"Only love will bring back the colour, since our rainbow nation is black."
These are the disheartening yet hope-filled words by Nonhlanhla Siwela, an 18 year old poet and activist who brings attention to and calls out injustices and social ills with her creative artistry. She is fearless in addressing matters which have been ignored for decades and shines her light to ensure that others could also see the importance of promoting and advocating for equality and dismantling the limitations and systems which have been set against various intersectional spaces. The very spaces which should celebrate and empower have only been oppressive and intolerant to diversity and through her work she does not only share her voice but she emancipates those who have been silenced to be able to do the same.
Her work exemplifies the inherent importance of inclusivity and the opportunity to allow all people to thrive in the world that belongs to them. She normalizes the disenfranchised authentic narratives and brings forth the validity of ensuring a generation which creates movements of change and rectifies the faults of the past.
I reached out to her to further understand and also bring recognition to the already constructive change she's brought forth through her poetry.
The conversation
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
The most difficult part of my artistic process is staying true to my emotions and thoughts. I sometimes read other poet’s works and feel the need to “fill their shoes” because their writing is so spectacular. I also sometimes find myself subconsciously thinking, but what is popular to society or what do people want to read about?That’s when I feel disconnected to the source of where all my writing pours from which is my heart. I always dig deep into my heart when I write and when I do that that’s when my truest and most rawest poems come to mind and I can own them. As soon as I try to be someone else or remove my heart from the process I struggle.
What does literary success look like to you?
When you speak your truth unapologetically. All the classics I’ve read, had one thing in common. And that’s truth. Every single author spoke their truth. In their voice, and their voice was loud, it was not shaking. They knew that even if their truth was unorthodox it deserved to be heard nonetheless.
What was an experience where you learned that language had power?
I wrote a poem about my mother, it’s called “poem for my mother” and in the poem I vividly describe my mother and all the limitations she faced growing up. One of them was learning in English when she was Ndebele speaking. She still has that complex ingrained in her mind that her language does not matter and needs to be replaced by polished English. She still thinks how well she speaks in English is a measure of her intelligence, but I have learnt through watching her closely all my life that she is one of the most intelligent women I have ever come across and not just because she’s my mother but because she defied so many odds, alone in a world that kept telling her she does not belong. That’s when I learnt that one’s language is who they are and they should not have to trade that for the world’s version of intelligence.
My mother, Ndebele speaking, with her non-fluent English is still worth listening to and she is undeniably intelligent. It’s just crazy to me how we view certain languages as inferior and some as superior. If I am being more specific, Eurocentric languages are idolised whereas Afrocentric languages are ridiculed. Why is that? Who are we to say whose language is more worthy of being learnt or spoken? Language forms part of who we are, so when we elevate another language and demean the other we are essentially saying certain people matter more than others based on the language they speak, and that for me defies logic and reinforces superiority complexes.
Writers that inspire you?
There are so many! I spent my entire childhood reading books. I went from Rahl Dahl, Enid Blyton, Mary Pope Osborne, to Jane Austen, Ted Dekker, to Paulo Coelho and finally to Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, Alice Walker, Tsitsi Dangarebga, Toni Morrison, and Bell Hooks.
How did you get started as a poet?
The beginning of my poetic journey is always such a blur, I think I remember my first poem but I’m not even sure that’s my first poem. Poetry was taking such a life of its own within me. It’s like I birthed this phenomenon inside of me that wouldn't stop evolving, and we all know how evolution goes, the more something evolves the harder it is to determine its origin. That’s how my poetic journey feels, like this evolving phenomenon with no clear origin!
You use your artistry to bring light to various socio-economic issues and injustices, how do you plan to continue using your poetry to do so?
I have a new book coming out which is a critical analysis of Africanism, social issues in an African context, demagogy and navigating racial tensions. I wanted my book to be as specific as possible. I did not want to skirt around the issues, this book is the most honest I’ve ever been in my poetry. I just hope the honesty will not be misinterpreted as divisive or morbid. I hope it will be a catalyst for open and honest conversations and healing as we navigate the difficult political, socioeconomic and intersectional climates we as Africans are increasingly finding ourselves in. Then I also created a spoken word audio collection of some selected poems from the book. This is my way of making sure my art reaches as many people as possible and is accessible in both a visual and audible way.
Who are your favourite poets?
Rupi Kaur to me is the literal goddess of contemporary poetry, I reread her books at least three times a year. Then Rudy Francisco, I.E Bowman, Mel Chanté, Donnell Williams, Koleka Putuma, Maya Angelou, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, E.E Cummings, Akif Kichloo and the Romantic Poets.
What does equality and freedom mean to you as we celebrate women's month?
I think equality and freedom mean less limitations imposed on women and I mean all women, both gender conforming and non-gender conforming , binary or non binary, disabled and trans women. I think there are still so many limits society places on women and it’s more evident in the working environment especially corporate, the entertainment industry and in sports. Women are still getting paid less for the same standard of work, if not more, than a man produces. Women are still undermined and are more critically assessed. Women’s opinions are still doubted and debated whilst a man’s word is readily accepted. There is still so much unfairness, and the intersectionality of women specific oppression makes it more intense. It needs to be addressed and eradicated if women are to experience equality and freedom.
Do you think the world gives enough attention and appreciation to the art of poetry? If not, what would you like to see change?
No, most definitely not. Poetry is such a tiny field. But there are so many talented poets out there. There are not enough platforms and spaces for all these poets to be seen and heard. We need more of that because poetry is timeless and it is a unique form of expression that forges unique connections between people.
How long have you been writing or when did you start?
I’ve been writing for just over 5 years. I started back in 2017, during my grade 9 year. I was honestly navigating inner turmoil and writing poetry was my way of making sense of the mess, by unravelling it through my words. It was a way to heal.
How do you use social media as an writer?
I just share my poems. I honestly never have any expectations. I share with the intention of making a difference even if it’s just in one person’s heart for me that is enough. I really am not a social media person, I prefer real life interaction and connecting with people in person.
She is currently working towards her first publication, a collection of poems which will be compiled into a salutary contribution to demolish the culture of discrimination, inequality and racial injustices titled; The Rainbow Nation is Black.
My new book “The Rainbow Nation is black” as I’ve previously described is more of an experience than a book. It’s like experiencing Africanism and what has shaped it or even attempted to pull it apart. The title is a paradox because of course juxtaposing the word rainbow with black is seemingly contradictory. A rainbow is a multicoloured phenomenon, whilst black suggests the absence of colour. And then nation comes in the middle to add to the confusion, well my thought process behind this was to make critical social commentary. As the rainbow nation do we really celebrate our multicoloured nature, our diversity, our differences? Is contemporary South Africa as progressive as we claim it to be? Is it really all colourful or is there still real pain and underlying issues we are yet to address that are threatening to subvert the entire meaning of “Rainbow nation”. Black is not just a colour but black is the space we are afraid to reside in. The space of truth and discomfort. The space where we address the truth about our nation, and how black people in particular are still excluded in this multicoloured nation. How black people ironically are the ones who actually form a large part of that rainbow nation. Yes, so it is an experience but also a call to include, address, confront and heal. It is a celebration of blackness and Africanism. My book is unorthodox, uncomfortable and critical but it is necessary. I hope the readers will feel the same way I do about it, after reading it.
Nonhlanhla has not only started a movement and shares in the many others that have brought us this far, but she has garnered the attention of writers such as myself who are now inspired to join in highlighting the intolerance of all these matters. Through her work she inspires a generation of younger people to understand the sense of belonging which resides in all of us, that this world be it black, white or green in all the nature that surrounds us, we are the rainbow nation of this democratic society. Nothing should ever separate us, a collective which is meant to be united and stand in solidarity, is anything but a rainbow nation if it continues to radiate hate and stand against equality and freedom.
And in her words, this will only be achieved in love.
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