Animal specialist finds her tongue in poetry

By Mwangi Muiruri

When she first introduced her poetry, Cut My Tongue, many were tongue-tied by her choice of title.

But, Betty Wamalwa-Muraguri says, this was an opening to the beginning of door as a poet.

There is something fascinating about poetry and that is why Shakespeare in all his love lines used poems to communicate, says Muraguri.

"Poetry, my world, my pulse, my occupation, my darling dear world," she incants.

"This is all about showcasing the African continent as a powerhouse of cultural wealth. It is an African story told through my eyes. The beauty of our motherland, our strengths, our weaknesses and inspiration therein," she elaborates.

Acting by the stage name Sitawa Namwalie, she weeps as she recites her poetry and touts Africa as a field of "incredible cultural and material resources, yet her people continue wallowing in poverty."

She rails at bad leadership, social inertia amongst her people and lack of opportunities to break off the yokes of dependence.

This is the artwork that is scheduled to take her troupe of 10 members to the United Kingdom later this month for a performance spree, she reveals.

This is after staging successful performances in Nairobi, an endeavour she says will fundraise for the trip.

"After two public performances, the show was invited to this year’s Hay Festival in UK, one of the largest literary festivals in the world," she says.

The poem is a spirited invocation to Africans to colonise and mould their own history.

It is a show about land, about tribe, evolving identity, politics and political critique, tradition and genealogy. "It explores the truth about our beliefs, the way we behave and why. The show is deliberately scripted to make you think and laugh at the same time. It rants, sweats, breaks into song and dance," Muraguri says.

And her combined talents give this woman in her late 40s an aura of mystic package in her persona.A master’s degree graduate in Botany and Zoology, a development social worker by training and now a poem composer and actress leaves her befitting title open for debate.

"Do you call me a botanical and zoological development worker in poetry? Help me," she quips.

African ambassador

She regards herself as ‘ a proud daughter of African values’ and one who is equipped with many talents.

"In 1980, she represented Nairobi University in international Tennis competitions, a feat that took her to a globe trotting spree.

"I played in Mexico, England, Zambia and Spain among other countries," she prides.

Her turning point was when she won a Gold medal in the All African games in 1980 after she emerged the best hockey player.

"I was to later be chosen to switch off the Olympic torch. Innocent as I was, it never struck my mind that I was in the glare of the global cameras," she recalls.

Her childhood memories revolve around reading, writing and composing songs.

At nine years, she was already writing.

"At 10, I was reading even in bathroom. I would wake up at 3 am and start reading Enid Blyton books. I enjoyed reading fairy tales as well," she recalls with a tinge of nostalgia.

And she enjoys her poetic world that it has even permeated her basic interactions including greetings.

"Though shake my hand, tell me you are alright, let’s us get chatting," she says as the interview begins.

For a woman who was born in a well up family and later pursued environmental studies as a profession, getting down to poems was no mean feat.

"My dad —William Ndala Wamalwa –– was the first secretary to the Cabinet in the Kenyatta regime. My mum was a teacher. Former Vice President, the late Kijana Wamalwa is my cousin. You can bet my upbringing was all about pursuing ‘serious’ things in life," she muses.

She says she schooled in Whites only schools "and the experience was terrifying."

"When you are in the company of creations suffering from superiority complex, they serve to sink your mind into inferiority complex," she says. The mother of three children aged between 10 and three years, was not the stuff that gets cornered into inferior submissions, she says.

"I braved the ordeal at Kilimani High School, Loreto Convent (Valley Road) and Msongari where I sat for my A levels," she reveals.

After graduating, in an American university, she worked as an environmental consultant with various organisations.

Even then, she did not abandon her writing. By 2007, Muraguri had written over 40 poems.

The birth of a poet

"Then I got a visitation. I felt heavily pregnant with literal discourse. I had to give birth to my long held interest in poetry," she says.

She approached a renowned theatre persona, Shailjan Patel at a restaurant in the City and presented her manuscripts.

"I was auditioned for my first poem Land of Guiltless Natives.

"The verdict was, Oh my! What a talent!"’. She says this buoyed her spirit and gave her "drive and the pulse of my poetry passion".

In 2008, Muthoni Garland –– a writer and poet –– introduced her to other venues for live poetry performances.

"It is in the good hands of Ms Garland that I staged my first performance poetry show at Ramona Art Gallery, Parklands, on June 27 last year," she recalls.

In August last year, she held another performance at the Museum Mall, Nairobi.

"The audience was around 348 people. I have never been so encouraged. The audience was receptive. They cried, laughed, clapped and urged me on. I have never felt so appreciated! God bless my fans," she says.