheila so every time I do a show she has to be there, and vice versa. We do this to broaden the spheres of poetry as there is always a new poet we give a platform to,” JahRose told Xpress People in an interview after the show.
Talking about Peotree, she said, “Peo (seed) has fallen from the tree and has been planted in this anthology. The tree is poetry itself and branches that bore the seed are the poets who are featured in here. “Just like history books we read such as the ones about King Moshoeshoe I, most of us wouldn’t know about him if it was not of the books written about him. So Peotree will tell stories to people who will be in this world after us, for them to know that there was a time when there were poets like me and Sheila.
“It is our mission to groom kids into poetry because their minds are still fresh so they can easily absorb information. It is important to discover one’s talent and passion at a young age so he or she can grow to perfect it.” The Poetry is Alive show hosted poets Nthabiseng Mangojane, Thando Ngcobo, Sheila Khala, upcoming Ntsie Thethoane and other poets who performed during the open-mic session.
South African comedian Itumeleng Molise left people in stitches with the jokes he cracked.
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