Building a legacy for oral traditions

The group has been using spoken word at its annual festival to reach out to vulnerable young people and the public since 2013, Solwazi said at the St Jude’s Home for Girls in Belmont where a group performed last week.

The performers spoken word contributions focused on the ills of social media and its negative impact on person-to-person interactions; issues of freedom with respect to mental and cultural slavery and addressed the prevalent lack of self-worth and how to cultivate it.

While using poetry to affect social change, the group has been using the festival to open up opportunities for cultural exchange.

International performers, including Brazilian Emerson Alcade, and Australian Abdul Hammoud, were present throughout the weeklong event. Alongside them, local poets shared their thoughts including Michael Logie and Shineque Saunders, who represented TT in July at the 19th Annual Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam in Washington DC.

The spoken word artistes also took their craft to the Youth Training Centre (YTC), Nalis Library, Abercromby Street and Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain during their campaign from August 8 to 13. They visited Pamberi Pan Yard in San Juan for the “Word in de Yard” session, where the international performers experienced pan music, traditional cultural characters such as midnight robber and pierrot grenade, as well as rapso.

Aside from spoken word, theatrical showcases were conducted by English poet, Kat Francois.

The festival ended with a concert at the Ambassador Hotel, Long Circular Road, where the feature artiste, Amir Sulaiman from the USA delivered a powerful message.

I drees Saleem of the 2 Cents Movement also performed.

By next year, the Roots Foundation hopes to host a conference here. According to Solwazi, it will be the “2.0” to the South North Griot Summit of 2015 in Toronto, Canada.

The conference will seek to bolster spoken word as an art form and career option.