麻豆约拍

Poet Daljit Nagra revisits the 麻豆约拍's poetry archive and selects Africa's Digital Poets - Another Kind of Stage.

In the first of two programmes, Johannesburg based poet Thabiso Mohare looks at the way digital platforms are serving poets across the continent, from emerging writers to established voices, and those carrying forward ancient oral traditions.

Thabiso Mohare ('Afurakan') is one of the poets and entrepreneurs spearheading developments in spoken word poetry in South Africa, and exploring the possibilities of what the digital space can offer poets in countries where there's a lack of publishing infrastructure, or publishers are pulling back from poetry.

Thabiso meets the digital pioneers who, as part of the broader tech revolution in a mobile-first continent, are offering poets across Africa a new outlet for presenting their work in a digital age.

Thabiso talks to Mak Manaka, one of the poets excited by the opportunities to carve their own path, not only against those who value a published collection as proof of your worth, but also against the European model of success.

And he talks to a mentor from the older generation, Professor Keorapatse Kgositsile, the poet laureate of South Africa, to see what he makes of it all, asking what the role of the poet has always been in African societies and how that translates into the online space, and what he sees the pitfalls as being.

Producer: Megan Jones

First broadcast on 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 in October 2016.