A raunchy poet’s marriage proposal to President Ian Khama has sharply divided opinions in Botswana. Poet Berry Heart set tongues wagging at the Okavango International Poetry festival in Maun last weekend when she made a passionate public marriage proposal to the President.
The rising star startled the festival audience as she performed her poem, “I have a Crush on Ian Khama” in a scanty red bikini, and admitted that she had a strong sexual attraction and long-term love for the unmarried head of state.
Born Keotshephile Motseonageng and fast becoming known for pushing boundaries through art, the 24-year-old performer set the stage ablaze in a red bikini piece, gyrating her hips as she publicly declared her infatuation, love and undying sexual desire for President Khama.
Performing with a picture of the President projected on a wall, Gaborone based Heart shook her ample behind in captivating dance movements as she sensually chronicled how she has had a crush on ‘Ian Khama’ since she was five years old. She went on to wish that Botswana’s most eligible bachelor would set her free from the torture of unrequited love.
Oblivious to the mixed reaction her remarks were drawing from the large crowd that packed Maun Lodge hall, Heart in her recitation which was set to sensual music confessed: “My beloved Ian I fantasised you caressing my most erogenous zones, sending electrical impulses to my bones, as you rub your moustache against the nape of my neck.
Accomplished poet and author Barolong Seboni, a lecturer at the University of Botswana, who attended the show remarked: “She did show creativity and her attire was in line with art. I didn’t have a problem with that.” Berry Heart found yet another supportive fan in Shirley Gwamolomba, a 23- year-old who“loved everything about the performance,” from the attire, which she described as “out of this world,” to her erotic dance moves.
Accomplished poet and author Barolong Seboni, a lecturer at the University of Botswana, who attended the show remarked: “She did show creativity and her attire was in line with art. I didn’t have a problem with that.” Berry Heart found yet another supportive fan in Shirley Gwamolomba, a 23- year-old who“loved everything about the performance,” from the attire, which she described as “out of this world,” to her erotic dance moves.
Gwamolambo said that if beauty queens parading in underwear were not deemed offensive, there shouldn’t be anything offensive about Heart’s attire. She did admit however that it detracted from the art as it caused some of her audience to lose focus on her message as they concentrated too much on her body instead.
Meanwhile Salano Satembu a 35-year- old Maun Senior School teacher was amongst those who that felt that Heart’s attire was inappropriate and bordering on pornography as opposed to art. He complained that he attended the show to listen to poetry and not to be subjected to over exposed flesh. “At one stage I felt as if I was in a striptease show, which I found offensive,” he said.
The show now in its second year and sponsored by the Department of Youth and Culture to the tune of P50 000, attracts participants from as far as America the Caribbean and Southern Africa. Speaking at the end of her show Heart who is also a student of French, said that women should use poetry or art to change society’s mind-sets.
She claimed that restrictive attitudes robbed women of the freedom to express their own feelings towards men, and cited the mistaken belief that a woman could not feel beautiful and confident in her own skin unless she was rail thin.
“We have to liberate ourselves and poetry and art can be utilised to achieve that,” she said before thanking her sponsors the Alliance Francaise. The Voice
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