I want them to know…
A poem by Wina Tamar Amancio Nguluve
I want them to know
That we were a community covered with happiness
That we paraded through life wrapped in elegance
That we carried the colours of the rainbow everywhere we went
With the Ankara, Kidengue, Capulana
That we gave every step a reason to be the best
And even had our culture stolen by the west
But no we had no reason to be distressed
Cause we knew that with our African print we were blessed
I want them to know…
I want them to know
That we moved with rhythm
That if a beat was played in the north
The south would dance with’em
That this was what kept us alive
What helped us survive
The endless steps to the beat of the drums
Shook us from our souls to our thumbs
I want them to know…
I want them to know
About the hard times
The ones that threatened our smiles
As our families were separated by miles
And we were forced to work on mines
About how harsh were the colonial times
I want them to know…
I want them to know
That we were the beginning of life
From the time when there was no strife
And that the evolution of what you see today
Is only cause our ancestors went astray
I want them to know…
I want them to know
That we were the first architects of this world
And our oldest buildings are still preserved like a rare pearl
And that inside our temple
Are kept mysteries that could make you tremble
I want them to know…
I want them to know
of our tropical islands
That drastically contrasted with our drylands
Of the picturesque views
That match perfectly to the sound of the blues
I want them to know…
I want them to know about our intellectuality
And our controversial mentality
Know the great values of humanity
And how with love we built a society
I want them to know…
I want them to know
About our connection with nature
How that was for us a treasure
About how we had the biggest the world knew
The most spectacular human view
How our landscapes painted in green
Brought inner peace for a human being
I want them to know…
I want them to know
About our capacity
That was shown with great audacity
That we were not afraid to compete with the big boys
And also knew how to manage the big toys
I want them to know…
I want them to know that
We were a continent as colourful as a pallet
we were the continent of the black skin
and the brown hair
of the green landscapes
and the brown deserts
Of the blue seas
And the orange sunsets
The continent where differences were embraced
Where diversity was celebrated
I want them to know
I want them to know that we were Africa
“Since I was small I have been a person of little or no words through speech, but the moment I discovered I had the ability to express myself through writing it became a very important part of my life. My Writing and Rhetoric classes have been a great help for my writing skills personally. They’ve helped me develop my critical thinking and be able to create pieces for reflection and impact.”
Wina Tamar Amancio Nguluve was born and raised in the capital of Mozambique, Maputo City. She started her journey at ALA in 2017.
