After an interesting conversation with Derek Cleland on straight and curved poetry, I began reflecting on the true role of Slam poetry in Fiji.
SLAMS being introduced about two years ago as an initiative of the newly formed School of Language, Media and the Arts at the University of the South Pacific. Recognizing the potential to play with the accronym for the school ‘SLAM’ and the potential to move away from the traditional poetry readings to interactive performances, the use of poetry Slams began.
Since then, we have had numerous slams on campus and around Suva. Notably, during the Pacific Youth Festival two workshops included Slam poetry. One facilitated by Hugh Fraser and Dave Lavaki introduced participants to hip-hop and performance poetry for Slams and the other, by yours truly explored the role of the arts as social commentary and antagonistic art. Slam poetry as performance being one of the art forms presented.
Despite the slam being just over two-years old, the culture of slamming has yet to reach beyond the usual suspects. How do we engage more meaningfully with the wider community? How do we begin to engage more young people in well articulated, thought provoking performance pieces?
As the reigning Slammer (2008/2009 — simply, i might add— for the mere fact that I participated in both annual Slam events and was voted overall winner) I would like to see more slammers – more aggressive, performance artists who mean what they say and say what they mean. I would like to see more mixed age groups, young, old, experienced and emerging – rise to the occasion.
I am still not convinced that there is enough awareness or development of emerging performers or non-competitive development, performance opportunities.
In the interim, I wait for the time that there are categories of slam to allow new developing ‘shy’ slammers to grow as well as for those with more experience to move further in their own development.
Perhaps we need to you tube our slams… hmmmm – lots to do it seems…
For more on the founder of SLAM Poetry see http://marckellysmith.com/
