IHRAF is my Pathfinder - Buwaso Ibrahim Razack, Ugandan Poet-in-Exile

 

IHRAF IS MY PATHFINDER - BUWASO IBRAHIM RAZACK, UGANDAN POET-IN-EXILE

Buwaso Ibrahim Razack is a Ugandan poet-in-exile, also a Spoken Word Artist. In this Interview with Wole Adedoyin, he shared with him few facts about his writings, project and human rights struggle.

WA: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AS A POET?

BIR: Unnnhh , maybe the same way I started calling out mama and dada when I was a toddler hahahaha, I started  by speaking what’s on my mind  without fear or favor, believing I am the best and greatest of all times, standing on the truth. Also I write and practice every day. Practice makes perfect. Writing needs constant practice. This takes me where I am today.

WA: HOW DID YOU GET INTO SPOKEN WORD?

BIR: Nature got me into spoken word; I can also say it’s a calling. Calling to show the world lightness, truth, honesty and transparency.  I have already made a name through it. My desire to fight for human rights, speak the truth to the people in power and my thirst for a better world got me into Spoken Word.

WA:  WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE MISS IF THEY ONLY READ POETRY, DON’T HEAR IT SPOKEN?

BIR: They miss out a lot, they miss seeing the real images, action, hardness, softness, sweetness, rhyming, rhythms that always accompany every delivery while rendering such lines.  Poetry is life and my life also depends on it. Everything about me is poetry. Spoken Word makes poetry lively. It makes it interesting and meaningful.

WA: DID YOU HAVE TO TRAIN AT ALL TO GET THE FLOW OF SPOKEN WORD POETRY?

BIR: Hahahaha, I did not attend any Spoken Word training school and there is no such where I am presently. My spoken Word talent is natural. I did not go to any school to learn it. I practice every day and through that I became a Spoken Word Master. My Spoken Word rendering style actually makes me unique among my colleagues.

 
WA: HOW DO YOUR POEMS DEVELOP? PLEASE GUIDE US THROUGH THE STAGES OF A POEM

BIR: As I mentioned above, poetry is what I do every day. It’s a day to day affair. I write whenever I feel like writing. I can write about anything and my writing depends on tones. The tones can be hard, soft, revolutionary and lyrical. I always follow some rules and guidelines whenever I’m writing a poem. The rules always help my Spoken Word rendering.

WA: I HEARD YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A REFUGEE REHABILITATION PROJECT; CAN YOU SHED MORE LIGHT ON THE PROJECT?

BIR: Yes, I am the Founder and currently the CEO of the International Refugees Rehabilitation Initiative which is basically into Refugees Rehabilitation and Management. Also into care and maintenance of refugees in camps, organizing vocational training for refugees, orientation for resettlement, and an extensive tracing service to find lost relatives. We hope to work with human rights lawyers, writers, NGOs, business and religion institutions in order to achieve some of our aims and objectives.

WA: WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS STRUGGLE SO FAR?

BIR: I can summarily say the freedom of the masses is the basic reason why I’m into activism. Millions of Africans are suffering due to bad leadership and negligence by their elected leaders. Though they always blame their failures on Mistakes. Majorly, mistakes committed by them while they were in power. I have been able to use poetry to address this and other issues affecting the growth and development of Africa and Africans in general.

WA: WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH IHRAF?

BIR: IHRAF has been at the forefront of making silent voices heard to the whole world through her IHRAF Publishes. The platform has helped to make many voices heard and known to the rest of the world. It has really helped me in person in making my struggle known to the world. IHRAF is my pathfinder.

WA: HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO FIT WRITING IN WITH OTHER DEMANDS ON YOUR TIME?

BIR: Like I said, writing is what I do every day. Though I have some specific hours which I have set aside for writing. Writing is my passion. I write anywhere I found myself. I am always with my pen and paper. Whenever the ideas come, I put them down on papers.   

WA: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A SPOKEN WORD POET?

 

BIR: It takes nothing but being real, being you and believing in yourself.  Constant practice is another vital element which must be taken into consideration as a Spoken Word Artist.

WA:  TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FIRST TIME PERFORMING

BIR: It was quite funny and a lovely time. I was five years old then. You know being a kid; my act was very funny and humorous.

WA: WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE LIVING POETS?

BIR: Shonda Buchanan.   Shonda Buchanan is an award-winning poet and educator. She is also the author of Who's Afraid of Black Indians? and Equipoise: Poems from Goddess Country and editor of two anthologies, Voices from Leimert Park and Voices from Leimert Park Redux. She has been my mentor and a literary friend.

WA: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PERFORMANCE POETRY?

BIR: Upcoming Spoken Word Artists should believe in themselves. Their watchwords should be transparency, honesty and truth. They should continue writing and face any challenges that confront them.

WA: WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

BIR: I have social media handles and currently building my own app where all my writings and social activities will be found.  My current social media handles are:

*Rich kidd thats facebook
*BlackboyGu  thats Twitter
*Blackboy __ivyoffical

WA: HAVE YOU, OR WOULD YOU, DO AN ALBUM?
      
BIR: Yes like any other Spoken Word Artists, I have a couple of Performance poetry skits but  yet  to be premiered for public  consumption.