Congolese women use slam poetry to speak out amid conflict

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (MNTV)- At the time of social injustices and curbs on speech, Congolese women have resorted to slam poetry to speak up against societal injustices.

”I chose slam because for me, slam is about more than words. For me and for all the other people who do slam, maybe. Slam is direct. It’s a movement”, says Esther Abumba, aged 23, a resident of the war-torn central Congo.

“In a community marked by conflict. Slam allows us to express, to heal ourselves personally. It’s a tool that enables us to fight every day, living in a community marked by conflict”, she says.

”That’s where I come from. I come from the depths and the silence… Whee art is desecrated when it is feminine, where the dollar civilizes with weapons and the weakest man is content to drown in the river of their tears.”

These are the words penned and spoken by poet Esther. Esther has chosen slam as her tool to transform pain and injustice into a message of hope, reports iAfrica news website.

Esther described slam poetry as a form of therapy and noted that many of her fellow slam poets often write about themes of conflict. 

She observed that many of these poets are as young as ten, eleven, or fourteen years old, yet their works frequently focus on war, violence against women, and injustice. 

She emphasized that young people need platforms and spaces to express themselves, adding that slam poetry serves as a powerful tool to combat injustice through words.  

Esther expressed her hope that her work could help shift narratives surrounding women in the country. She also encouraged other women to use their voices to bring about similar change.

Concluding with resounding passion and hope, she said, ”it’s time for the women who have these powers, to make an effort to rewrite the history of the women of Kivu.”