Biography

In 2006 when Batsirai started seriously performing her poetry she says there were only three women doing poetry readings at the time including herself.  She was felt challenged to add her voice in the poetry circles therefore ventured into the slam community at the Book Cafe in Harare.  She  is passionate about lending her voice to the women whose voices have been silenced the world over.

 

Batsirai currently works as a full-time Gender Project Officer in an arts development organisation.    In the past she has mostly worked as a solo performer but occasionally collaborated with other poets and musicians experiences she relishes .  She has worked with musicians such as Theresa Muteta, Dudu Manhenga, Selmor Mtukudzi, Rute Mbangwa, Q Montana  and other poets like Shoes Lambada, Michael Mabwe, Upmost, ERS, Primrose Dzenga just mention a few.

 

She has had the privilege of sharing the stage with great names like Roxanne ‘Xapa’ Mathazia (Zim), Chirikure Chirikure(Zim),  Shimmer Chinodya(Zim), Cde Fatso, Outspoken (Zim), Zolani Mkize(SA), Ncina Mhlope(SA), Napo Masheane(SA), Lemn Sissay, Rowan Sawday(UK), Adisa(UK), Tsead Brunja(Netherlands),  Antonio David Lyons(USA), Phillipa Yaa de Villiers,(SA), Yasus Afari (Jamaica), Richard Brown(UK), Linda Marlowe (UK), Mutabaruka(Jamaica), Lebogang Mashile(SA), Pitika Ntuli, Mama C(Tanzania), Barolong Sebone(Bots).

 

Batsirai has performed at several festivals in the region including Harare International Festival of the Arts(HIFA), Intwasa Arts Festival, Thubalethu, Nguva Yedu Youth Festival, Arts Alive(SA), Sadc Poetry Festival(Botswana), Poetry Africa Tour, Tambo Tambulani Art Camp & Festival, Pemba, Mozambique, Shoko Spoken Word & Hip-Hop Festival and recently performed at the Hivos Poetry Cafe, Blantyre Arts Festival, Malawi.

 

In August 2010, Batsirai was featured in four anthologies published by Mensa Press in the USA: Whispers in the Whirlwind, War against War, Defiled Sacredness & Visions on Motherland.  She is also featured in State of the Nation published by Conversation Paper-press in England.  Several of her short stories have been published online and an extract from one of her short stories was published in “Writings from Africa” a publication facilitated by the British Council through the Crossing Borders Writers’ Project.

 

Batsirai also writes short stories and contributes to Zimbojam, the most popular arts website in Zimbabwe.

 

Performances to date

Upcoming Performances

First Floor Gallery, ‘Performance Painted’ 23 Feb,  with Nico Phooko(South Africa)

International Women’s Day – 8 March, Karoi

24 March, Bulawayo(TBC)

Other Performances

  • HOH Poetry Slam + Jam Session, Alliance Francaise, Johannesburg, 11 Feb 2012
  • Spanish Embassy, Homage for Julius Chingono, 8 Feb 2012
  • Spanish Embassy, Clare Nyakujara – Album Launch, 30 Nov, 2011
  • Goethe-Zentrum, Harare, (Acoustic Night)
  • Protest Arts Festival, 29 Oct 2011
  • Blantyre Arts Festival, Malawi 7-8 October 2011
  • Shoko Spoken Word & Hip Hop Festival, Friday 23 September 2011
  • Media Centre Launch, 25 Aug, 2011
  • Tambo Tambulani Art Camp & Festival, Pemba, Mozambique(Art Moves Africa)
  • Tree of Life, Malborough 2011
  • Zimbabwe USA Alumni Association, IWD, 16 March 2011
  • Women’s Coalition, IWD, 8 March, 2011
  • Zimbabwe Women Writers, IWD, 8 March 2011
  • Poetry Africa Tour, The Book Cafe, 29 Sept 2010
  • SADC Poetry Festival, Gaborone, Botswana, 27-29 Aug 2010
  • Adjudication, Z. UN. A, Interschools Poetry Competition, July 2010
  • Advocacy Gathering on the increase of femicide, Musasa Project, AFUS, 17 June 2010
  • Hivos Poetry Cafe, HIFA, 28-30 April 2010
  • IWD, 13 March, 2010, Book Cafe
  • IWD, Prime Minister’s Office, 7 March 2010
  • 16 Days Concert, 28 Nov, 2009
  • Literary Evening with Owen Sheers, 23 Nov 2009
  • Arts Alive, SA, Sept 2009
  • HIFA, 1 May 2009
  • Thubalethu Youth Festival Mar 2009
  • International Women’s Day, Mar 2009
  • World Aids Day, Women’s Coalition of Zim, Celebration Centre
  • Intwasa Arts Festival, Sept 2008
  • Movers & Shakers 14 June 2008, The British Council
  • International Poetry Day, 21 March 2008, Gallery Delta
  • International Women’s Day Celebrations 8 March 2008, National Art Gallery
  • Poetry Forum, 5 February 2008, US Public Affairs
  • Magamba Cultural Trust Mann, enberg, 19 January 2008
  • Africa Poetry and Book Festival, December 2007, Alliance Francaise
  • Performed a quartet with Illusions, Mannenberg April 2007
  • Neo Factor’s Show Opening, SOPHIATOWN 2007
  • 2007, Dambudzo Marechera 20th Anniversary commemoration
  • Launch of  “DESTINY” by  Virginia Phiri, 2007, Zimbabwe German Society
  • Poetry Cafe, 2006 & 2007, Harare International Festival of the Arts,
  • Closing night, 2003 & 2004, International Images Film Festival