Poem For Dr Esther Nikwambi 'NoStokana' Mahlangu by Khehla Chepape Makgato
Gogo NoStokana, Though you have heard The doors of Western Art bang In the wind of global art scene, Nudging to corrupt or influence creatives At large, your soul and conviction Felt unanchored From yourself, From your mother's language, From the wisdom of your ancestors From the land of your forebears, From your Humanism, Through it all, you maintained your stay In Mpumalanga, where the sun rise I feel the patterns and colors Of masterpieces from your primal being Many a times, I watched you travel the world Tons of television interviews You bring voices of your ancestors Through your language of Ndebele alive You inspired me to secure my door of creativity with a strand of wire To stop it from banging about in the wind Emerging in the arts, mine door has been Banging so long I ceased to care Until like now, I wanted to calm So I could listen and learn To be true to my conviction and Authentic to my craft All the time on the land of my ancestors,